2020:218 - Stowlin, Galway

Archaeological investigation of a burnt feature was carried out at Stowlin, Co. Galway on 21 October 2020. The feature was originally uncovered during a programme of pre-development testing carried out by Anne Carey under excavation licence 19E0102 in April 2019. The testing comprised the excavation of ten test trenches on the site of a proposed new burial ground located to the south of Kilquain Church (GA108-224) and its associated graveyard (GA108-224001) and ecclesiastical enclosure (GA108-224002). The burnt feature was uncovered in the east extent of the site. Testing did not establish if the feature was of archaeological significance and further investigation was recommended. The investigation was carried out by the author under extension to the original licence.
The relevant area was stripped of topsoil and it was established that the area of burning was located within the north extent of a sub-rectangular pit, which had been partly truncated by the original test trench but was for the most part located immediately south-west of the trench. Investigation revealed a sub-rectangular pit (dims. 1.7m north-south x 1.15m) with a maximum depth of 0.23m in the south and 0.1m in the north. It contained a single fill of moderately compact grey/brown clayey silt with occasional inclusions of charcoal flecks and animal bone fragments. The fill was burnt red/brown in the north but the burning was not intense and there were no burnt stone inclusions and no scorching of the underlying natural clay. The feature was deemed to be non-archaeological and is likely the result of the burning of scrub vegetation or other agriculture-related activity.

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