Cist in Rathconrath

Cahill and Sikora (2011, 522-40) record that ‘in March 1990 a short cist containing a vessel and a cremation was discovered during ploughing near Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. The large capstone was displaced by the plough, revealing the chamber. The vessel was removed from the cist by the landowner for safekeeping and the find was reported to the NMI. A rescue excavation was carried out by Raghnall Ó Floinn and Stella Cherry. During the excavation, a second large stone, also displaced by ploughing, was noticed. It transpired that this was the capstone of a second cist, which was excavated the following week. The cist was located on a low rise in a field known as 'Racepark' in the townland of Rathconrath, mid-Co. Westmeath. According to the landowners, the Gibson-Brabazon family, the field had not been ploughed in living memory. The surrounding area is rich in early Bronze Age burials. Just over lkm to the south-west, in the townland of Glascarn, an early Bronze Age cist burial containing a cremation, an inhumation and a vase was excavated by Fionnbarr Moore in 1986. The cemetery at Sonnagh Demesne, excavated by Breandán Ó Ríordáin (Cahill and Sikora 2011,552-9), is just 5km to the north-east, and some 2.5km north-west of the site, in the townland of Davidstown, a number of inhumation burials were excavated by Eamonn P. Kelly in 1976 (Cahill and Sikora 2011, 201-3). Grave 1 The cist was trapezoidal in plan and its long axis was aligned south-east/north-west, with the wider end at the south-east. Internally it measured 0.94m long by 0.56m wide by 0.41m high. It was constructed of four slabs set on edge. The trapezoidal plan was exaggerated by the fact that the western side stone had been displaced by the action of the plough, as had its accompanying padstone. Padstones composed of smaller slabs were laid flat along each side, either overlapping or abutting the side stones. Two padstones were found laid diagonally across the southern and northern corners of the cist. The floor of the cist consisted of a single large slab, which had subsequently split in two, dipping towards the centre of the cist. This appears to have been placed in position before the side stones were put in place as it ran under the eastern side stone. The cist had originally been sealed by a tight-fitting capstone large enough to prevent spoil from slipping into the cist chamber. The capstone was suboval in shape, measuring 1.68m long by 1.14m wide. It bore two sets of grooves running roughly at right angles on its upper surface, probably made by ploughshares on previous occasions. At the time of excavation, the capstone lay to the south of the cist, partly covering the padstones on the southern side of the cist. There was no indication of the edge of the pit dug to receive the cist, but it appears that the pit walls lay under the padstones, which were not removed in the course of the excavation. The pit had been dug into a fine, dark grey sandy gravel (visible in the floor of the pit), and this, mixed with boulder clay, was found behind the side stones and under the padstones, where excavated. The cist contained the cremated remains of two adults, one male, and cremated animal (1991:142), accompanied by a tripartite bowl. According to the finders, the vessel was mouth upwards on the floor of the cist midway along the northern end. The cremation was untouched and no spoil had spilled into the chamber. The cremation consisted of an oval spread of burnt bone, placed centrally, measuring about 0.4m by 0.3m by 0.1 m in maximum height. The larger bones lay on top while the smaller were underneath, being concentrated in side of the spread. Some of the bone had fallen into the central crack in the floor The remains were examined by Laureen Buckley and found to represent a minimum of two individuals, both apparently adult, at least one being an older adult male. Grave 2 About 5m north-east of grave 1 a flat stone, less massive in size, had been displaced. According to the landowner, Mr Gibson-Brabazon, this was aligned roughly east/west, i.e. at right angles to the first cist. Investigation of an area measuring c.1.8m by 1.9m around its original position revealed a second stone, 3m of grave 1, with roughly the same orientation. This was revealed to be a second capstone of the cist, which had been undisturbed prior to excavation. The cist was rectangular in plan, with its long axis aligned east-north-east/west-south-west. Internally it measured 0.84m long by 0.51 m wide by 0.48m high. It was constructed of four main edge-set slabs, one forming each wall. The end stones inclined inwards from the base and were fitted neatly between the side stones. All the main slabs appeared to be of sandstone. The western end stone did not extend the full width of the cist, and three smaller stones, one above the other, filled the gap at its southern end. The floor was paved with a number of slabs, which had cracked and were sloped downwards towards the centre of the cist. There was a notable slope in the floor of the cist from north to south. The cist was apparently covered with two capstones, one above the other. The uppermost indicated the presence of the cist. This was suboval in shape, measuring 1.46m long by 1.08m wide. Below this was the second capstone, which measured lm long by 0.7m wide. Fragments of a large padstone were discovered resting on its upper surface at the north-eastern end, but these may have been disturbed on discovery. The cist contained the cremated remains of a young adult male and a juvenile (1991:144) accompanied by a bowl. As in the case of grave 1, no soil had infiltrated the chamber. The burial deposit consisted of two piles of cremated bone placed along the central axis, forming a figure of eight spread 0.7m long by 0.3m wide. Some of the cremated bone had fallen into the cracks in the paved floor of the cist. Some large pieces of charcoal were visible resting on top of the eastern concentration of bones. Further smaller pieces of burnt bone and dust had been washed through to the base of the deposit. Some of the bones in the western concentration were resting in a vertical position, others at an acute angle as if poured onto the floor of the cist from a container. The fragments of bone were much larger than those found in grave 1 and seemed to represent an adult. Each pile of bones was removed and bagged separately. The westernmost deposit contained the complete cremation of an adult male, while the eastern area consisted of the remains of an older juvenile or adolescent. The human remains from this site have not been dated, but the bowl from grave 1, on the basis of form and decoration, would be considered as a tripartite (variant) bowl. This unusual vessel is very similar to an unlocalised vessel illustrated by Ó Ríordáin and Waddell (1993, 212, no. 268). The bowl from grave 2 is a very typical tripartite bowl of similar style to those which Brindley (2007, 172-3) places in stage 1 of the development of bowl tradition pottery. This phase is dated to 2160-1980 BC. The bowl from grave 1 is most similar to vessels of Brindley's stage 3 series (2007, 174-5, 248-9) such as Lug, Co. Offaly, and Baggotstown, Co. Limerick. Stage 3 vessels are dated to 1980-1930/20 BC. A small quantity of animal bone was found in the cremation deposit from cist 1. This may represent the remains of the last meal of the interred or a symbolic offering to accompany the spirit on its final journey'. Date of upload : 13 August 2012