Habitation site in Tober

A Bronze Age house (OF002-053001-) with associated settlement features was excavated under licence No. E2677 in the townland of Tober, by Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd (I.A.C.) as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 phase 2: Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway scheme. The excavation took place on the W edge of a thin way-leave of a side road connected to the motorway between 7 December 2005 and 2 February 2006. The site was first identified in 2005 by I.A.C. Ltd when archaeological testing was undertaken in this field. The site is located 1.1km N of the village of Tober on gently undulating land with good views in all directions. Ballynahinch crannog (OF001-001----) is located 1.6km to the NNE. The site at Tober 1 consisted of a Bronze Age house (OF002-053001-) defined by two concentric rings of posts with associated ancillary structures, all of which was enclosed by a fence. To the N of the house was uncovered a curving line of postholes (1006-832 B.C.) which may be the remains of a stake and wattle fence enclosing the Bronze Age house. This feature was not fully excavated as part of the enclosing feature ran into the unexcavated area to the W of the house. To the S of the house a series of postholes were excavated and identified as structure D which appears to have been the remains of straight fence orientated in a WNW-ESE alignment. Other postholes identified to the S of the house consisted of two four-post structures (dims. 2.5m E-W x 2.5m N-S) identified as structures E (1192-1011 B.C.) and F (1306-1060 B.C. and 1120-910 B.C.). Bronze Age pottery was found in two postholes defining the N side of Structure E. The unexcavated field to the W of the Bronze Age house (OF002-053001-) probably contains the remains of the enclosing fence (OF002-053002-) along with other settlement features associated with the excavated house. A geophysical survey was carried out in the field under licence No. 08R142 but the results were inconclusive (Walsh 2011, 9-31). Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien Date of upload: 21 January 2015