County: Wicklow Site name: Ballinacor East
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A022/055; E3241
Author: Red Tobin, 35 Brook Meadow, Avoca, Co. Wicklow for Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.
Site type: Prehistoric
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 726869m, N 686869m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.917658, -6.113450
This excavation was carried out on behalf of Wicklow County Council and the National Roads Authority in advance of the construction of the N11 Rathnew to Arklow road improvement motorway scheme.
Testing of A022/055 revealed a burnt mound or fulacht fiadh at the site, which consisted of a spread of black silty clay with frequent charcoal and heat-fractured stone, measuring 3.5m by 3.5m by 0.15m deep. To the north of the burnt material was a layer of non-heat-affected stones. The stones were generally sub-round or sub-angular, with frequent inclusions of cremated bone fragments recovered from between them. It was not possible to determine whether the bone was animal or human at the time of testing. Sherds of prehistoric pottery dating from the Neolithic were also recovered. Subsequent excavation has revealed a site characterised by a number of features, including possible mortuary practices, as well as the remains of a fulacht fiadh or burnt mound.
Editor’s note: Although excavated during 2006, the report on this site arrived too late for inclusion in the bulletin of that year.
