archaeological report - moatquarter, co. tipperary (ireland)

Issue 11 [ISSN 2009-2237]

Archaeological Excavation Report

E3910 - Moatquarter, Co. Tipperary

Bronze Age House

Eachtra Journal

July 2011


Co. Tipperary

Laois County Council and National Roads Authority

Jacinta Kiely and John Tierney

Moatquarter

EACHTRAArchaeological Projects

E No:

:

Project:

Client:

Date:

E3910

N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1)

John TierneyExcavation Director

Written by:

Bronze Age House

CORKThe Forge, Innishannon, Co. Cork

tel: 021 4701616 | web: www.eachtra.ie | email: [email protected]

GALWAY Unit 10, Kilkerrin Park, Liosbain Industrial Estate, Galway

tel: 091 763673 | web: www.eachtra.ie | email: [email protected]


MoatquarterCo. Tipperary

Excavation Director

John Tierney

Written By

Jacinta Kiely and John Tierney

EACHTRAArchaeological Projects

© Eachtra Archaeological Projects 2011 The Forge, Innishannon, Co Cork

Set in 12pt Garamond

Printed in Ireland

i

Table of ContentsSummary��iii

Acknowledgements�� iv

1 Scopeoftheproject�� 1

2 Routelocation�� 1

3 Receivingenvironment�� 3

4 Archaeologicalandhistoricalbackground�� 4

5 SitelocationandTopography�� 7

6 Excavationmethodology�� 7

7 Excavationresults�� 10

8 Discussion��22

9 References�� 24

Appendix1 StratigraphicIndex��26

Appendix2 StratigraphicMatrix�� 27

Appendix3 GroupsandSubgroups��29

Appendix4 Plantremains�� 41

Appendix5 LithicArtefactsReport�� 47

ii

List of FiguresFigure1: Portion of map of Ireland showing the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh

(DerrinsallaghtoBallintotty)RoadScheme(Contract1)�� 2

Figure2: DiscoveryseriesOrdnancesurveymapshowingtherouteoftheN7CastletowntoNenagh(DerrinsallaghtoBallintotty)RoadScheme(Contract1)andthelocationofallexcavationsites�� 5

Figure3: Portionofthe1steditionOrdnanceSurveyMapOF47showingthelocationofMoatquarter�� 8

Figure4: LocationandextentofMoatquarterE3910ontheN7CastletowntoNenagh�� 11

Figure5: Post-excavationplanofMoatquarterE3910�� 12

Figure6: Post-excavationplanoftheBronzeAgehouseatMoatquarter�� 14

Figure7: InterpretativeplanoftheBronzeAgehouse�� 17

Figure8: SectionofslottrenchC�43,post-holesC�24,C�29andC�17andpitC�20��18

List of PlatesPlate1: AerialviewofMoatquarter�� 9

Plate2: Viewofmoat(RMPTI016-003)fromMoatquartersite��10

Plate3: ViewofBronzeAgestructurefromnorth-west�� 13

Plate4: View of Bronze Age structure with locational detail of wall line, entrance andhearthfromeast�� 15

Plate5: QuartziterubbingstoneE3910:1:2��20

Plate6: QuartziterubbingstoneE3910:1:3��20

Plate7: ViewofchertflakeE3910:1:4��21

List of TablesTable1 DimensionsofouterwallofBronzeAgestructure�� 13

Table2 DimensionsofinnerwallofBronzeAgestructure�� 15

Table3 Dimensionsofpitsininterior��16

Table4 Possibleinternaldivisionsorscreenswithinthestructure�� 19

Table5 Dimensionsofpits�� 19

Table6 Radiocarbondates��21

Table7 RadiocarbondatesforBronzeAgestructuresontherouteoftheN7��23

Moatquarter-e3910

iii

http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e3910-moatquarter-co-tipperary/

SummaryThe excavation of the site at Moatquarter comprised a Bronze Age house dating to the Middle Bronze Age. It was defined by a double ring of post-holes. The inner ring was concentric with the outer ring but the outer ring was not complete. It enclosed the rear and more than half the sides of the structure. The internal diameter of the structure was 5.8 m and it enclosed an area of 26.1 m2. The entrance to the house faced south-southeast.

