2006:1881 - Knockgraffon, Tipperary

Sites 131.1 and 129.1, located in the townland of Knockgraffon, Co. Tipperary, were excavated along a section of the N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown road improvement scheme. The sites were first identified during a programme of testing carried out during August 2005 (Excavations 2005, No. 1412, 05E0877).
Site 129.1 was located on the side of a steep east-facing slope in a large arable field that had been subjected to intensive farming practices. The site had commanding views to the south, east and north. Following topsoil-stripping, the site consisted of the truncated remains of a circular post-built structure and a number of associated cuts. The area investigated measured c. 22m (east–west) by 20m. The partial remains of a structure, 7m in diameter and defined by a circular arrangement of post-holes, was identified at this site. The incomplete nature of this building was due to truncation along its southern side by a large east–west-oriented ditch (of modern date). The interior of the structure was also truncated by an east–west-oriented field drain. The outer wall of the building was defined by a curving arc of seven post-holes, while a pair of centrally placed post-holes appeared to have acted as roof supports. The post-holes measured 0.24–0.34m in diameter and 0.19–0.29m in depth. Nine stake-holes and one shallow bowl-shaped pit were identified within the interior of the structure. There was no evidence for an internal hearth. However, the centre of the building was truncated by a field drain and this may have removed any hearth had it existed. Two pits, two possible hearth pits and number of stake-holes were identified immediately to the north and east of the structure. A charcoal sample from a post-hole belonging to the circular structure gave a calibrated radiocarbon date of 1530–1400 bc.
Site 131.1 was located in a flat well-drained arable field that had been subjected to intensive farming practices. Following topsoil-stripping the site consisted of a small circular enclosure possibly representing a structure and a number of associated cuts. The area investigated at this site measured c. 30m (east–west) by 45m. The small enclosure/
structure was defined by a U-shaped slot-trench that measured 0.26–0.38m in width and 0.13–0.26m in depth. It enclosed a circular area that measured c. 4m in diameter. A narrow break in the slot-trench, 0.2m in width, possibly marked an entrance on the northern side of the enclosure/structure. There was no evidence for any post-holes within the slot-trench and no features were identified within the interior of the enclosure/structure.
Five associated pits were identified during the excavation. One of these was located 0.8m to the south of the possible structure, while the remaining four were located c. 7m to the south-west of the building. The pits measured 0.2–0.39m in depth and were filled by silty clays that contained frequent inclusions of charcoal. The four pits identified to the south-west of the building were closely spaced and appeared to be centred on a truncated hearth. This hearth survived as an area of oxidised clay that measured 0.9m in length by 0.68m in width. Although the original function of this circular enclosure is uncertain, it is possible that it represents the remains of a temporary lightweight structure such as a tent or wigwam. It is also feasible that this enclosure is the remains of a highly truncated ring-ditch.
Post-excavation work for these sites is ongoing.