Pit-burial in Dunboyne

Situated in the N-S valley of the meandering Tolka River. Archaeological centre-line testing (04E0489) by R. O’Hara prior to the construction of the M3 motorway identified two spreads of charcoal (excavations.ie: 2004:1191) that were fully excavated (E003029) by L. Clarke (excavations.ie 2005:AD8) as Dunboyne 1. A shallow pit (dims 0.46m x 0.41m; D 0.14) was 9.5m WNW of a second pit (dims 0.8mk x 0.7m; D 0.05m), both of which were filled with two layers of compact grey/black clays with varying inclusions of stone, charcoal and cremated bone. A sample of hazel or alder charcoal from the smaller pit produced a C14 date of 1530-1410 cal. BC, while a sample of hazel/whitethorn charcoal from the larger yielded a date of 1260-1000 cal. BC. The bone from this pit could not be positively identified as human, but no other artefacts or features were recorded. (Clarke 2008) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 4 November 2021

Pit-burial in Dunboyne is a prehistoric burial feature, likely dating to the Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. Its significance lies in its association with early settlement and funerary practices along the Tolka River valley.