Burnt mound in Boyerstown

Archaeological testing (04E0581) by N. Fairburn of Testing Area 8 of Contract 3 in advance of the M3 motorway identified two potential monuments, Boyerstown 6 and 7 (excavations.ie 2004:1157). No 7 was a burnt mound that was fully resolved (E003112) by L. Clarke (2008, 2-3) in August 2006 (excavations.ie 2006:1521) when it proved to be a cut (dims 8m x 3.8m; D 0.7m) in the subsoil that was filled with a spread of burnt mound material (dims 4.2m x 2.4m; T 0.7m). This was partly overlain by a layer of brown/grey clay with occasional inclusions of charcoal and burnt stone (diam. 3.6-3.7m; T 0.5m). A sample of ash charcoal from this provided the C14 date 2287-2035 Cal. BC (BETA 241321). Three pits (dims 1.7m x 1.3m; D 0.12m: dims 1.35m x 0.23m; D 0.11m: diam. 0.65-0.68m; D 0.15m) in the vicinity, none of which could be described as troughs, were filled with silty clays with some burnt stone. There were also two post-holes and a short channel (L 4.5m; Wth 0.6m; D 0.08m). No artefacts were recovered. (Clarke 2008) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 12 April, 2023 Clarke, L. 2008 M3 Clonee-North of Kells. Contract 3 – Navan Bypass. Report on the Archaeological Excavation of Boyerstown 7, Co. Meath. Licence: E003112. Final Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

Burnt mound in Boyerstown is a Bronze Age ritual or industrial site, characterized by a mound of heat-shattered stones, likely used for ceremonial or heat-related activities. Its significance lies in providing insight into early land use and social practices in the region during the Bronze Age.