Road project name N7 Castletown to Nenagh Site name MoatquarterE no. E3910Site director John TierneyTownland MoatquarterParish RathnaveogeCounty TipperaryBarony IkerrinOS Map Sheet No. TN16National Grid Reference 206009 / 182426Elevation 172 m O.D.

iSSue 11: eachtra Journal - iSSn 2009-2237 archaeological excavation report

iv

AcknowledgementsThe project was commissioned by Laois County Council and was funded by the Na-tional Roads Authority under the National Development Plan (2000-2006). The project archaeologist was Niall Roycroft. Kildare County Council supervised the archaeological contract with RE staff of Pat Dowling and Colum Fagan. Kildare County Council Sen-ior Executive Engineer was Joseph Kelly and Kildare County Council Senior Engineer was John Coppinger. The senior archaeologist was John Tierney and the post-excavation manager was Jacinta Kiely. Illustrations and GIS are by Maurizio Toscano, photographs by John Sunderland and Eagle Photography and aerial photography by StudioLab. Spe-cialist analysis was carried out by Mary Dillon, Penny Johnston, Farina Sternke and the 14 Chrono Centre at Queen’s University Belfast.

Moatquarter-e3910

1


1 Scope of the project Eachtra Archaeological Projects were commissioned by Laois County Council and the National Roads Authority to undertake archaeological works along 17.1 km (Contact 1) of the 35km N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Derrinsallagh to Ballintotty) national road scheme (EIS approved in November 2005). The scheme runs from the eastern junction of the present N7 Nenagh Bypass, North Tipperary a tie in to the M7/M8 Portlaoise-Castletown scheme to the south of Borris-in-Ossory in County Laois. The scheme is ap-proximately 191 hectares. Contract 1 comprises the western half of the scheme and runs from Clashnevin to Castleroan passing along the Tipperary North and Offaly county border regions. The Ministers Direction Number is A38.

It was funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006. The total archaeological cost was administered by the National Roads Authority through Laois County Council as part of the Authority’s commitment to protecting our cultural heritage. The purpose of the archaeological services project was to conduct ar-chaeological site investigations within the lands made available for the scheme and to assess the nature and extent of any new potential archaeological sites uncovered.

Phase 1 of the project (archaeological testing of the route) was carried out in 2007 under licence E3371, E3372 and E3375-8 issued by Department of the Environment Heri-tage and Local Government (DoEHLG) in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland. The principal aim of this phase of the project was to test for any previously un-known sites by a programme of centreline and offset testing and to test sites of archaeo-logical potential identified in the EIS.

Phase 2 of the project (resolution) involved the resolution of all archaeological sites identified within the proposed road corridor prior to commencement of the construction of the road. This phase of the project was carried out from June 2007 to February 2008 and excavations were conducted under the management of a Senior Archaeologist. A total of 27 sites were excavated during this phase of works under separate licences issued by DoEHLG.

A post-excavation assessment and strategy document was prepared in Phase 3 of the project to present a management strategy for dealing with post-excavation work aris-ing from archaeological works along the route of the new N7 Castletown to Nenagh. It included a proposal for post-excavation and archiving work and a budget for the works.

2 Route locationThe route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh road is located in Counties North Tipperary and Offaly (OF) (Figure 1). The project (Contract 1) involves the construction of c. 17.5 km of the N7 from Clashnevin east of Nenagh to Castleroan south-east of Dunkerrin. It passes through the townlands of Clashnevin, Derrybane, Newtown, Lissanisky, Killeisk, Garavally, Derrycarney, Garrynafanna, Gortnadrumman, Kilgorteen, Falleen, Knock-ane, Clash, Park, Rosdremid (OF), Clynoe (OF), Cullenwaine, Moneygall, Greenhills,

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Drumbaun, Busherstown (OF), Drumroe (OF), Moatquarter, Loughan (OF) and Cas-tleroan (OF). The townlands are located in the parishes of Ballymackey, Cullenwaine, Castletownely, Rathnaveoge, Finglas and Dunkerrin and the baronies of Upper Ormond, Ikerrin and Clonisk,

