2022:432 - Archaeological Area 5, Horizon Site N, Merryfalls, Silloge, Swords., Dublin

An archaeological excavation was undertaken at Archaeological Area 5, as part of the Horizon site N project, Silloge, Swords.

The site was comprised of a penannular enclosure ditch and associated features. Its location corresponds to an enclosure marked on the RMP maps as DU014-123.

Possible Bronze Age activity was noted in the form of two large, but shallow, pits that were filled with material similar to that found in burnt spreads and mounds. No other evidence of burnt spread activity was identified within the site area, but two burnt spreads have been excavated in the general area in the recent past. One of them was found and excavated within Archaeological Area 1, associated with the same phase of development as this site, and located c. 160m to the south-southeast (Bayley, 2021; Licence 21E0501). Another burnt mound was identified and excavated c. 300m to the northwest during archaeological monitoring works for a previous phase of development (Ní Cheallacháin, 2019; Licence 17E0133ext).

The enclosure had an internal diameter of c. 28m. The dearth of associated features and general lack of artefacts could indicate that the site was not a domestic settlement, but may have been a simple animal enclosure. The relatively narrow width of the ditch could support this theory, as a small ditch would not provide great defence for a settlement but could prove adequate for retaining livestock. The sterile nature of the fills would also suggest a lack of domestic activity on the site. The few finds recovered from site would tend to indicate an Early Medieval date for this activity.

An alternative theory is that the enclosure was originally more substantial, but land improvement works and intensive agriculture disturbed the site and only the base of the ditch and the deepest of associated features remained. Another, smaller, enclosure was located c. 50m to the northeast of this site. It was excavated as part of this development as Archaeological Area 3 (Bayley, 2021; Licence 21E0503). At this stage, it is not known if the two sites are contemporary and/or related.

The preliminary site interpretation has been based on stratigraphic relationships and typological similarities between features that were identified during the excavation works. It is hoped that further post-excavation works and AMS dates will add to our understanding and interpretation of the site.

c/o IAC Archaeology Ltd, Unit G1 Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow