2018:406 - Ballymakeery 3, Cork

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Cork Site name: Ballymakeery 3

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E004916

Author: John O’Connor, Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd

Site type: Prehistoric burnt mound

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 522138m, N 576629m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.936317, -9.132330

Excavation by Rubicon Heritage Ltd at Ballymakeery 3 was undertaken as part of the N22 Baile Bhuirne–Macroom Road Scheme (Lot 1) Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract. The excavation was carried out on behalf of Cork County Council and funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

The excavation revealed a pit filled with charcoal rich soil and heat-shattered stone. The pit measured 2 m in length, 1.3 m in width, and 0.31 m in depth and was filled by a single fill.

Specialist analysis

Alder dominated the charcoal assemblage making up 69% with willow accounting for 20% and oak 11%.  The majority of the charcoal fragments identified contained between 2 and 9 annual growth rings and were classified as being from larger branchwood/heartwood since the growth rings displayed a moderate to weak curvature profile.

Dating

One radiocarbon date was obtained from alder charcoal for the pit excavated at Ballymakeery 3. This returned an early medieval date range of 1020-1155 cal AD (2σ) (SUERC-86092)

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