Excavation

The area surrounding a standing stone (CO086-018----) was excavated in April 1993 prior to the development of the Cork-Bandon road. The excavation was undertaken in order to determine the extent of archaeological remains. Three pits were uncovered in an excavation trench to the S of the standing stone. A small pink-coloured spread was found directly beneath the plough soil in this trench. This spread covered two of the three charred organic filled pits found in this trench. All three pits were shallow and contained both charcoal and charred bone. The function of these pits was not clear. According to the excavator (Tierney 1994, 7), the pits did not appear to have had a structural use and, while they were not directly linked stratigraphically to the socket cut of the standing stone, they may have been contemporary. According to Tierney (ibid.), a C14 date is awaited from one of the three pits as well as from the pit below the standing stone. (Tierney 1994, 6-7) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009