Burial in Mullacash Middle

In 1958, three burials were discovered during the construction of a fence for the Irish Land Commission: one lintel grave, one slab-lined grave and one unprotected burial overlying the lintel grave. The lintel grave was trapezoidal in plan (2.33m E-W; 0.4m N-S at E end; 0.28m N-S at W end) and was formed of ten slabs set on edge and covered by three lintels. It contained the well-preserved inhumation of an older adult male, a sample from which yielded a radiocarbon date of 1490±45 BP, which calibrates to 435-649. The overlying unprotected burial was also of an older male adult, and a sample of the remains was radiocarbon dated to 1405±40 BP, which calibrates to 569-675. A partially disturbed slab-lined grave lay immediately to the S. Nine slabs set on edge defined a slightly trapezoidal area (1.8m+ E-W; 0.48m N-S at E end; 0.4m N-S at W end), but no covering lintels survived. The grave contained the disturbed remains of an adult male aged 25-34 years. Cuts on the cervical vertebra may indicate decapitation around the time of death. A sample of the remains was radiocarbon dated to 1420±45 BP, which calibrates to 553-670. (Cahill and Sikora 2011, Vol 2, 55-70) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Date of upload: 08 February 2013