The route begins at the eastern end of the Nenagh bypass at Clashnevin c. 5 km east of Nenagh and continues eastward on the northern side of the existing N7 in Co. Tip-perary. It crosses a number of third class roads to the north of Toomyvara and 0.7 km east of Clash crossroads crosses the Ollatrim River. It extends into County Offaly directly east of Park. From here it crosses the R490 0.6 km north of Moneygall. It extends back in County Tipperary and through the demesne of Greenhills before crossing the existing N7 at the junction of Greenhills and Drumbaun townlands. It crosses back into County Offaly and climbs east into Busherstown and Drumroe. It crosses the Keeloge Stream into Moatquarter in County Tipperary and extends northeast back into County Offaly through the townlands of Loughan and Castleroan 1.4 km southwest of Dunkerrin.

3 Receiving environmentNorth Tipperary is bounded on the west by the River Shannon and Lough Derg with the Silvermines, to the south, and small hills extending towards Devilsbit and Borrisnoe Mountains to the east. The mountains are composed largely of Silurian strata and Old Red Sandstone. Copper, silver and lead deposits have been mined in the Silvermines. The geology of the lowlands consists of Carboniferous limestone covered by glacial drift in addition to tracts of raised bog.

The western portion of the study area is drained by the Ollatrim River which flows westwards into the River Ballintotty which in turns drains into the River Nenagh. The eastern portion is drained by the Keeloge Stream and other small water sources. These rise in the foothills of the Silvermine Mountains and flow north. The Keeloge drains into the Little Brosna River c. 1 km south of Shinrone, Co Offaly. The Brosna turns north and drains into the Shannon south of Banagher.

The largest population centre in the area is Nenagh. The smaller population centres, are Toomyvara, Moneygall and Dunkerrin.

The soils on the route are characterised by 80% grey brown podzolics, 10% gleys, 5% brown earths and 5% basin peat. They are derived from glacial till of predominantly Car-boniferous limestone composition. These soils occur in Tipperary and Offaly and have a wide use range being suitable for both tillage and pasture (Gardiner and Radford 1980, 97-99). Land use along the route was a mix of grassland devoted to intensive dairying and cattle-rearing and tillage.


4

4 Archaeological and historical backgroundArchaeological sites of numerous periods were discovered along the route of the new road (Figure 2). The periods are referred to as follows: Mesolithic (c. 8000 to 4000 BC), Neo-lithic (c. 4000 to 2000 BC), Bronze Age (c. 2000 to 600 BC), and Iron Age (c. 500 BC to AD 500), early medieval period (c. AD 500 to 1100), medieval period (c. AD 1100 to 1650), post-medieval period (c. AD 1650 to the present).

Mesolithic (c. 8000 to 4000 BC)The earliest known human settlement in Ireland dates from the Mesolithic period (c. 8000 BC - 4000 BC). The majority of the evidence (flint scatters) for Mesolithic occupa-tion has come from the river valleys. No evidence for the Mesolithic was recorded on the route.

Neolithic (c. 4000 to 2000 BC)The Neolithic Period is characterised by the introduction of agriculture and the begin-nings of the clearance of the woodlands. The population increased and became more sedentary in nature. The most important Neolithic site in the vicinity was at Tullahedy recorded on the route of the Nenagh by-pass. It was a specialist chert arrow manufactur-ing site.

No evidence for a Neolithic site was recorded on the route but stone tools dating to the Neolithic were recorded at Busherstown E3661, Clash E3660, Cullenwaine E3741 and Greenhills 2 and 3 E3637 and E3658. Stone tools dating to the late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age were recorded at Busherstown E3661, Castleroan E3909, Cullenwaine E3741, Derrybane 1 E3585, Drumroe E3773, Greenhills 1 E3638 and Moatquarter E3910. Neo-lithic pottery was recorded at Cullenwaine E3741 and Drumbaun E3912.

