2018:435 - Ummera 1, Cork

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

 The excavated features consisted of a burnt mound with a series of intercutting unlined features and a possible hearth pit. The mound measured 6.3 m long, 2.8 m wide and 0.2 m deep.

Charcoal identification from the burnt spread deposits and associated pit features show that oak-hazel woodland with wet woodland components was utilised for wood-fuel. Comparison of the identified taxa to tree-types present in the nearby semi-natural Gearagh ancient woodland reveals that all of these taxa occur within such woodland and that woodland similar to this may have been more extensively present during the Chalcolithic.

A single naturally elongated cobble, which possesses two whetting planes that appear to have become flattened through use in relation to the sharpening of blades was recovered from the pit/trough (008). Such typologically simple objects are not closely datable and can date to between the Bronze Age and post-medieval periods, however in this context it is suggestive of an earlier date. An incomplete utilised tertiary flint flake was recovered from the same pit (008). The piece is not diagnostic but is broadly indicative of Neolithic or Bronze Age activity.

A total of six radiocarbon dates were obtained from willow, birch, hazel and maloideae charcoal from five of the pits and the burnt spread excavated at Ummera 1. These results place this activity in the Chalcolithic period, with dates ranging from 2463-2213 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-87752) to 2340-2142 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-87753).

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