2010:151 - Ballydullaghan, Derry

Following the identification of archaeological features during an evaluation in 2008 (Excavations 2008, No. 282, AE/08/177), further excavation was requested by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in advance of the development of a new dwelling and detached garage. Excavation of the site is ongoing at the time of writing, and is expected to cease in early 2011.
The mechanical removal of the topsoil revealed a large number of subsoil-cut features including pits, post-holes, ditches and possible hearths. A large assemblage of flint artifacts as well as prehistoric pottery was recovered from the topsoil and the manual cleaning of the site. The majority of the pottery recovered from the topsoil is plain coarseware but is thought to be Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age in date. The decorated sherds appear to represent a sizeable assemblage of beaker pottery. A pit in the north-western end of the site produced numerous sherds of Beaker pottery with at least four vessels being represented (based on the rim forms). One of the represented vessels is a ‘giant Beaker’ and is identical to that excavated at Cluntyganny townland in the 1970s (Brennan et al. 1978). The footprint of two probable post-built circular houses with internal hearths have also been identified, the artifacts from which would appear to suggest Bronze Age activity. A large ditch (3.5m in width) is present at the south-eastern corner of the site, and appears to truncate one of the possible prehistoric houses. The basal fill of the ditch was a layer of larger boulders (some in excess of 1.5m in length) sitting directly on the natural subsoil. No artifacts were recovered during the excavation of this feature to give an indication of its date or function, and it is hoped that a programme of radiocarbon dating will clarify the enigma of this feature.
Reference
Brennan, J., Briggs, C.S. and Apsimon, A.M. 1978 A giant beaker from Cluntyganny townland, County Tyrone. Ulster Journal of Archaeology 41, 33–36