Bronze Age (c. 2000 to 600BC)The Bronze Age is characterised by the introduction of metallurgy and an increase in settlement and burial sites. Copper ores were mined and copper, bronze and gold items manufactured. The range of burial site types includes cist graves, pit and urn burials, cremation cemeteries, barrows, ring-ditches and wedge tombs. Stone circles and stand-ing stones also date to the Bronze Age. Both enclosed and unenclosed settlement sites are known. The most prolific Bronze Age site type is the fulacht fiadh. These monuments survive as low mounds of charcoal rich black silt, packed with heat-shattered stones, and generally situated close to a water source. Fulachta fiadh are generally classified as ‘cook-ing places’, whereby stones were heated in a hearth and subsequently placed in a trough of water, the water continued to boil with the addition of hot stones and wrapped food was cooked within the hot water. The trough eventually filled with small stones, ash and charcoal that were removed, forming the basis of the familiar mound.

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Two new fulachta fiadh or burnt mounds were recorded at Clashnevin 1 E3586, Cull-enwaine E3741 and six at three separate locations in Greenhills, E3638, E3637 and E3658. Evidence of nine roundhouses or partial round structures were recorded; two at Cas-tleroan E3909, Derrybane 2 E3591 and Drumbaun 2 E3912 and one at Clash E3660, Drumroe E3773 and Moatquarter E3910.

Iron Age (c. 500 BC to AD 500)Upto recently there was little evidence of a significant Iron Age presence in Munster. Settlement sites are few and far between as well as being difficult to identify (Woodman, 2000) while the material culture of this period is limited. Linear earthworks, believed to have marked tribal boundaries, and hillforts are two of the most visible monuments of the period. Ten percent of sites excavated on NRA road schemes in recent years have produced Iron Age dates. The dates have led to the identification of 30 new Iron Age sites in Munster from road schemes in counties Cork, Limerick and Tipperary (McLaughlin 2008, 51). These include a ditched enclosure in Ballywilliam and a wooden trackway in Annaholty Bog excavated on the route of the N7 Nenagh-Limerick (Taylor 2008, 54).

Three Iron Age dates were returned from pits in Castleroan E3909 and Drumroe E3773 on the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1).

Early medieval period (c. AD 400 to 1100)The early medieval period is characterised by the arrival of Christianity to Ireland. The characteristic monument type of the period is the ringfort. Ringforts are the most nu-merous archaeological monument found in Ireland, with estimates of between 30,000 and 50,000 illustrated on the first edition of the Ordnance Survey 6” maps of the 1840’s (Barry 1987). As a result of continued research, the construction of these monuments has a narrow date range during the early medieval period between the 7th and 9th centuries AD. Although there are some very elaborate examples of ringforts, they often take the form of a simple earth or stone enclosure functioning as settlements for all classes of secu-lar society (Stout 1997).

North Tipperary is rich in early ecclesiastical sites and the remains of these religious centres are at the core of some of the towns and villages. Roscrea, for example, was chosen by St Cronan as a location for his monastery in the seventh century as it was located at the crossroads on the Slighe Dála, an important roadway in early medieval times (NIAH 2006, 4-8).

Early medieval activity was recorded at five sites on the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh (Contract 1). A series of corn-drying kilns were recorded at Busherstown E3661. A denuded ringfort (OF046-013) was excavated at Clynoe 2 E3774. An area of iron-working and associated pits was recorded at Drumbaun E3912. Iron working activity, corn-drying kilns and settlement activity was recorded at Park 1 E3659. A group of pits and associated ditch were recorded at Drumroe E3773.

Moatquarter-e3910

7


High and later medieval periods (c. AD 1100 to 1650)This period is characterized by the arrival of the Anglo-Normans and the building of tow-er houses. The Anglo-Normans obtained charters in the thirteenth century for the towns of Nenagh, Roscrea, Thurles and Templemore and established markets. Nenagh grew rapidly in the aftermath of the granting of the lands of Munster to Theobald fitzWalter in 1185 (ibid. 8). Moated sites represent the remains of isolated, semi-defended homesteads in rural areas. They were build mainly in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth cen-turies in counties, such as Wexford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, mid-Cork and Limerick, that were colonised by English settlers (O’Conor 1998, 58). The Archaeological Inventory for North Tipperary lists 39 moated sites (2002, 298).

A medieval enclosure and associated field systems were recorded at Killeisk E3587. A newly recorded moated site was excavated at Busherstown E3661. A series of ditches and settlement activity was recorded at Park 1 E3659.

