2011:286 - BALLINORIG SOUTH 1, Kerry

Excavations at Ballinorig South 1 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 revealed evidence of two phases of activity. The features identified included a pit (Phase I), and a pit, two stake-holes and a possible trough (Phase II).
Phase I was characterised by a pit-like feature in the north-eastern corner of the site. It was suboval in plan and aligned east–west. It measured 1.24m in length by 1.05m in width by 0.34m in depth and had two distinct fills. This pit and its respective fills were truncated along the southern side by a later possible trough.
Phase II was characterised by a pit, two stake-holes and a possible trough/roasting pit. The pit and possible trough were filled by material commonly associated with burnt mounds.
The elongated pit was located 0.76m to the north-east of the Phase I feature, and was suboval in plan with an east–west alignment. It measured 1.3m in length by 1.02m in width by 0.18m deep and had three distinct fills. Two stake-holes were also identified along the southern edge of the pit. The basal pit fill was radiocarbon-dated to 2460–2201 cal. BC (2σ) (SUERC-37228). Two stake-holes were identified along the perimeter of the south-eastern quadrant of the elongated pit.
A trough-like feature 1.3m south-west of the elongated pit truncated the southern side of the Phase I pit. It was subcircular in plan and measured 1.7m in length by 1.22m in width by 1.33m in depth. It had ten distinct fills, one of which returned a radiocarbon date of 2468–2210 cal. BC (2σ) (SUERC-37229).

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