County: Meath Site name: Derver 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A030/024; E3186
Author: Stuart Rathbone, Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd, 21 Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda.
Site type: Possible prehistoric activity
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 666357m, N 780251m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.767631, -6.993473
This site, located within Contract 5 (Kells–North of Kells) of the proposed M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway, was identified during testing by David Bayley of IAC in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1219, 04E1060) and was excavated in January 2007. Two small, shallow, charcoal-rich pits (1.2m by 1.04m by 0.03m and 0.85m by 0.72m by 0.07m) were located on an exposed hillside.
It is possible that the features represent the remains of a small campsite of prehistoric date. The site was situated in an unusual position on the steeply sloping sides of the Blackwater Valley, in a very exposed location. Other nearby sites in Derver townland (Derver 1, A030/025, No. 1294 above, and Derver 3, A030/023, No. 1296 below) and the adjacent townland of Pottlebane (Pottlebane 1, A030/019, and 2, A030/018, Nos 1375–6 below) also appear to reflect temporary campsites or cooking areas, without any obvious evidence of permanent settlement. A round house, potentially Bronze Age in date, was discovered at Derver 4 (A030/022; see No. 1297 below) on the flood-plain very close to the River Blackwater’s current location and traces of burnt-mound activity were found nearby.
