Structure in Rath (ratoath By., Cookstown Par.)

Situated at the top of a S and SW-facing slope at the SE end of a NW-SE ridge. Archaeological excavation (03E1214) by H. Schweitzer between March and October 2004 in advance of the northern section of the N2 by-pass around Ashbourne on site 27 involved the complete excavation of six areas numbered from the S. Features recorded in Areas 6 included two coeval wattle-lined waterholes and drains associated with them (Schweitzer 2009, 46). This waterhole was constructed as a pit (dims 4.1m x 2.95m; D 1.2m) with a second pit (dims 2.5m x 1.2m; D 1m) attached to the S but the pits, although connected, were separated by redeposited material and a wattle fence, and water seeped into both pits from sand lenses in the subsoil. Both were filled with silts containing organic inclusions and animal bones. They were closed off by slumped material and levelled up with a widespread silt layer that contained a wooden bowl beside two cattle skulls. A ditch (Wth 1.2m; D 1.2m) approaching from the SW connected with the NW angle of the pits. It was filled with layers of silt interwoven with deposits containing charcoal, bone and burnt stone. Just SE of the waterhole a metalled surface (dims 6m x 2.6m) sloping down to the N assured access to the waterhole, and a stone-based cut at the SE angle of the waterhole acted as a final step. There was a hearth and two pits (one with a cow skull) SW of the waterhole (Schweitzer 2009, 46-53) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 3 March 2021