2007:989 - AR148, Maddockstown, Kilkenny

This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4B, Knocktopher to Powerstown. The site was located on flat land under pasture beside high-voltage electric power lines. Due to safety reasons only the southern part of the site, away from the electric lines, was excavated. The excavation, which took place between 24 September and 9 October 2007, revealed only the northern part of a burnt-mound deposit, the rest of which was outside the CPO. There were no major water sources in the vicinity but numerous small springs made the land a little marshy even though it had been drained in the 1950s.
The burnt-mound deposit was heavily disturbed by ploughing and drainage. It measured 12m by 9.74m and was 0.3m deep in the centre and much thinner towards the sides. It sealed an irregular undisturbed deposit of blackened sandy silt with a high percentage of fire-cracked stone and charcoal. This material filled the features underneath, including a pit (5.3m by 4.2m by 1.6m) which contained disarticulated animal bones (cattle or sheep/goat) in the bottom layers and which may have served as a water reservoir from the site. Two possible troughs were uncovered to the south of the pit. One was oval and measured 2.29m by 2.18m and 0.34m in depth; nine stake-holes were driven into its gently sloping base. The most substantial four stake-holes were located at opposite sides of the trough and were possibly the remains of a rectangular frame. The other stake-holes were possibly used to strengthen it. The second trough was oblong in shape and was orientated north-west/south-east. It measured 2m by 1.1m and was 0.33m deep. It had vertical sides and a flat base but did not have any stake-holes driven into its base.