County: Wicklow Site name: Coolbeg
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A022/070, E3256
Author: Goorik Dehaene, Coolroe, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, for Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Prehistoric activity
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 727740m, N 690733m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.952164, -6.098990
This site, c. 4km south-west of Wicklow town, was comprised of kilns and pits. The archaeological investigation was undertaken in March to May 2006 on behalf of the National Roads Authority on the route of the N11 Rathnew to Arklow road improvement. The site was located on level ground and is c. 100m north of the constraint area for WI031–045, a flint scatter.
The site measured 50m (north–south) by 30m and comprised three corn-drying kilns and eight pits. Many phases of use were evident in the figure-of-eight-shaped kilns. The pits were located around the kilns and comprised regular circular cuts with flat bases. They have been interpreted as storage pits associated with the kiln activity.
A barbed and tanged arrowhead recovered from the site was the most significant and easily datable artefact recovered, but this was not recovered from a secure archaeological context.
