Cremation pit in Cullenwaine

Phase 2 excavations by John Tierney of Eachtra Archaeological Projects, under licence No. E3741 along 17.1km (Contract 1) of the 35km N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Derrinsallagh to Ballintotty) national road scheme were commissioned by Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority. Contract 1 comprises the western half of the scheme and runs from Clashnevin to Castelroan, passing along the Tipperary North and Offaly county border regions. Six areas of archaeology were uncovered during Contract 1 trial-trench testing. Cullenwaine 1, Area 5.1, was originally tested under licence E3377 in 2007. The excavation at Cullenwaine 1 revealed a concentration of prehistoric activity that comprised three spreads of burnt-mound material (OF046-028001-), ten troughs, one post-hole, eleven stake-holes, two ditches, two hearths, numerous layers, four cremation pits (OF047-028002-/005-) and five possible cremation pyres. The majority of the features cut the subsoil. Two ditches truncated the area of the site; they were orientated north-east/south-west. Six of the troughs were located in close proximity to each other at the north-west end of the site. A hearth was located to the south of the group of pits. Four additional troughs were located further to the south. There was no evidence of timber lining in any of the troughs. A hearth was located to the north-east of the troughs. A total of seven of the pits were located in the eastern portion of the site, unassociated with the layers of burnt-mound material. The four cremation pits were located in close proximity to each other at the north-west end of the site, to the south of the cluster of six troughs. The pits measured on average 0.7m by 0.6m and the fills included fragments of cremated bone. These were associated with four possible pyres, also located in the north-west corner of the site (Bennett 2010, 401). Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 08 November 2011