2020:245 - ATHLONE: Garrycastle, Westmeath

Excavation was undertaken here on 25–27 May 2020. Test excavations (20E0094) by Liam Coen in February 2020 uncovered two pits, one post-hole and one stake-hole.

A cutting measuring c. 323 sq.m was opened centred on the features uncovered during testing.

There were 19 features exposed during the excavation comprising nine pits, six post-holes and four stake-holes. No obvious structures were uncovered within the excavation area; however the features could loosely be divided into three clusters. The first cluster comprised of a semi-circle of seven pits (C27, C11, C13, C15, C17, C19 & C21), one stake-hole (C43) and three post-holes (C23, C25 & C41) located towards the north-east of the trench. A second cluster was located in the centre of the trench and consisted of two shallow pits (C3 & C9), one post-hole (C5) and one stake-hole (C7). The third and final cluster was located in the south-east of the trench and consisted of two post-holes (C29 & C37) and two stake-holes (C33 & C35).

Pit C27 produced a Late Bronze Age radiocarbon date of 986-831calBC (UBA-43541, 2765±27 BP) from a hazelnut shell. The pit also produced two lithics: a flint platform blade (20E211:28:1) and a chert platform flake (20E211:28:2); neither were diagnostic to a particular time period.

The pits, post-holes and stake-holes uncovered do not appear to represent particular structures. The lack of diagnostic finds or features hinders any confident assessment of the nature of activities such as domestic, agricultural or craft that were undertaken at the site. Ultimately, the evidence supports some form of non-specific habitation activity in the area during the Late Bronze Age.