2016:265 - BAILE NA SAOR BEAG 3, Kerry

Stage (iii) archaeological excavation at Baile na Saor Beag 3 (Ministerial Direction No.: A070) was undertaken in advance of the N86 Lispole to Ballynasare Lower & Ballygarret to Camp Road Improvement Scheme in County Kerry. All works were funded by Transport Infractructure Ireland (TII).

The excavation at Baile na Saor Beag 3 recorded the remains of a circular ditched enclosure with 36 associated pits and stake-holes, a linear boundary ditch and two phases of north–south orientated agricultural furrows. Approximately half—the northern half—of the projected extent of the enclosure was exposed and excavated within the roadtake.

The enclosure ditch had a similar profile around its excavated circumference, with slight changes to its depth and width. In general, it had steep sides, cut into subsoil and bedrock, and a flat base. It was filled with a variety of deposits, although all seemed sterile and many contained a large amount of broken stone, similar to bedrock. They likely filled the ditch after use, either naturally or by human intervention, rather than during. It is estimated that approximately 30–40% of the enclosure ditch has been exposed and resolved within the excavation area.

Approximately 250m² of the internal area has been exposed and excavated. The remainder of the enclosure evidently extends beyond the southern limits of the excavation area (under the existing N86 road) and a small portion survives just outside the western boundary of the excavation limits within the green field area. On the basis of the excavated and surveyed results the overall enclosure has a projected diameter of 30m.

In total 29 pits and seven stakeholes were excavated at Baile na Saor Beag 3, with all but three pits being located in the interior of enclosure formed by ditch C37. In general, the pits were small and shallow. The largest was 1.16m in length and 0.29m deep (Plate), but all of the 28 other pits were under 1m long and 0.28m deep. The vast majority contained stony sterile silty clays, with occasional charcoal inclusions and appear to have silted up naturally after use. None of the pits had any indication of in-situ burning or the dumping of waste material, and none contained any archaeological objects. There was no discernible pattern at this stage that would suggest they form a structure of any kind. The function of the excavated pits is currently unclear.

A number of parallel agricultural features crossed the site, orientated approximately north–south. These appeared to represent two phases of agriculture. The first phase consisted of wide, shallow, hand-dug furrows, likely the remains of a ridge and furrow system, with even spacing. The second phase was of narrow machine-cut or horse-drawn plough furrows. The earlier phase of hand-dug furrows ceased to the north of the enclosure ditch and did not cut through it. The subsequent plough furrows cut through the ditch and continued into the enclosure interior.

Aerial photo courtesy of AirCam Ireland.

A copy of the final excavation report has been published in the TII Digital Heritage Collections on the Digital Repository of Ireland. It can be accessed with this link https://doi.org/10.7486/DRI.gx421595s.

A report on the excavations undertaken on this road scheme has been published: Sutton, B. (2020) ‘Transience and Permanency – Four Thousand years of settlement on the Dingle Peninsula: Archaeological Excavations near Lispole and Camp in advance of the N86 Road Scheme (2015-2016)’. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, Series 2, Vol 19 (2019), pg. 35–62 (https://www.kerryhistory.ie/product/series-2-vol-19-2019/).

Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow