2024:708 - Archaeological Investigations at Staleen and Oldbridge, Donore, Meath

Excavations were undertaken in 2024 for a community-based archaeological research excavation at Donore, County Meath. Fieldwork formed part of The Boyne Valley Research Project – a partnership led by DigVentures in collaboration with UCD School of Archaeology. The project builds on an earlier collaborative large-scale geophysical research project between the Romano-Germanic Commission (RGK), Frankfurt and UCD School of Archaeology.

Three hand-dug trenches were excavated to explore and characterise geophysical survey results to address a combination of archaeological research and heritage management questions.

Trench 2 (5m x 5 m) was reopened and extended the post alignment investigation in Oldbridge townland by 2m to the northwest. Its purpose was to examine features extending beyond the 2023 excavation limits, assess potential secondary alignments, and explore similarities with the Great Rectangular Palisade at Newgrange, and its relationship to Dowth Henge. Four additional post-holes [2016, 2018, 2020 and 2038] identified in the extended southern portion corresponded to an expected secondary alignment enclosing the larger double row of 35 pits. A third alignment [2027, 2029, 2031, and 2040], slightly offset from the outer row, suggested monument remodelling during its use-phase. A second very large (c. 2m diameter) post-hole [2036] was identified in the primary alignment, containing Neolithic pottery, flint debitage, and charcoal dated to 2630-2460 cal BC. This matched the character of post-hole [2010] excavated in 2023 (dated 2573-2350 cal BC), with similar dimensions, infill patterns, and evidence of post removal. The investigation revealed a geophysical association between the post alignment and an adjacent circular post arrangement, a clear sightline to Dowth Henge 1km away and a solar alignment linking both monuments with the contemporary sunrise on Samhain.

Trench 4 (12m x 5m) provided a second intervention across the causewayed enclosure in Staleen townland, designed to support the initial interpretation with additional artefactual, stratigraphic, and dating evidence. Following removal of upper layers, four features were identified: three discrete features [4004, 4006 and 4007] and one linear featire, a probable causewayed ditch [4021]. A lozenge-shaped pit [4007] contained fragments of Early Neolithic carinated bowl and charcoal fragments radiocarbon dated to 3660-3620 cal BC. The causewayed ditch itself produced a date of 3770-3630 cal BC from charcoal in its basal fill, contemporary with dates obtained from Trench 3 in the 2023 field season.
The presence of contemporaneous features within the enclosure, an adjacent chalybeate spring, and numerous chipped stone artefacts from the topsoil (including a broken triangular quartz arrowhead) provides further support for the causewayed enclosure interpretation and highlights the considerable research potential of this extremely rare monument type.

Trench 5 (3m x 5m) investigated a possible ring ditch or barrow, revealing a small circular ditch [5007] with a distinctive dark upper fill (5008) containing white burnt bone flecks and charcoal. Excavation of three sections through the V-shaped ditch exposed three distinct fills (5006, 5008, 5009) cut into natural bedrock shale, all containing significant quantities of burnt bone and charcoal. At the centre, a sub-circular cut [5010] measuring 0.63m x 0.69m contained fill (5011), from which a single bone fragment (30mm x 10mm), tentatively identified as a radius or ulna fragment, was recovered. Once characterised, the remainder of the structure and burial was preserved in situ, with samples retained for assessment and dating, and a bone fragment returning a radiocarbon determination of 166 cal BC – 8 cal AD.