County: Dublin Site name: Brennanstown, Priorsland
Sites and Monuments Record No.: n/a Licence number: 18E0650
Author: Liza Kavanagh
Site type: Penannular ditch and pit burials
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 722150m, N 723930m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.251659, -6.169516
This site, subject to emergency excavation, comprised four pit burials containing urns, a cremation deposit and a pit containing a token burnt bone deposit as well as a ditch and another linear feature likely representing the terminus of the aforementioned ditch. The burials containing urns were block lifted by S. Kelly, conservator. The pit containing a token burnt bone deposit extended beyond the limit of AA 1. The area, at this location only, under advice from NMS, was extended to excavate this feature fully which led to the excavation of a further two pit burials and two deposits containing burnt bone, all concealed directly beneath a boulder. The pit burials below this boulder cut through each other and cut through the pit containing the token deposit of burnt bone. Two deposits containing burnt bone flanked the latest pit burial in this location.
The ditch represented a penannular enclosure initially identified during a programme of geophysical survey in September 2018 (18R0197). A metal detector (18R0249) and sieve was used on site to investigate the topsoil removed from the trench. A number of crumbs and sherds of pottery were uncovered from this process as well two iron nails.
c/o IAC Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow
