County: Kerry Site name: CLOONNAFINNEELA 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 11E0355
Author: Patricia Long
Site type: Episode of burning
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 491500m, N 621662m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.335824, -9.592118
Excavation was undertaken at Cloonnafinneela 2 on behalf of Kerry County Council as part of Stage (iii) of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the N69 Rea to Tullig realignment scheme, which extends from Fahavane townland to Gortclohy townland.
A total area of 100m² was exposed, revealing a shallow pit filled with burnt material and a small burnt spread. A non-archaeological linear feature was also identified within the excavation area.
Phase I, the earliest activity found at the site, consisted of a shallow pit filled with burnt material and an adjacent burnt spread. The pit was teardrop-shaped in plan and measured 3m long (north–south) and between 0.35m and 1.5m wide. It had a depth of 0.12m on the southern side and 0.05m on the northern side. The fill was very mixed, with patches of reddish oxidised material spread throughout. There were lenses of much charcoal throughout. Some lenses of charcoal/charred plant remains were very well preserved and seemed to consist of small twigs and rushes/straw. To the south-west of the pit was an area of oxidised subsoil, which was overlain by a patchy spread of charcoal. In advance of radiocarbon dating the archaeological significance of these features remains uncertain.
In Phase II a linear feature, which was part of a network of relatively modern field drains, truncated the northern edge of the pit. This feature was not archaeologically significant.
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