County: Meath Site name: Phoenixtown 6
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A029/009; E3127
Author: Ed Lyne, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 120B Greenpark Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 679395m, N 770794m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.680842, -6.798178
This site was located within Contract 4 (Navan–Kells and Kells bypass) of the M3 Clonee to North of Kells motorway scheme and was identified during testing carried out by Sian Keith (IAC Ltd) in 2004 (Excavations 2004, No. 1311, 04E0926). It was excavated between 2 and 21 August 2006. The area of excavation in Phoenixtown 6 revealed a shallow burnt mound (estimated 11m east–west by 9m by 0.15m) which extended beyond the excavation area. The spread had been cut by a post-medieval ditch towards the north half of the site. Following removal of the spread two possible troughs were revealed, both of which were filled with burnt stones and charcoal material similar to the mound.
The only find of note, an intact barbed and tanged arrowhead, was found resting on the natural boulder clay at the periphery of the mound. These artefacts are generally associated with Early Bronze Age Beaker assemblages, which may suggest an Early Bronze Age date for this site. However, it was not conclusively proven that the arrowhead was directly associated with the features on site.
This work was funded by Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
