County: Kerry Site name: CLIEVRAGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0313
Author: Laurence Dunne and Tony Bartlett, Eachtra Archaeological Projects
Site type: Enclosure
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 498262m, N 634868m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.455789, -9.496933
Pre-development testing was undertaken at a proposed development site in Clievragh and Curraghatoosane townlands, c. 1km north of Listowel, Co. Kerry. The site encompasses within its limits a levelled monument, classified in the RMP as a ‘rath’, KE010–056. This monument has been entirely levelled in the past, with no relict aboveground remains visible. However, an area of differential growth reflecting the circularity of the site enables some visual recognition of the monument. A preliminary impact assessment was undertaken with regard to this site in March 2006. Mitigation measures were agreed with the DoEHLG in 2006 to protect the monument site through the development stage and through time.
A total of 46 test-trenches (Trenches T1–T46) were excavated across the site. These trenches amount to 4413 linear metres, reflecting c. 8.5% of the overall site of 13.8ha. A track machine utilising a 2m-wide grading bucket excavated the trenches to the depth of natural subsoil or to the top layer of archaeology where deposits were encountered.
Apart from extensive test-trenching across the overall PDS, a series of extramural, radiating trenches (T27–T44) were placed around the monument, outside the exclusion zone set out around it, in order to establish the presence or otherwise of possible extramural activity associated with the ringfort. No archaeological features, strata or artefacts were encountered in the radiating trenches around the monument.
The topsoil was a mid- to dark-grey silty clay with moderate small to medium angular and sub-angular stones. The subsoil varied across the site, from a clean mid-yellowish-orange silty clay with occasional clay patches to a mottled mid-green/yellow/brown silty clay with occasional iron panning. The topsoil depth varied across the site from 0.25m to 0.35m.
Several agricultural field drains were encountered across the site. They generally comprised 0.3m-wide linear cuttings, some with small randomly deposited stones at the surface while others were silted up containing stones at the base.
A single area of archaeological significance, an area of heat-shattered stones, was revealed in Trench 19 with a recorded north–south measurement of 13m by an estimated similar east–west measurement. At the southern extent of the spread a narrow cutting was excavated through it to establish depths and ascertain the possible presence of associated subsoil-cut features. The cutting measured 4m by 0.3m and was a maximum 0.3m in depth. A possible post-hole and pit/trough were revealed at the base of the cutting; no further investigation was undertaken.
The soil matrix containing the heat-shattered stones was a charcoal-enriched dark-blackish-brown clayey silt. The heat-shattered stones consisted of cubic sandstones averaging 0.04m in thickness. The spread was present beneath a thin veneer of topsoil averaging 0.1m in depth.
3 Lios Na Lohart, Ballyvelly, Tralee, Co. Kerry
