Not located — Cill Mhuirbhigh

This structure, identified as Structure 9.1, was uncovered during the course of excavations centered on the north entrance of the middle enclosure of Dún Aonghasa (GA110-039----). It was located to the SW of the entrance passageway and was defined by an irregular post-hole trench (enclosing an area 4.2m SW-NE; 3.6m N-S) and a number of other possibly related post-holes and a pit (GA110-039035-). The trench (L 8m; Wth 0.18-0.28m; D 0.2-0.24m), which curved from SW through N to SE, suggested that this most likely was originally an oval or circular post-built building. No evidence of the doorway was found but a paved pathway extending off it at NW suggested one possibility of where it was located. Spreads of periwinkle shells found along the outer side of the N sector of the trench and also at the base of a number of the post-holes were deliberately placed there. They may have been a dedicatory deposit or else were possibly to do with some other domestic ritual. The interior of the structure sloped markedly from W to E and contained no surviving stratigraphy. Two shallow gullies were the only internal features evident. Charcoal from one of the post-holes in the trench yielded a radiocarbon date of 400-200 cal. BC suggesting Iron Age activity. The structure may have been a house but its location immediately inside the entrance also suggests that it could have been a non-domestic structure linked to rituals associated with entering and leaving the fort (Cotter 2012, vol. 1, 247-57; vol. 2, 274-5). Compiled by: Olive Alcock Date of upload: 23 June 2020