County: Clare Site name: Shantraud 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E005282
Author: Bruce Sutton for Rubicon Heritage
Site type: One charcoal-rich deposit and two pits
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 569776m, N 672235m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.800262, -8.448199
Excavation by Rubicon Heritage Ltd at Shantraud 2 was undertaken as part of the Killaloe Bypass, Shannon Crossing and R494 Improvements Scheme, Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract (Phase 2). The excavation was carried out on behalf of, and funded by, Clare County Council.
The archaeological deposits excavated at Shantraud 2 comprised the remains of two pits; C008 and C009, both located within Area A and a burnt spread C004 in Area B.
The presence of pyrolithic (burnt mound) material within pits C008 and C009, and less so in deposit C004, suggested a prehistoric date associated with burnt mound activity. Pit C008 contained a single fill, C006, which included frequent heat-shattered stone. Pit C009 contained a single fill, C005, which included occasional flecks of charcoal and frequent heat-shattered stone. Charcoal analysis revealed an assemblage comprising mainly of hazel, with oak, elm and ash also used for fuelwood.
Radiocarbon dates from these pits indicated activity here during the Late Neolithic–Chalcolithic period between 2622-2474 cal BC (SUERC-111404; 4036±20 BP) and 2574-2355 cal BC (SUERC-111403; 3971±25 BP) and later in the Developed Iron Age around 394-208 cal BC (SUERC-111405; 2660±24 BP), placing activity at the opposite ends of the date range for burnt mound use. Two large burnt mounds, with additional possible mounds outside the scheme boundary, were recorded in excavation at Shantraud 1 (E5281), to the north-west of Shantraud 2 and highlights the presence of such activity in this area.
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