Post-medieval period (c. 1650 to the present).The post-medieval period is characterised by mills, limekilns, workhouses, country hous-es and associated demesnes, vernacular buildings and field systems (Figure 3). A small demesne associated with a county house was recorded at Greenhills.

5 Site location and TopographyThe site at Moatquarter was located c. 400 m to the north and upslope of the Keeloge Stream and 200 m to the northeast of the motte. The townland name most likely refers to the location of a conspicuous medieval motte (RMP TI016-003) located to the south-west of the site (Plate 1). The Keeloge Stream forms part of the townland boundary between Moatquarter and Drumroe and the county bounds of Tipperary and Offaly.

6 Excavation methodologyThe site was mechanically stripped of topsoil under strict archaeological supervision. Stripping was done with a tracked machine with a flat toothless bucket. Topsoil stripping commenced in the areas of identified archaeology and continued radially outward until the limit of the road take was reached or until the limit of the archaeological remains was fully defined. A grid was set up in the excavation area(s) and all archaeological features were sufficiently cleaned, recorded and excavated so as to enable an accurate and mean-ingful record of the site to be preserved. The excavation, environmental sampling, site photographs, site drawings, find care and retrieval, on-site recording and site archive was as per the Procedures for Archaeological works as attached to the licence method state-ments for excavation licences.

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Moatquarter 1 (E3910)Moatquarter 1 (E3910)

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The site was excavated from 28 January 2008 to the 8 February 2008. Only areas within the LMA (lands made available) were resolved. Two separate cuttings, Area 1 and Area 2, were excavated. Area 1 was located 62 m south of Area 2. The full extent of Area 1 measured 4600 m sq and Area 2 measured 3700 m sq (Figure 4, Plate 2).

The full record of excavated contexts is recorded in the context register and the strati-graphic matrix (Appendix 1). Detailed stratigraphic descriptions are found in the groups and sub-groups text (Appendix 2). The context register maybe viewed in the EAPOD (Eachtra Archaeological Projects office database) in the accompanying CD.

7 Excavation resultsA Bronze Age structure and two groups of pits were excavated within the area of excava-tion. (Figure 5, plate 3). The structure was located near the southern extent of the area of excavation. Four pits (C.3, C.5, C.8 and C.185) were located c. 45 m north of the structure and four pits (C.502, C.503, C.506 and C.508) were located c. 150 m north of the struc-ture. A field boundary C.11 was located to the south-east of the Bronze Age structure.

Bronze Age HouseA house was identified in the southern section of the site. It was defined by a double ring of post-holes (Figure 6). The inner ring was concentric with the outer ring but the outer ring was not complete. It enclosed the rear and over half the sides of the structure. The internal diameter of the structure was 5.8 m and it enclosed an area of 26.1 m2. The en-trance to the house faced south-southeast.

Four post-holes C.44, C.54, C.81and C.180 constituted the outer northern line of the structure. The interval between the post-holes was irregular, they were spaced over 3 m apart. Three of the post-holes C.44, C.53 and C.180 were similar in size and composition.

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The fourth posthole C.81 was the remains of a driven post, it was smaller that the other three.

Context Dimensions (m) (l x w x d)44 0.82 x 0.64 x 0.2854 0.87 x 0.62 x 0.0881 0.16 x 0.4 x 0.12180 0.77 x 0.57 x 0.16

Table1DimensionsofouterwallofBronzeAgestructure

Ten postholes (C.17, C.19, C.24, C.26, C.29, C.36, C.41, C.56, C. 65, C.187) and two slot trenches (C.43 and C.46) constituted the inner circuit of the house. The entrance was probably to the south-east between post-holes C.187 and C.29. It measured 1.8 in width. Both of the entrance post-holes were flanked by a second post (C.24 and C.36). Middle Bronze Age dates of cal BC 1429-1315 (UB-15096) and cal BC 1432-1316 (UB-15095) were returned from the post-hole C.24 and C.17 respectively.

A single post-hole C.15 was located within the interior between posts C.19 and C.59. It may have formed part of a wall alignment with four stake-holes (C.86, C.93, C.100 and C.139).

