Excavation

Identified in centre-line testing (E4110) in advance of the M11 Gorey to Enniscorthy road scheme, when two pits (dims 0.7m x 0.5m: 1-1.1m x 0.7m; D 0.2m) containing prehistoric pottery and some lithics were excavated. It was set aside for resolution as Ballynabarney 1 (Hardy et al. 2010, 101-02). The site is located on a level landscape in the valley of the N-S River Slaney, with the river c. 180m to the NW, and there is a small S-N stream c. 160m to the W. An extensive area (dims 25m x 17m) was excavated (E4338) by C. Hardy, but only a single oval, flat-bottomed pit (dims 0.7m x 0.6m; D 0.3m) was recorded. This had two fills, both with numerous sherds of Beaker pottery. A total of 128 fragments were recovered from this pit, representing at least ten fine and four domestic Beaker vessels, including a footed bowl. The pottery is stylistically dated to 2450-2200 BC, and a sample from the lower fill confirms this by producing a C14 date of Cal BC 2460-2209. The pits and related features (WX020-105----) are c. 145m to the E. (McNamara and Taylor 2012; Hardy 2013) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 28 November, 2013