2014:477 - BALLYHUTHERLAND (A26 Road Scheme), Antrim

The site was located on the western side of the A26 Frosses Road 830m north of the B64 Station Road. The site was situated on a small ridge of glacial till next to a low-lying area of boggy ground where the subsoil became glacial clays. The site consisted of a burnt mound spread (IGR D 06219 14053, 90m above sea level) and a hearth (IGR D 06230 14062, 85m above sea level). Two prehistoric features were identified in this area, the first was a burnt mound spread which contained two layers. The two spreads covered and area 3.25m long, 1.75m wide and 0.04m deep. A radiocarbon date from charred wood returned a Late Bronze Age date of 1270–1004 BC (Beta-385655). No artefacts were recovered and there was no associated trough. The second feature was a sub-oval hearth which measured 1.9m long, 0.96m wide and 0.15m deep, orientated east-west. The hearth contained a ritual deposition of five hollow scrapers and two flint knives as well as 22 pieces of Ballyalton/Limerick-style pottery (Gibson 2002 p. 74). A radiocarbon date from charred wood returned a Middle Neolithic date of 3515–3352 BC (Beta-385654). The Neolithic hearth, in absence of further post- or stake-holes seems unlikely to be the location of a permanent structure, it is likely that this hearth represents a temporary campsite. The presence of a small cache of hollow scrapers could indicate that it was potentially linked with woodworking (Bamforth 2006, 229-238).

References
Bamforth, D 2006 ‘A microwear analysis of selected artefacts’ in Woodman, pp. 229 – 238 Gibson, A 2002 Prehistoric Pottery in Britain and Ireland. Gloucestershire.Woodman, P, Finlay, N & Anderson, E 2006 The Archaeology of a Collection: The Keiller-Knowles Collection of the National Museum of Ireland, Wicklow.