2015:291 - Dowth, Meath

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Meath Site name: Dowth

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 15E0503

Author: Clíodhna Ní Lionáin

Site type: Prehistoric fire pit containing burnt flint

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 703003m, N 774037m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.705851, -6.439889

In November 2015, monitoring of groundworks associated with the installation of a CCTV system at Dowth Hall was undertaken. The groundworks consisted of the excavation of small pits for CCTV and lighting poles, as well as narrow trenches to access the nearest service manhole. The principal focus was in the vicinity of the main house, where poles were erected to the east, north, and west of the house. Some were erected immediately west of a farm track, where archaeological remains were previously identified (14E0047). Two monuments are situated immediately east of this track – ME020-012 (mound) and ME020-013 (passage tomb). Additional poles were erected at the east gate lodge, as well as just outside the estate in Glebe townland, around 150m south-west of ME020-017 (passage tomb).

For most of the area of the CCTV system nothing of archaeological significance was encountered. However, a pit (C008: 2.03m north-south [min] x 0.8m min. depth) containing a substantial quantity of burnt flint (>4.8kg), along with some pottery and bone (burnt and unburnt), was found c.36m north-east of Dowth Hall. A small post-hole (C010) and another possible feature (C012) were also found in close proximity. From the limited amount of the pit that was visible in the trench, it appears that the cut consisted of a gentle northern approach that led down into a steep-sided pit. A scorched layer (C006) of in situ burning along the side of the pit yielded a significant amount of burnt flint (804g), as well as an unburnt flint flake. This was sealed by a charcoal-rich layer (C005) that contained a substantial amount of burnt flint (2.168kg), as well as some small fragments of burnt and unburnt bone. Within this context there was a particularly compact concentration of flint on the sloped side of the pit, which may represent a deliberate surface, or an accidental accumulation arising from heat-shattering, or residue from the act of digging out the burnt flint following the extinguishing of the fire. This was sealed by a layer (C004) with moderately frequent charcoal inclusions, a considerable amount of burnt flint (1.018kg), unburnt lithics, prehistoric pottery, and fragments of unburnt and burnt bone. The upper fill (C003) contained a fragment of unburnt bone, some burnt flint (66g), a small number of lithics, and 3 sherds of well-made, possibly medieval pottery. The pottery may have been associated with a later possible feature (field drain, C013).

Just over a metre to the north, two possible features were identified — a small, flat-bottomed feature (C012: 0.43m wide x 0.29m deep) filled by a water-affected, sterile, mottled clayey silt, which was cut by a U-shaped post-hole (C010: 0.27m wide x 0.28m deep) that contained a large chunk of burnt flint. As no other post-holes were identified, it is unclear if the post-hole represents a single post or formed part of a structure.

C008 appears to be a prehistoric fire pit that was used to burn flint cobbles. It probably forms part of the complex of features identified by geophysical survey to the east of Dowth Hall. The size and quantity of the flint suggests that the raw material did not come from the till, but was probably collected from a beach, though whether local or from further afield is unclear.  The burning of the flint does not appear to have conferred any technological benefit, and instead the act of burning may have had a socio-political or ritual purpose, representing conspicuous consumption of an important resource, the burning of which may have mirrored the process of cremation involving the human body.  At the time of writing, post-excavation work and research is still ongoing.

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