2011:283 - BALLINDOOGANIG 1, Kerry

Excavations at Ballindooganig 1, Co. Kerry, were undertaken on behalf of Kerry County Council as part of Stage (iii) of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the N22 Tralee Bypass/Tralee to Bealagrellagh, which extends from Lissatanvally townland to Flemby townland.
Excavation at Ballindooganig 1 revealed evidence of two phases of activity. The main feature identified was a burnt mound.
The earliest layers of the burnt mound seemed to represent a mixing of the old ground surface with burnt mound material. The basal deposit consisted of loosely compacted dark grey silty sand with pink mottling and much charcoal and occasional fragments of heat-shattered stone. It measured 3m in length by 2.1m in width by 0.21m in depth. Over this lay a loosely compacted deposit of light grey silty sand, 5m long by 4.35m wide by 0.23m deep. Sealing this was the earliest definite layer of burnt mound material (SUERC-37223, 2570–2310 cal. BC, 2σ). It consisted of loosely compacted dark brownish black clayey silt with frequent heat-shattered stone. It measured 6m in length by 3.17m in width by 0.15m in depth.
Sealing this first phase of burnt mound activity was a natural deposit of sterile, very compact, grey-yellow silty sand measuring 6m in length by 6m in width by 0.35m in depth. This seems to indicate a hiatus in activity, perhaps during a flooding event.
Overlying the episode of silting was a mound/spread of loosely compacted dark brown to black clayey silt with heat-shattered angular stone and many charcoal flecks. It measured 12m in length by 7m in width and ranged in depth from 0.2m to 0.53m.
A spread of burnt material was identified to the immediate west of the main burnt mound. It represents displaced material originating from the main mound and measured 2.7m east–west by 1.7m in width by 0.18m in depth.

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