2012:121 - Shanagh, Cork

Shanagh 1 was located on the Combined N73 Annakisha South and N73 Clogher Cross to Waterdyke, Co. Cork, Road Realignment Schemes. The excavation here has revealed evidence of five pits, five post-holes, a stake-hole and a deposit representing the truncated remains of an Early Neolithic settlement. The features formed a roughly rectangular pattern, measuring 5.5m east to west by 5m.

Three radiocarbon dates were obtained from the post-holes and the deposit. These dates are: 3766-3531 cal. BC (UBA-21417, 4870±47 BP), 3757-3522 cal. BC (UBA-21418, 4850±47 BP) and 3796-3640 cal. BC (UBA-21419, 4930±45 BP).

Many of the pits and post-holes contained pottery representing eight Neolithic carinated bowls, generally dated to c. 3900-3600 BC. The pottery is well made with evidence for a burnished finish on six of the vessels; nevertheless the pottery is worn and fragmented indicating that the assemblage is derived from a domestic context.

The lithic assemblage consisted of debitage and was an indication that general flint knapping was taking place at the structure or nearby. A quartzite rubbing stone was also recovered.

The archaeobotanical assemblage is also significant in the context of the early Neolithic period in Ireland. A high quantity of emmer wheat was identified and interestingly there was a lack of chaff fragments meaning the wheat was already threshed. The charcoal identified was dominated by oak with smaller amounts of willow.

Previously known Neolithic sites have been focused at Tankardstown, Co. Limerick and Pepperhill, Co. Cork. More recent archaeological discoveries as part of the N8 Fermoy to Mitchelstown Bypass, the N8 Rathcormac to Fermoy Bypass and Ballincollig Bypass have uncovered more examples of Neolithic settlement. Hence both the pottery and cereal grain assemblages show that the site at Shanagh 1 was part of an emergent early Neolithic society along the broader landscape of the Blackwater Valley.

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