County: Wicklow Site name: Ballynapark
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A022/032, E3217
Author: Ellen O’Carroll, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 8 Dungar Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 727823m, N 682674m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.879750, -6.100927
This excavation was undertaken on behalf of Wicklow County Council and the National Roads Authority in advance of the construction of the N11 Rathnew to Arklow road improvement motorway scheme.
The site was divided into two areas. A022–032 (A) was a substantial burnt-mound spread located next to a large pool and an area of alder carr. There was a trough associated with this burnt-mound spread. A022–032 (B) was located c. 10m to the north-east of A022–032 (A) and comprised a small thin spread of burnt material and two pit-like features.
The sites can be assigned to the fulacht fiadh or burnt-mound monument type. Although dated examples of fulacht fiadh span a considerable time scale and their usage is still debated, they are generally considered to be cooking areas and their date is frequently found to be within the Bronze Age.
