Burnt mound in Dunshaughlin

Situated on a slight S-facing slope. A remote sensing survey (18R0012) by J. Nicholls (2018) identified numerous potential archaeological features and archaeological testing (18E0495) by L. Kavanagh (Kavanagh and Tobin 2018) confirmed the presence of three isolated pits, two burnt mounds and a ring-ditch (excavations.ie 2018:226). The features were subsequently excavated by M. Piera under the same licence (excavations.ie 2019:735). An irregularly-shaped natural pool (dims 12.3m x 7.5m; max. D 1.1m) was filled with silty clays over an organic black peaty clay with organic material, but no artefacts were recovered from it. North of the pond were eight pits (dims 0.58m x 0.52m; D 0.08m to 3.6m x 2.5m; D 1m) filled with silty clays that contain charcoal and burnt stone. Four stake-holes form a rough line (L 2m) amongst the pits. None of the pits is identified as a trough but two of them (dims 1.1 x 1.3m; D 0.18m to 2.8m x 2.8m; D 0.24m) were situated beneath an irregularly-shaped spread of broken and burnt stone (dims 6.5m x 6.36m; max. D 0.11m), and one of them had a post-hole in its base. (Piera 2020, 15-18) See the attached plan from Piera (2020, fig. 9) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 10 December 2021

Burnt mound in Dunshaughlin is a Bronze Age ritual or industrial site, characterized by the presence of heat-shattered stones. Its significance lies in providing insights into prehistoric land use and possible ceremonial activities in the region.