Pit-burial in Kilgobbin

This site was revealed during monitoring of topsoil-stripping (02E0906) associated with construction works for a mixed residential development at Kilgobbin, Stepaside, Co. Dublin. The small Bronze Age cremation-burial complex was uncovered, along with post-medieval activity (02E1220), in an area reserved for residential buildings, bounded to the SW and NW by the townland boundary between Kilgobbin and Newtown Little. The area of activity measured 3m E–W by 3.5m. Excavation took place from 22 to 31 July 2002. The site was on NW-sloping ground overlooking the valley of Kilgobbin stream, with rising ground to the NW. The features revealed included two cremation burials (F1 and F3), one of which (F1) contained a coarse pottery vessel, two further pits (F5 and F19), and a complex of post-holes and stake-holes, concentrated to the SW of it. Although most of the features were identified after the removal of the overlying topsoil, some were defined only after successive trowelling and the combination of rainfall and watering. This applied particularly to some of the small stake-holes (F15–17) and pit F19 to the SW of the stake-hole complex F6–7. F2, however, though first appearing as a valid feature, proved to be a soil discoloration, possibly originating from the adjacent cremation burial, F1. All features in this area cut into the natural, yellow/brown, gravelly boulder clay and were revealed immediately below the thin topsoil cover, which reached a depth of 0.15–0.2m. Cremation burials Cremation burial F1 was oval, oriented N–S, and measured 0.8m by 0.6m by 0.28m deep. Before excavation, cremated bone was visible in the charcoal-rich fill of loose, brown, sandy clay. An examination of the southern half of the feature revealed a number of broken sherds of coarse pottery throughout the depth of the pit. These are likely to be of Middle to Late Bronze Age date. A granite boulder was situated at the base of the pit, set into the natural, yellow/brown, gravelly boulder clay. Examination of the northern half of the feature indicated that a largely intact vessel was present. The remainder of the burial was removed for excavation by Cathy Daly of Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd. The interior of the vessel was filled with burnt bone and charcoal-rich soil. Directly beneath the base of the vessel was a thin layer of redeposited natural. Below this again was a deposit of charcoal and burnt bone, c. 0.05–0.06m deep. Within the vessel the concentration of bone appeared to be closer to the surface along the S- to SW-facing sides and slightly deeper along the other sides, suggesting that the vessel may have been buried at a slight angle. The ceramic vessel is circular with a flat base and was buried in an upright position. The base was slightly convex owing to post-deposition distortion. Although the base is complete, the sides are fragmentary and none of the rimsherds is in situ. The vessel has pressure cracks and distortion that occurred during burial, including movement of broken pieces. The minimum height of the vessel is 140mm, and the maximum internal diameter is 200mm. Cremation burial F3 was 1.8m NW of F1. This pit was roughly oval, oriented NW/SE, and measured 0.46m by 0.4m by 0.36m deep. The single fill was a charcoal-rich, grey/brown, sandy clay with small fragments of cremated bone mixed throughout its depth. A round flint scraper was retrieved at the centre of the pit, 0.14m below the surface of the feature. The truncated remains of a small stake-hole (F4), 0.15m in diameter and 0.09m deep, were found 0.55m NE of this burial. An oval pit, oriented NW/SE and measuring 0.5m by 0.3m by 0.14m deep, was situated 0.25m W of F3. Stake-hole complex This complex was 1.3m SW of burial F1 and 1.5m SE of burial F3. F7 originally appeared as a curvilinear feature E of F6, which was oval in plan. Four further features were uncovered to the SW of this complex, including three small stake-holes (F15–17) and a post-hole (F19). After excavation, F6 and F7 were found to represent a collection of eight small stake-holes with a post-hole (F18) at the south-east side. The stake-holes averaged 0.15m in diameter and 0.1m deep. The fill was a moderately compact, grey/brown, sandy clay with occasional charcoal flecks. Post-hole F18 was 0.3m in diameter and 0.11m deep. Its fill was a mid-brown, dry, compact, sandy clay with charcoal flecking. This complex was oriented north-west/south-east and measured 1.4m by 0.9m. It may have been part of some form of ritual related to the burials. Features to the SW of the stake-hole complex Three small stake-holes (F15–17) were found 0.2m SW of the stake-hole complex. These were set in a NW/SE alignment, c. 0.8m long, and were 0.08–0.12m in diameter and 0.05–0.1m deep. The fills were identical to those of the stake-holes described above. F19 was a pit, 0.2m west of F16–17. It measured 0.38m E–W by 0.3m and contained a post-hole, 0.18m in diameter and 0.11m deep, on its eastern side. All features described are most likely to be associated with the stake-hole complex nearby (Hagen 2002). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout and Padraig Clancy Revised upload on: 28 July 2018