County: Kildare Site name: BALLYNAMONY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E002952
Author: Red Tobin, Headland Archaeology Ltd.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 676908m, N 689576m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.951454, -6.855520
This site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme, Phase 3: Kilcullen to Carlow. Excavation on this site commenced on 30 July 2007. Initial cleaning revealed an elongated kidney-shaped burnt mound. The mound measured 20.4m in length. The mound varied in width from 3m to 10m and was comprised of classic firing material, burnt, heat-shattered stones and blackened earth. The maximum depth of the firing material is 0.26m at the centremost point on the mound. The material reduced in depth towards the termini of the mound.
A trough was identified situated within the wings of the mound and 0.5m to the north-west. The trough was identified as a dense spread of firing material defined as subcircular in plan, measuring 1.5m by 1.7m and with a maximum depth of 0.7m. The base of the trough is quite flat. Some fragments of wood, with possible working, were retrieved from the basal fill of the trough.
Removal of the mound revealed a linear array of nine stake-holes aligned from north-west to south-east. The stake-holes formed two parallel lines roughly 0.4m apart. The diameter of the stake-holes ranged from 0.05m to 0.13m. This array of stake-holes indicates the presence of a lightly built structure adjacent to the trough. The presence of burnt-mound material in the stake-hole-fill might suggest that this structure was removed deliberately during the working life of the mound.
One flake of flint debitage was recovered during the initial clean-back of the site. This came from the interface of ploughsoil with the burnt-mound material and not from what could be described as a secure context. The site is a classic burnt mound.
Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork
