What is recorded here

West of the standing stone socket in Moneyreague, a subcircular pit held cremated human bone beneath four irregular stones and charcoal-rich silt. Heat had marked the pit walls before the remains entered, suggesting a deliberate funeral rather than accidental burning. The displaced stone later returned to its setting, but the pit remained hidden beneath level pasture, waiting for excavation to reveal the quiet violence of that ancient goodbye.

In level pasture. The ground where a displaced standing stone (vol. 1, no. 455) formerly stood was archaeologically excavated, prior to the reinstatement of the stone. A large subcircular pit (0.99m x 0.73m) was uncovered immediately W of, though stratigraphically later than, the standing stone socket. The pit contained a stake-hole and was filled with black, charcoal-enriched sandy silt containing numerous fire-reddened medium-sized stones and cremated human bone on the southern side. A setting of 4 irregularly shaped large stones sealed the bone, on top of which was deposited a layer of sandy silt with pebbles, small stones and charcoal. The sides and base of the pit were slightly oxidised, indicating it was subjected to heat prior to the insertion of the cremated remains. The excavation also uncovered two other, less substantial pits (CO093-033002-), neither of which contained cremated bone. (McCarthy 2003, 50-52) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009

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