What is recorded here

Excavation is a sub-oval pit in County Cork, Ireland, containing over 200 Beaker sherds and flint debitage, dated 2480-2050 BC. It may have been a deliberate burial or offering rather than a refuse pit, especially since a similar pit-burial lies 100m to the NE. The N22 Ballincollig Bypass works uncovered it, revealing a quiet Bronze Age act of placement instead of discard.

During archaeological monitoring of topsoil in advance of the construction of the N22 Ballincollig Bypass, a sub-oval pit (0.78m x 0.3m; D 0.37m) was discovered. It contained some stone objects, including two pieces of flint debitage, and over 200 sherds of Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age pottery which represents a minimum of seven Beaker vessels and not more than ten. A radiocarbon date of 2480-2050 BC obtained from charcoal in the pit concurs with the dating evidence provided by the pottery. Though there was no cremated bone present, the apparently deliberate placement of the objects found within the pit seems to rule against it being a refuse pit. A pit-burial (CO073-124----) with similar features is located 100m to the NE. (Danaher 2004a, 59-60; 2005a) The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009

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