County: Limerick Site name: Richhill
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E002329
Author: Áine Richardson, Headland Archaeology Ltd, Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork.
Site type: Burnt-mound complex
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 565762m, N 658969m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.680797, -8.506325
Excavation in advance of the N7 Nenagh to Limerick high-quality dual carriageway road project was carried out here between October and December 2006 revealing three burnt mounds (Areas A, B and C).
Area A was the largest and most active of the three mounds. After the removal of topsoil, it was revealed as a spread of heat-shattered stone and charcoal-rich materials measuring 30m north–south by 13m. Five linear drains were cutting through the mound in all directions. Seven troughs were identified below the mound. These ranged from 2.5m east–west by 2m and 0.8m in depth to 0.5m north–south by 0.91m and 0.31m in depth. These were all unlined and filled with heat-shattered stone and charcoal-rich deposits. Two post-holes measuring 0.22m diameter and 0.39m diameter were located outside the burnt mound, one to the north and one to the south. Forty stake-holes were present under the mound in two separate concentrated areas with no discernible arrangements. A cremation pit was situated directly to the north-east of the mound.
Area B was the smallest burnt mound, with no troughs present under the spread of heat-shattered stone and charcoal-rich deposits of the mound. Four highly disturbed pits were deemed to be of no archaeological significance.
Area C measured 8m north–south by 9m. It had two possible troughs below the mound, the larger measuring 2.19m east–west by 1.81m and 0.32m in depth, the smaller measuring 1.6m in diameter and 0.51m in depth. These were unlined and filled with heat-shattered stone and charcoal-rich deposits.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
