2007:1919 - Ashe Road, Mullingar, Westmeath

Excavation of three pit features took place on 16 and 17 January 2007 under an extension to licence 06E0953 (Excavations 2006, No. 2081). A 20m by 20m area of archaeological potential had been identified around a single pit feature found during testing before a residential development. The pit (No. 1) was fully excavated and found to have two deposits of charcoal-enriched silt and clay with burnt bone inclusions. Two additional pits were found within a 3m radius of the original. Pit No. 3 was very similar to the original, with charcoal-enriched clay and silt deposits which included burnt bone. Pit No. 2 was slightly larger than the others and showed signs of in situ burning, with scorched clay at the base of the pit extending out over the rim. It also contained the same charcoal-enriched clay/silt deposits but it had a higher percentage of ash and burnt bone than the other pits. It seems likely from this evidence that Pit No. 2 was used to carry out cremations and the burnt bones were deposited in the other two. No evidence of other features such as enclosing elements or ditches was found. No diagnostic artefacts were found within the pits. It is likely, however, that the burials date from the late Bronze Age or Iron Age. Monitoring of topsoil removal in the remainder of the field was recommended.