County: Kilkenny Site name: SITE AR050, SHEEPSTOWN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: A032; E2516
Author: John Lehane, for Valerie J. Keeley Ltd, Brehon House, Kilkenny Road, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny.
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 651574m, N 637379m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.485391, -7.240661
An excavation took place during the period August/September 2006 in advance of the construction of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford road improvement scheme. Prior assessment (Valerie
J. Keeley Ltd, 2005) and centreline test-trenching was carried out by Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd in 2006.
Excavation of this site revealed the remains of a large burnt mound, c. 400m•, a number of troughs and pits, two hearths and a series of post-and stake-holes. Excavation of these features produced evidence of the reuse of some features on the site, indicating at least two phases of activity. Iron slag was found in one of the features, therefore the date of this site might range between the Iron Age and the medieval period.
The burnt mound was roughly comma-shaped in plan, measuring 23.5m by 17m by 0.4m.
The eastern area
[c141] was a rectilinear-shaped trough with a raised circular platform on its south-eastern side. It was orientated north-west/south-east and measured 3.7m by 1.75m by 0.55m. The trough was cut by Trough [c39], also rectilinear in plan, and measured 2.5m by 1.75m by 0.26m. Trough [c56] was rectilinear in plan and measured 5.6m by 2.25m by 0.35m deep. It was slightly rounder at the north-western end and rose to form a shallow platform at the south-eastern side which was 1.4m long. Thirty-nine stake-holes were found clustered around the south-western edge of [c56]. The stake-holes were no larger than 0.07m in diameter and 0.12m deep. A larger post-hole [c74] was located on the western edge of the stake-hole cluster. It was subrectangular in plan, with vertical sides, and measured 0.37m by 0.32m by 0.18m. Trough [c30] measured 2.54m by 2.25m by 0.52m and [c178] measured 2.3m by 2m by 0.26m. Several finds were made in [c22], the secondary fill of [c30], including a piece of metal slag, a linear stone for pounding or grinding and a rectangular flat stone. Both troughs had smaller pits c. 0.6m to their north-west sides. Trough [c34] is a large, shallow pit which was located between troughs [c178] and [c30]. The trough was subrectangular in shape and had straight sides and a gently westward-sloping base. It measured 2.5m east–west by 1.77m (maximum) by 0.28m.
The western area
The features in this area of site AR050 were predominantly post-and stake-holes with a few pits. The quantity of troughs pits and posts and the recutting of one trough [c141] seem to suggest that this site was used repeatedly over a period of time. The different sizes and shapes of troughs may indicate usage for different things. Troughs [c39] and [c56] appeared to have been connected by a shallow linear channel, apparently showing connectivity between the features. Deer antler was found in pit [c57]. However, there were no butchery marks on it. They may have been left to soak in warm water intentionally to soften them in order to work them. A couple of burnt hazelnut shells have been found, along with some burnt bone, perhaps hinting at larger-scale food production or waste. However, considering the size of the mound and the amount of troughs and pits, this seems a rather small quantity to have left behind.
Editor’s note: This summary did not arrive in time for inclusion in the bulletin of 2006.
