2017:350 - NEWTOWNABBEY: Halls Pig Farm, Rae Hill Road (Ballyearl), Antrim

Two burnt mounds were uncovered during test trenching. Burnt Mound 1 comprised three troughs and the partial remains of a circular mound. Troughs 1 and 2 were circular and Trough 3 was sub-rectangular. The radiocarbon determination from charcoal from fill F9 from Trough 1 returned a date of 3860+/- 30BP. At 2-sigma calibration this provided at date range of 2461–2276 cal BC (84.3% likelihood,) and 2254–2210 cal BC (at 11.1% likelihood). A radiocarbon determination from charcoal from fill F16 from Trough 3 returned a date of 3940+/- 30BP. At 2-sigma calibration this provided at date range of 2565–2532 cal BC (at 8.9% likelihood) 2496–2338 cal BC (at 85.2% likelihood) and 2321–2309 cal BC (at 1.4% likelihood). A middle to late Neolithic hollow scraper was recovered from a secure fill in Trough 3. This was unburnt and must have been deliberately deposited.

Burnt Mound 2 comprised a rectangular trough associated with a sub-rectangular mound. The remains of two corner posts and a wall plank were recovered in the trough base. The wooden post F36 from the base of the trough of Burnt Mound 2 returned a date of 2830+/-30 BP. When calibrated this returned a date range of 1083–1065 cal BC (at 1.8% likelihood) and 1058–906 cal BC at (93.6% likelihood).