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117

182

162

124

165

175

172

2060

21

2060

21

2060

26

2060

26

182424

182424

182427

182427

Area

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Moatquarter-e3910

15


Context Number Dimensions (m) (I x w x d)17 0.58 x 0.36 x 0.3319 0.57 x 0.53 x 0.3424 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.2526 0.5 x 0.47 x 0.3529 0.46 x 0.32 x 0.3159 0.57 x 0.5 x 0.236 0.73 x 0.34 x 0.2341 0.8 x 0.75 x 0.2543 1.2 x 0.7 x 0.3146 2.7 x 0.57 x 0.0748 (within slot C.46) 0.37 x 0.24 x 0.2550 (within slot C.46) 0.17 x 0.16 x 0.2852 (within slot C.46) 0.6 x 0.4 x 0.1256 0.65 x 0.6 x 0.2165 0.25 x 0.25 x 0.05187 0.48 x 0.39 x 0.25

Table2DimensionsofinnerwallofBronzeAgestructure

Internal featuresThree pits C.20, C.39 and C.176 were located in the interior of the structure. Two large pits (C.20 and C.39) were located adjacent to one another at the rear. The third C.176 was located between the hearth and the entrance. The hearth was located almost centrally be-tween the three pits. Pits 20 and 39 may be bed settings, located in the northwest corner of the structure, opposite the south facing entrance.

Plate4: ViewofBronzeAgestructurewithlocationaldetailofwallline,entranceandhearthfromeast�


16

Context Dimensions (m) (l x w x d)20 1.51 x 0.8 x 0.4139 1.3 x 0.8 x 0.39176 1.1 x 0.5 x 0.18

Table3Dimensionsofpitsininterior

A Middle Bronze Age date of cal BC 1495-1321 (UB-15094) was returned from pit C.20.

A total of 54 stake-holes were recorded within the interior of the structure (Figure 7, plate 4). In general all of them had a similar fill, a soft gray brown sandy silt with oc-casional flecks of charcoal. They varied in sizes from 0.03-0.13 m in length to 0.03-0.12 m in width and 0.03-0.26 m in depth. The largest stake-holes measured over 0.09 m in diameter. They formed two distinctive patterns: 13 (C.57, C.64, C.69, C.71, C.86, C.93, C.97, C.100, C.105, C.107, C.126, C.132, C.139, C.142, C.154 and C.178) were located inside and parallel and on the line of the inner wall of the structure and three (C.107, C.142 and C.154) formed the possible base of tripod around the hearth C.186.

The base of a hearth C.186 was recorded towards the rear of the structure. The scorched area of subsoil measured 0.44m by 0.35m. The base of the hearth was truncated by three small stake-holes (C.161, C. 165 and C. 175). Two stake-holes (C.117 and C.159) were located on the edge of the hearth and three other stake-holes (C.107, C.142 and C.154) may have formed a tripod around the hearth. The side of the tripod measured c. 0.9 m. Three more stake-holes (C.146, C.156 and C.182) could have been associated with hearth-side furniture.

A total of 24 of the stake-holes could have been associated with the inner wall of the structure. Two (C.178 and C.57) were located on the south-eastern side of the entrance on either side of post C.187. Eleven (C.168, C.166, C.130, C.62, C.97, C.83, C.71, C.69, C.111, C.119, C.64) were located on the south-western circuit between post-holes C.24 and C.41. Three (C.105, C.126 and C.132) were located on the southern side of pit C.20. Four (C.139, C.100, C.93 and C.86) were located on the north-eastern circuit on either side of post-hole C.15. One stake-hole C.95 was located to the north of post-holes C.26 and C.59. Three stake-holes (C.92, C.90 and C.102) were located to the west of post-hole C.17.

A total of 20 other stake-holes were recorded in the interior in the vicinity, and for the most part to the east, of the hearth C.86 and the pit C.176. They may have formed an internal division or screens associated with the hearth and/or the pit C.176. They could have formed at least four different screens. Three of the screens were parallel to one an-other on the eastern side of the hearth and pit and the fourth could have been located on the western side.

An alternative to the screen hypothesis is that screens 1 and 2 are functionally related to one another and the hearth. The stakeholes in these groups are clearly paired and may represent the remains of a domestic food processing activity, originating in the hearth and perhaps processing different grades of material in stake-supported troughs or pots eg. fat,

2060

21

2060

21

2060

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2060

26

182424

182424

182427

182427

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Moatquarter-e3910

17


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Moatquarter-e3910

19


blood and offal products. The curving stakehole arrangement mirrors the roundhouse walls.

