County: Cork Site name: Waterdyke
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 12E0084
Author: EDEL RUTTLE
Site type: PREHISTORIC and LATE IRON AGE/EARLY MEDIEVAL
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 567339m, N 609561m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.236814, -8.478177
Waterdyke 3 was located on the Combined N73 Annakisha South and N73 Clogher Cross to Waterdyke, Co. Cork, Road Realignment Schemes. Excavation has revealed one prehistoric pit containing flint and three pits and four ash deposits dated to the late Iron Age/early medieval period.
The prehistoric pit was sub-rectangular with a flat base and measured 1.51m by 0.74m by 0.29m. The single fill was a fairly sterile soft grey sandy silt with infrequent charcoal flecking. Flint recovered from the fill is dated to the later part of the Neolithic.
Two of three late Iron Age/early medieval pits are charcoal production pits, the third being an associated dumping pit. The larger charcoal production pit measured 2.67m by 1.37m by 0.54m. A patch of oxidised natural was noted in the southern hollow of the pit indicative of in situ burning. The primary fill of the pit was soft, mid to dark brown silty sand with very frequent charcoal to a thickness of 0.13m. The secondary fill was soft light brown silty sand with occasional charcoal flecking. The pit was sealed with soft, mid to light brown silty sand, 0.16m thick, with very frequent charcoal inclusions along the basal line of the fill. The primary fill of the pit was radiocarbon dated to 425-579 cal. AD (UBA-21427, 1550±32 BP).
The second charcoal production pit was an oval feature with a flat base measuring 0.85m by 0.6m by 0.07m. Red oxidised sand was seen covering the base of the pit. The single fill was black silty sand that had frequent charcoal inclusions and survived to a thickness to 0.07m. This fill was radiocarbon dated to 342-538 cal. AD (UBA-21426, 1627±38 BP).
The dumping pit was sub-oval, had a U-shaped profile and measured 0.51m by 0.48m by 0.22m. The primary fill was soft light brown silty sand with frequent charcoal inclusions and secondary a soft grey ashy deposit, 0.12m thick.
The four ash deposits were composed of light grey white sandy ash. The deposits were dug to depths of between 0.2m and 0.4m but they could be deeper as they had leeched into the natural subsoil over time.
Oak (Quercus sp.) was the dominant wood species recorded from the pits. Much of the charcoal was vitrified, which is when charcoal takes on a glassy appearance as a result of exposure to high temperature.
TVAS (IRELAND) LTD, AHISH, BALLINRUAN, CRUSHEEN, CO. CLARE
