Enclosure in Scrahane

In a new housing development, c. 800m S of Killarney. A circular enclosure, which is visible as a cropmark in an aerial photograph, was excavated in 1998 prior to the construction of houses (O'Donnell 2000, 95-6). Excavation revealed a circular area (int. diam. 32m) defined by a U-shaped fosse (Wth 2.35-3.66m; D 0.69-1.13m) with an undug section of the fosse at W that was interpreted as an entrance. A V-shaped inner fosse (Wth 0.62-1.39m; D 0.42-0.89m) defining a subcircular area (25m N-S by c. 22m) was found inside the U-shaped fosse but was not concentric with it and the distance between the two fosses varied. No features or deposits associated with the original use of the fosses survived and as a result it was not possible to obtain absolute dates for the enclosure. Evidence of smelting activity, noted in the interior of the enclosure, was found to post-date the construction of the enclosure. A furnace, surrounded by a semicircular arrangement of stake-holes was uncovered in the SE quadrant and a hearth, surrounded by numerous small pits and stake-holes, was found in the centre of the interior. A series of shallow pits (KE066-116----, KE066-209----, KE066-210----, KE066-211----, KE066-212----) lie immediately to the SE. (O'Donnell 1998, 87) Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork. Date of upload: 31 January 2011