2018:515 - Boston Hill, Drinnanstown South, Kildare

An excavation was carried out by the author and a team of four archaeologists at Boston Hill, Drinnanstown South, Co. Kildare between 28 May and 15 June 2018. The site, in the ownership of Arkil Ltd, was being extended for continuing quarry works (Planning ref: 04/1680) as part of an existing operation. In May of the previous year, the author, during monitoring works, identified an area of archaeological potential measuring approx. 18m north-south by 17m on the south-facing slope of a pasture. The area was discernible as oval platform of compact silty clay containing several amorphous features including a possible buried earthenware vessel. In advance of mitigation the area was covered with geo-textile and cordoned off. Following consultation with the National Monuments Service a geophysical survey was carried out by J.M. Leigh Ltd in July 2017 (Licence 17R0143) that identified several responses indicative of pit–type features arranged in a circular pattern 8.8m in diameter.
The field where the site was discovered is on elevated ground (146m OD) with clear views towards Dunmurry Hill and Grange Hill to the south-east and south respectively. The summit of the Hill of Allen is distantly visible to the west.
Excavations in an 11m by 11m area were carried out over a three-week period and exposed the remains of a prehistoric round house with associated pits. The house was defined by a curvilinear slot trench 8.7m long that extended from the south-east to the north-west around a centrally located post-hole with an entrance to the south-east. In total 22 features were excavated. The majority of the pits contained silty clay deposits with occasional charcoal flecks and patches of heat-affected clay. Two pits contained earthenware vessels, Finds 1 and 4. Find 1 was discovered during the monitoring phase and its upper body was sheared during topsoil stripping. It was visible in the ground as a ring of dark fabric 0.23m in diameter. Find 4 was retrieved from Feature 19 and was fragmented and lay on its side. Both vessels were of undecorated coarse wares.
The removal of the vessels was carried out in the presence of Dr. Eoin Grogan and Susannah Kelly, Archaeological Conservator. Fifteen samples were selected for archaeobotanical analysis and a total of 212 individual plant components were recovered including emmer wheat and barley. The cereal grains identified were largely confined to pit F8, where in excess of 100 grains were recovered. The grains represent residual debris from nearby crop processing activities, and it seems likely that grain was being dried or parched for grinding/consumption or storage at the site. Based on the charcoal assemblage, oak was the wood of choice making up 33% of the samples recovered. The remainder was hazel and pomaceous woods. Three radiocarbon dates from emmer and two pieces of hazel returned dates between 2919 ±36 BC and 3025 ±29 BC. This date range accords with the artefactual evidence, specifically the pottery. Middle Bronze Age pottery is defined by coarse domestic wares as retrieved from F19 and F3.