2012:281 - GORTNAGUNNED (2), Galway
County: Galway
Site name: GORTNAGUNNED (2)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A
Licence number: 12E0322
Author: Patricia Long, Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd.
Author/Organisation Address: Unit 2, Europa Enterprise Park, Midleton, Co. Cork
Site type: Burnt mound
Period/Dating: Chalcolithic (2500 BC-2201 BC)
ITM: E 537759m, N 765494m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.635539, -8.941128
Excavation was undertaken at Gortnagunned 2, Co. Galway prior to the commencement of construction works associated with the N17 Carrownurlaur Bends Realignment Scheme in north Co. Galway.
Stage (i) Test Excavation and Survey Services which were carried out between 20 and 25 August 2012 under licence number 12E0079 (Excavations 2012, No. 262). Stage (i) testing revealed four areas of archaeological interest—Gortnagunned 1 and 2 and Carrownurlaur 1 and 2 (see also Excavations 2012, No. 263).
Stage (ii) Pre-Excavation Services (stripping, cleaning and mapping of all areas of archaeological potential identified during test trenching) were carried out during the same period. Stage (ii) Services confirmed the presence of a burnt mound at Gortnagunned 2 and a burnt mound associated with worked wood at Carrownurlaur 1.
Full excavation was undertaken at Gortnagunned 2 on 28 August 2012. A total area of 128m² at Gortnagunned 2 was exposed. The burnt mound was fully excavated and no other features were found to be present. A radiocarbon date of 2338-2135 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-43965) returned from a fragment of alder charcoal from the burnt mound material confirmed the burnt mound was in use during the transition from the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age.