Screen Associated stake-holes Length1 C.128, C.113, C.87 and C.103 2.72 C.152, C.115, C.136, C.162, C.124, C.122 and C.110 2.93 C.140, C.170, C.172, C.148 and C.150 1.24 C.134, C.144, C.77 and C.60 1.6

Table4Possibleinternaldivisionsorscreenswithinthestructure

PitsEight pits were located to the north of the structure. Four pits (C.3, C.5, C.8 and C.185) were located c. 45 m north of the structure. They were located between 8-13 m apart. Four other pits (C.502, C.503, C.506 and C.508) were located c. 150 m north of the structure. The pits were c. 30 m apart.

Context Dimensions (m) (l x w x d)3 1.05 x 0.93 x 0.35 1.57 x 1.57 x 0.228 1.84 x 1.7 x 0.28185 1.1 x 0.75 x 0.15502 1.19 x 0.76 x 0.13503 2.1 x 0.7 x 0.05506 0.45 x 0.35 x 0.11508 0.38 x 0.25 x 0.2

Table5Dimensionsofpits

No radiocarbon dates were obtained from any of the pits. No artefacts were retrieved from the pits. It is difficult to know if the pits were contemporary with the Bronze Age structure.

Plant remainsThe plant remains were examined by Penny Johnston (Appendix 4). A total of 30 samples were scanned and plant remains were present in just seven of the samples. Hazelnut shell fragments were found in four of the samples C.17, C.26, C.43, C.52, barley was recovered from C.20 and C.29 and wheat from C.26/C.59 associated with the house.

These included the samples from the post-hole C.17 (C.16, S.7), from the slot trench C.20 (C.21 S.9), from the pits C.26/59 (C.25 S.11) and C.29 (C.30 S.14), from the post-hole C.52 (C.53 S.20) and the slot trench C.43 (C.125 S.58). These are probably representa-tive of the occupation layer which probably covered the floor during its use.


20

Plate5: QuartziterubbingstoneE3910:1:2�

Plate6: QuartziterubbingstoneE3910:1:3�

Moatquarter-e3910

21


Lithic artefactsThe lithic artefacts were examined by Farina Sternke (Appendix 5). A chert flake (E3910:1:4) and two quartzite rubbing stones (E3910:1:2-3) were recovered from the top-soil. The assemblage has to be regarded as technologically and typologically diagnostic and dates to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age period. The rubbing stone E3910:1:3 was most likely used as a mano in connection with a saddle quern.

Charcoal The charcoal was examined by Mary Dillon in advance of radiocarbon dating.

Radiocarbon datesRadiocarbon analysis was carried out by the 14 Chrono Centre in Queen’s University Belfast. Dates were calibrated using Calib Rev5.0.2 (©1986-2005 M.Stuiver & P.J. Re-imer) and in conjunction with Stuiver & Reimer 1993 and Reimer et al. 2004.

Lab code Context Material Un-calibrated date

δ 13 C 2 sigma calibration Period

UB-15094

C.21 Willow charcoal from pit C.20

3142 +/- 30 -27.8 cal BC 1495-1378 1337-1321

Middle Bronze Age

UB-15095

C.16 Pomoideae charcoal from pit C.17

3109 +/- 18 -30.2 cal BC 1432-1371 1345-1316

Middle Bronze Age

UB-15096

C.23 Hazel charcoal from posthole C.24

3103 +/- 19 -28.4 cal BC 1429-1369 1357-1315

Middle Bronze Age

Table6Radiocarbondates

Plate7: ViewofchertflakeE3910:1:4�


22

8 DiscussionEvidence of at least two phases of activity was recorded at Moatquarter.

The main phase of activity at the site dated to the Middle Bronze Age. The remains of a complete structure was located in the southern section of the site. It was defined by a double ring of post-holes but the outer ring was incomplete. The internal diameter of the structure was 5.8 m and it enclosed an area of 26.1 m2. The entrance to the house faced south-southeast. Two probably bed settings were identified opposite the entrance and a curving, food processing work area has been hypothesized based on the relationship between a hearth and tripod and a series of paired stakeholes which run away from the hearth, curving on the same alignment as the structural support timbers. Curving work spaces not being surprising in a circular house.

