Carn in Poulawack

At a high point on a broad hilltop, on a limestone bedrock outcrop within a multiperiod field system (CL009-032001-), with wide views all around. Hachured and labelled ‘Carn’ on the 1842 and 1920 eds. of the OS 6-inch map. Listed as ‘Cemetery cairn’ in the RMP (1996). This suboval stone cairn (17.6m N–S; 14.7m E–W; H 2.9m) covers two subcircular concentric stone revetments and contained multiple human burials dating to c. 3350–1452 cal BC (Neolithic through Middle Bronze Age). The cairn was excavated by the Third Harvard Archaeological Expedition in Ireland, led by Hugh O’Neill Hencken (Hencken and Movius 1935). The cairn was subsequently restored (pre-excavation dims. 21.25m E–W; 20.75m N–S; H 2.5m). The cairn material consists mostly of horizontally laid limestone flags and occasional slabs set on edge and leaning toward the cairn centre (ibid., 196–7). The outermost of the two revetments (14.5m E—W; 13.4m N–S) consists of limestone slabs (H 0.45–1m; L 1–2m; T c. 0.1m) set close together on their long edge, and also leaning slightly toward the cairn centre. There may have been external packing of smaller limestone flags against the outside of this revetment (Hencken and Movius 1935, 197; Brindley and Lanting 1992, 15, Fig. 2). Its NW arc was not identified during excavation; it appears to have already been damaged when Westropp (1899, 369) visited. The inner revetment (c. 11m N–S; 10.5m E–W) comprises uncoursed limestone slabs laid horizontally forming a slightly inward-leaning wall (H 0.5–1.3m; Wth 0.3–0.6m) with a relatively smooth outer face (Hencken and Movius 1935, 196–7). Close to the outside of this wall another arc of limestone slabs was set on edge, again leaning toward the cairn centre. These slabs were most apparent from SE to SW. Ten burials (CL009-032012- to CL009-032019-) were found within the cairn (ibid., 193), ‘containing the remains of some sixteen people, mostly unburnt’ (Waddell 2010, 168). The burials and cairn development are described here chronologically. A Linkardstown burial (CL009-032019-) occupies the centre of the cairn and is the primary interment (Hencken and Movius 1935, 206–10; Ryan 1973; 1981). This is ‘Grave 8’ and ‘Grave 8A’ in Hencken’s (1935) schema. The burial was radiocarbon-dated to c. 3350 cal BC (Neolithic period) by Brindley and Lanting (1992, 16), who proposed that during this initial phase the cairn was smaller (diam. 10m), covering this burial and encircled by the slightly inward-leaning inner revetment wall (see also Jones 2013, 124). Over a thousand years later (c. 2000 cal BC) (ibid.), a cist (CL009-032015-) (‘Grave 4’) was constructed within the cairn’s kerb at NNE (Hencken and Movius 1935, 202). Two other cists (CL009-032016- and CL009-032017-) ('Grave 5’ and ‘Grave 6’) were inserted into the mound at the S and E respectively (ibid., 202–6). Based on radiocarbon dates and stratigraphic evidence, it has been proposed that between c. 1610 cal BC and c. 1432 cal BC the cairn’s height was increased by c. 1m, it was extended by c. 4m in diameter, and it was enclosed by the outer revetment of flagstones (Brindley and Lanting 1992). Several further burials were inserted: ‘Grave 1’ (CL009-032012-) was placed under the extended cairn, immediately outside the inner revetment at the SE; a cist (CL009-032013-) ('Grave 2’) was dug into the cairn at the S centre; another cist (CL009-032014-) (‘Grave 3’) at the centre; and a third cist (CL009-032018-) (‘Grave 7’) at the E (Hencken and Movius 1935, 198–202, 206; Brindley and Lanting 1992, 16). None of the kerbstones forming revetments and none of the burials were visible during an inspection in 1997. A modern standing stone (H 0.87m; Wth 0.23m; T 0.1m) was set on top of the cairn, leaning ESE. It was not recorded by Westropp (1899). Drystone structures are located c. 10m WNW and ESE of the cairn. These are the remnants of sheds from Hencken’s excavation (1934). Another cairn (CL009-032010-) lies c. 50m to NE. The following images have been uploaded: CL009-032002-_01.jpg Inner revetment wall (Hencken and Movius 1935, Pl. XX, Fig. 1) CL009-032002-_02.jpg Plan of cairn (Hencken and Movius 1935, Fig. 2, facing p. 196) CL009-032002-_03.jpg Poulawack cairn before excavation and with outer revetment exposed (Hencken and Movius 1935, PL. XVII, Figs. 1 and 2) Compiled by: Mary Tunney and Conn Herriott Date of upload: 12 January 2022