2007:998 - AR103, Rathcash, Kilkenny

This site was located within the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road scheme along Contract 2, Phase 4B, Knocktopher to Powerstown, on low ground within former arable land. Two areas of archaeological activity were identified. Area A contained two pits, the largest of which measured 2.28m by 1.78m and had a depth of 0.5m. Both were filled with burnt-mound material and the smaller of the two pits was truncated by a modern field drain. A flint arrowhead was retrieved from the redeposited burnt-mound material that was excavated from a section of the drain adjacent to the smaller pit. A possible granite saddle stone was also retrieved from the topsoil.
Area B contained a large burnt spread (15m by 6m) with two episodes of deposition, one consisting of typical burnt-mound material (heat-affected stones and charcoal) and the other comprising a peaty brown material that is likely to have been natural in origin. To the immediate south-west of the burnt spread were two large troughs. The first (1.75m by 1.58m by 1m depth) contained three fills and evidence of a former wicker lining. Poorly preserved rods of wood were noted within the clay fill of the trough, although these were not found in situ. The second trough (3.38m by 2m by 1.1m depth) had eight fills and a possible small recut for a pit. Evidence for a wicker lining was also apparent within this feature, again in the form of poorly preserved wooden rods that were not found to be in situ. Three other shallow pits were located in close proximity to the two troughs, one of which contained three small stake-holes at its base. The features found within Areas A and B are characteristic of Bronze Age burnt mound or fulacht fiadh sites. Charcoal obtained from the site should provide a date confirming this provisional interpretation.