2019:687 - Beaverstown, Donabate, Co. Dublin, Dublin

Human remains and potential archaeological features were discovered during the final phase of monitoring on a development site at Beaverstown, Donabate, Co. Dublin in May 2019. A burial ground, keyhole-shaped kiln and a number of linear features were subsequently excavated at the site between 24th June and 12th July 2019. The excavation revealed a small, probably familial, burial ground of early medieval date located on rising ground in the northwest of the site. The skeletal remains of seven burials and a small quantity of disarticulated human skeletal remains representing two other burials were excavated. The burials were relatively standard; supine, extended, single inhumations, generally orientated west-east and interred in simple earth-dug graves. Six of the seven burials had suffered truncation and in many cases this was extreme. The only burial which was largely intact was SK03, whose grave was significantly deeper than the other six. With almost all age groups and both sexes present the group appears to be broadly representative of all elements of a community. The results of AMS dating places two of the burials in the period spanning the second half of the 6th century and the first half of the 7th century. A third burial returned an earlier date spanning the period from the second quarter of the 5th century to the late 6th century. A small keyhole-shaped kiln (max. dims 3.1m x 1.35m), as yet undated, was excavated 6.5m to the north of the burial ground. It consisted of a bowl (1.55m x 1m), a short and narrow flue (0.8m x 0.3m), and a hearth area (0.6m x 0.55m). The maximum depth of the bowl was 0.4m and the principal fill was compact grey/brown clayey silt with frequent flecks of charcoal and burnt orange clay.
A number of linear and curving linear features were investigated across the site. The dominant feature was a curving linear which meandered through the site from southwest to northeast, and was located to the south and east of the burial ground and kiln. The meandering nature of this feature and the results of section cuttings suggest it is an old watercourse which was modified over time, presumably to alleviate local flooding. The second main linear feature extended southeast from the principal linear and terminated in an area of silting in the southeast extent of the site. Section cuttings revealed a regular cut, averaging 1.6m wide and 0.45m deep, with steeply-sloping sides. There were generally three fills and these contained moderate inclusions of animal bone and shell. All other linears were irregular and deemed to be ad-hoc drains and gullies. No artefactual material was found during the course of the three week excavation but two artefacts were recovered during monitoring. A perforated bone pin was found on the surface of the secondary linear in the southeast of the site. It is 83mm long with a flat head containing a central perforation. It may be a shroud pin associated with one of the burials. A body sherd of medieval pottery was found in the vicinity of the burials in the northwest of the site. The blackened exterior suggests it is cooking ware. A small assemblage of animal bones and mollusc shells were recovered from the various section cuttings across the site.

Dominic Delany & Associates, Creganna, Oranmore, Co. Galway