2024:202 - Knockanemore, Ovens, Cork

This summary presents the preliminary results of archaeological excavations of features uncovered during monitoring of topsoil stripping undertaken from January to July 2024. Archaeological excavation was undertaken at the site intermittently from April to July 2024.

The interim findings of the excavation identified:

• 29 pits
• 3 spreads of archaeological material
• 8 stake-holes
• 4 post-holes
• 1 linear feature
• 1 burnt spread and associated trough
• 1 probable field boundary

Pottery sherds and knapped lithics (flint and quartz crystal) were retrieved from six pits. The pottery from three of those has been tentatively identified as of the carinated bowl tradition (J. McCarthy and E. Lynch, pers. comm.) The pottery from the other three also appears to be prehistoric but has not been further identified. Potentially knapped lithics were also found in three of the pits. A flint was found in one of the pits with carinated bowl tradition pottery and a flint and some rock crystal were found in two of the pits with prehistoric pottery. Carinated bowl tradition pottery is of Early Neolithic date. This suggests that the pits containing it and perhaps many of other pits are Early Neolithic in date.

The burnt spread and associated trough may be Bronze Age in date.