Excavation — miscellaneous in Ballycummin

Located approx. 25m E of Ringfort (LI013-036----). Miscellaneous features excavated prior to the Adare to Annacotty N20/N21 Road Improvement Scheme. Excavated by Paul Logue under licence no. 98E0108 the results were summarised as following; ‘The excavation consisted of two large trenches, Areas 1 and 2, measuring 100m x 10m and 65m x 11m respectively. Area 1 contained twelve features of archaeological significance. The largest of these was a curvilinear gully measuring 6m north-west/ south-east x 1.1m with a maximum depth of 0.5m. The other features uncovered in Area 1 had an average diameter of 0.2m and maximum depth of 0.15m. They most likely represent the remains of truncated post-holes. No artefacts were recovered during the excavation of this area. Area 2 contained seventy features of archaeological significance. A line of three subcircular pits and a grouping of larger subrectangular pits seemed to divide the central part of the area, with groupings of smaller pits and post-holes to the east and west of them. The three subcircular pits had an average diameter of 0.75m and maximum depth of 0.7m, with the larger pits having average excavated dimensions of 2.5m x 1.5m and depths of 0.5m. To the east of this division was a grouping of thirteen post-holes, one shallow gully and three stake-holes. The post-holes were all subcircular in plan and had an average diameter of 0.3m. The fills of these post-holes were similar, mainly being a mottled brown, charcoal-flecked, loam soil. Despite these similarities and an even spacing between the features no definite structural pattern could be defined from the outline of the post-holes. To the west of the division was a grouping of fifteen post-holes and five shallow pits. Within this grouping the partial remains of one likely structure could be discerned. It was formed by an arc of six post-holes containing similar fills and possibly associated with a seventh post-hole 0.3m outside the arc to the north-east. Adjacent to the eastern edge of the structure an arc of four shallow pits was exposed. The positioning of the pits respected the arc of the structure and as such may relate to it in some way. A penannular-shaped gully was uncovered in the southern part of Area 2 at a distance of 14m from the partial structure. This had a maximum width of 0.6m and a maximum depth of 0.3m. It partially enclosed an area measuring 3.9m north-south x 3.8m, with the open end to the south. The upper fill of the cut contained the remains of at least two charcoalised timber planks, possibly indicating a structural purpose for the cut. Two large, paired post-holes were uncovered 0.5m to the north of the penannular cut, with a second set of paired post-holes 1.1m east of the cut. The artefacts recovered from Area 2 include one spindle whorl, several saddle quern fragments and many sherds of coarseware pottery. All the finds are likely to be of Bronze Age date (www.excavations.ie; Logue 2000, 128-9). Compiled by: Martin Fitzpatrick Date upload: 26 June 2020