County: Cork Site name: KNOCKDROMACLOGH
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 09E0212
Author: Nikolah Gilligan, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd, 27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Site type: Bronze Age settlement
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 585701m, N 596896m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.123761, -8.208814
The excavation of Site 17.1 in Knockdromaclogh townland, Co. Cork, was carried out for Bord G$is !ireann. The site was identified by Bernice Molloy during monitoring of topsoil-stripping along the corridor of the Curraleigh West to Midleton pipeline scheme between March and May 2009. Site 17.1 was subsequently excavated in April 2009.
Excavation revealed three structures, pits, hearths, post-and stake-holes. Finds included sherds of prehistoric pottery and a piece of flint debitage. The morphology of the features and the type of finds retrieved suggest that the settlement is probably Bronze Age. A pit (Site 17.2) and cremation burial (Site 17.3) were located close to Site 17.1. The sites had been truncated by ploughing activity.
Structure 1 was roughly circular formed by slot-trenches and post-holes. It was c. 9m (north–south) by 7.5m and appears to have had central posts for support. It was truncated across its centre by a post-medieval ditch. There were pits located within the confines of the structure and one row of posts, which may have defined a sleeping area. The entrance may either have been in the south-east or southern end of the structure and it had a north–south linear feature running to its east formed by a double row of stake-and post-holes. An outer fence was also constructed around the western side of the structure. Three sherds of prehistoric pottery were found within the slot-trench which formed its south-eastern side.
Structure 2 was defined by post-holes, some of which had stone packing. The structure was c. 6.5m wide and was located just south of Structure 1. It contained three large pits which may have been used to store foodstuffs.
Structure 3 was smaller and less coherent in plan than Structures 1 and 2. It was formed by a slot-trench and post-holes and may have had central posts similar to Structure 1. Three sherds of prehistoric pottery were found within a post-hole at the northern end of the slot-trench. This structure may have been a small shed or storage feature.
Features located outside the structures included a hearth with a number of associated stake-holes, two further hearths and a number of pits and post-holes which formed no clear structural plan.
Specialist analysis is ongoing and it is expected that the final report will be completed in 2010.
