County: Cavan Site name: Bun 4
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A039; E3816
Author: Derek Gallagher ACS Ltd, Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Site type: Late Bronze Age settlement
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 637070m, N 814900m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.081877, -7.433478
Excavation took place along the route of the proposed N3 Butlersbridge to Belturbet road improvement scheme between 18 February and 9 May on behalf of Cavan County Council and the National Roads Authority.
Archaeological features identified at Bun 4 comprised an unenclosed Late Bronze Age settlement. The settlement was a post-built structure with internal support posts surrounded by a deep drip gully. Elsewhere within the site there was evidence for pits, post- and stake-holes that may be associated with this settlement. A disturbed burnt mound was recorded, along with a possible ring-ditch, both of which were located at the edge of the road-take and extended beyond the limits of excavation. Charcoal, burnt bone, flint and pottery were recovered from the site and, while radiocarbon dates are still in preparation, the pottery from the site is suggestive of the period 1000–800 bc. Post-medieval features included drainage features and the partial remains of a possible earthen-walled structure.
The post-built structure measured c. 6m and comprised a single row of posts forming the external wall, with evidence for internal roof supports. The entire structure was defined by a deep, annular gully forming a circular drip gully around the structure. The internal floor area of the structure was broken up by a number of evenly distributed pits. An internal hearth was also identified. A number of the internal post-holes also contained Late Bronze Age pottery.
The burnt spread measured 17.5m by 9m by 0.49m. It was comprised of loose dark-grey/black silty clay with heat-fractured stone and charcoal. The spread overlay a number of features, including four large post-holes.
A large C-shaped enclosure measuring 31m by 0.7m by 0.4m was excavated just south of the structure. The enclosure contained a number of features within its interior including a grouping of stake-holes arranged in a triangular fashion around an area of oxidised subsoil measuring 3m by 1.5m. This may represent evidence of an industrial function at this point.
A large well-pit measuring 2.8m by 1.3m by 1.2m was excavated along the western edge of the site.
The artefacts recovered from the site included 163 sherds of Late Bronze Age pottery, which represented at least seven domestic vessels. Eight worked lithics were recovered and included blades, flakes and a convex end scraper.
