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

Situated at the bottom of a SW-facing slope with a canalised W-E stream immediately to the S. 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 Area 1 adjacent to the stream included two structures interpreted as steam-lodges (Schweitzer 2009, 14). An amorphous pit (dims c. 8.5m x c. 7.5m; max. D c. 2m at S) is a deliberate construct and up-cast from its creation was used to form a clay floor (dims c. 5.5m x c. 4m) just to its W. The water-hole was fed by a gully from the W and was filled with marls and silts. Its sides were probably collapsed before this sweat-lodge became disused (ibid. 14-16). Forty nine stake-holes defined the temporary sweat-lodge in a number of subcircular tent-like structures (max. dims 6.2m E-W; 4.8m N-S) which had a hearth at the N edge. One pit was inside the structure but others outside were related as were concentrations of stake-holes. These features are probably Bronze Age in date (ibid. 18-19) and an Iron Age structure (ME039-010001-), also probably a sweat-lodge, was constructed c. 15m to the ESE, on the other side of what would then have been then the silted up water-hole. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 13 June 2022