County: Roscommon Site name: Lurgan 2
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E5189
Author: Clare Mullins on belalf of Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS)
Site type: Burnt mound, troughs, pits and stake-hole cluster
Period/Dating: Chalcolithic (2500 BC-2201 BC)
ITM: E 586869m, N 786127m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.824488, -8.199440
Lurgan 2 was excavated in advance of construction of the N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project in County Roscommon by Archaeological Management Solutions (AMS) for Roscommon County Council (RCC) and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The site consisted of a burnt mound, troughs, pits, a post-hole and a cluster of stake-holes, as well as a probable post-medieval ditch. The site was identified during Stage (i)a Test Excavations carried out by AMS under Ministerial Direction No. A077 (Registration No. E5070; Hardy 2021).
Excavations at Lurgan 2 revealed a burnt mound covering an area c.34.5m by c.10m and 0.25m deep. Beneath this mound there were five oval and sub-rectangular troughs ranging in size from 1.8m long, 1.4m wide and 0.4m deep to 1m in diameter and 0.22m deep. One of these troughs contained the remnants of a timber lining which was dated to the Chalcolithic period (2453–2143 cal. BC; UBA-48095; 3821±34BP). A second trough was dated to the Early to Middle Bronze Age (1739–1541 cal. BC; UBA-48098; 3361±29BP), while charcoal from the fill of a third was dated to the medieval period (cal. AD 1036–1202; UBA-48096; 922±25BP) and is almost certainly intrusive.
Eight pits were also found under the burnt mound. Some may have functioned as troughs, but their shapes were somewhat irregular. Several were relatively small for troughs. The pits ranged in size from 1.95m long, 1.2m wide and 0.5m deep to 0.4m long, 0.43m wide and 0.1m deep. Burnt and unburnt bones and teeth of cattle, pigs and large and medium-sized mammals were recovered from the fills of the pits and troughs.
A cluster of 23 stake-holes was identified between two of the troughs. All were circular in plan, 0.05–0.09m in diameter and 0.09–0.12m in depth with almost-vertical sides. There was no noticeable pattern to their distribution.
A ditch, 1.5m wide and 0.45m deep, ran east to west along the southern end of the site, cutting the west part of the burnt mound as well as a natural silty hill wash which overlay the mound. This ditch is likely to be modern.
Four artefacts were found during the investigation: a flint flake, a chert flake, a chert bipolar core and an iron horseshoe nail. The flint flake, chert flake and chert bipolar core will be retained for the national collection. Charcoal from the burnt mound and the fills of the troughs and pits consisted of birch, ivy, oak, alder, hazel, ash, elm, willow, pomaceous fruitwood and blackthorn/cherry.
Reference
Hardy, C. 2021. N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project Stage (i)a, (i)b, (i)c Test Excavation, Stage (i)m Testing in Felled Forestry and Stage (i)f Townland Boundary Survey. Ministerial Direction No. A077, Registration No. E5070. Unpublished AMS report for TII and RCC.
31 Millford, Athgarvan, Co. Kildare
