2007:1475 - Ardagawna 2, Roscommon

The site of Ardagawna 2 was excavated as part of the N6 Ballinasloe to Athlone national road scheme. Work was commissioned by Galway County Council and funded by the National Roads Authority.
A burnt mound, measuring 6.5m (north–south) by 3.7m and 0.12m in depth, was located the base of a hill. A sub-oval trough was to the immediate east. This feature measured 3.65m (east–west) by 1.1m and 0.48m in depth. Gently sloping sides led to a rounded base; 24 stake-holes were noted to the west of the trough, averaging 0.08m by 0.06m and 0.04–0.1m in depth. A single post-hole was located west of the burnt mound within a shallow depression. An unworked flint nodule was found 1.3m south of the burnt mound.
Slightly upslope to the north was a large pit, measuring 3.1m (north–south) by 3.1m and 0.85m deep. Its four fills contained a large quantity of charcoal and fire-cracked stone and yielded a piece of slag. This feature, located on the better-drained upper slopes of the site, was interpreted as the site of the roasting pit for heating the stone for the burnt mound.
Slightly to the north-east, and upslope from this pit, was a semicircular arc of eight stake-holes, open to the north. The stake-holes averaged 0.07–0.1m in diameter. To the north of these features was a shallow oval pit. This measured 1.35m by 0.65m and 0.09m in depth.
Close to the north-western limit of the site were two shallow deposits of dark-grey/brown sandy silt containing charcoal and traces of oxidised clay. At the south-eastern limit of the site was a small hearth containing a single fill. This measured 0.55m by 0.3m and 0.23m in depth. An unstratified piece of worked flint was found c. 3.5m to the south.
Post-excavation work is ongoing and any interpretations are preliminary.