There are three main hypotheses for the construction of the house. Firstly, an internal ring of posts supported the roof and immediately outside this a wattle wall was built (the remains of the wattle wall is evident on both sides of the doorway but cannot be traced for the northern half of the structure). Directly outside the wattle wall further roof support was offered by external support posts. The relationship between the external and internal posts may give clues as to the location of the wall top cross beams.

The second hypothesis is that a clay wall was built outside and against the wattle screen and that this wall ran along the line of the larger, outer postholes.

The third hypothesis is that a narrow 0.50 m wide clay wall was built along the line defined by the wattle screens (the screens being a spinal element to the wall) ie. between the inner and outer post-holes,

A recent survey of Bronze Age houses in southern Ireland lists a total of 41 Bronze Age sites where 81 individual structures have been recorded (Doody 2007, 86–7). Howev-er, surveys are quickly out of date at the moment, since development-led archaeology has resulted in an explosion of Bronze Age archaeology (Bruck 2009a, xvi). The excavation of ten Bronze Age houses on the route of the N7 Castletown to Nenagh will further in-crease this number. Radiocarbon dates have been obtained for eight of the ten structures on the N7 from the townlands of Clash, Castleroan, Derrybane, Drumbaun, Drumroe and Moatquarter,

Site Name Structure Calibrated BC 2-sigma dates PeriodClash Structure 1 1111-920 and 895-800 MBA-LBACastleroan Structure A 1249-1016 MBACastleroan Structure B 1011-914 LBADerrybane Structure 1 741-406 and 833-797 LBADerrybane Structure 2 794-550 LBADerrybane Structure 3 1929-1773 EBADrumbaun Structure A 1436-1316 MBADrumbaun Structure B 1520-1442 MBADrumroe Structure 1 895-815 LBAMoatquarter Structure 1 1495-1321, 1432-1316 and 1429-1315 MBA

Table7RadiocarbondatesforBronzeAgestructuresontherouteoftheN7�

Moatquarter-e3910

23


There is a diversity in house size, internal pattern and construction materials. In Brit-ain there appears to be a number of regionally distinct house styles (Doody 2007, 97) but there is no established evidence for regional variation amongst Irish examples as yet. However, the discovery of axial symmetry in several houses excavated in Tipperary and North Cork has been noted (Tierney and Johnston 2009, 105). A similar phenomenon has also been identified in Britain (Guilbert 1982, 68– 9; Brück 1999).

Three of the round post-built structures, one in Derrybane and two in Drumbaun, excavated on the N7 were constructed along the principle of axial symmetry. This means that the house was arranged on an axis between the entrance and a post-hole directly opposite it, two post-holes flank the entrance and the remaining post-holes have a corre-sponding partner at either side of the axis. The distance between the post-holes on either side of the axis is roughly the same (Tierney and Johnston ibid). Three other incomplete structures, may have originally been constructed along the same principles.

The plant remains recovered at Moatquarter are comparable to other domestic sites, for example Chancellorsland, Curraghatoor and Ballyvellish, in Co. Tipperary. At all of these sites barley was the most common Bronze Age crop type and at many retrieval was sporadic and poor.


24

9 ReferencesBruck, J. (2009a) Overview of findings, pp. xvi – xviii in McQuade, M., Molloy, B. and

Moriarty, C. In the Shadow of the Galtees. Archaeological excavations along the route of the N8 Cashel to Mitchelstown Road Scheme. Dublin, National Roads Authority.

Doody, M. (2007) Excavations at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary, University College Cork.

Farrelly, J., and O’Brien, C. (2002) Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary Vol. 1 - North Tipperary, The Stationery Office Dublin.

Gardiner, M.J. and Radford,T. (1980) Soil Assocaitions of Ireland and Their Land Use Potential. Dublin, An Foras Talúntais.

Guilbery, G. (1982) ‘Post-ring symmetry in roundhouses at Moel y Gaer and some other sites in prehistoric Britain’, in P J Drury (ed), Structural Recognition: approaches to the interpretation of excavated remains of buildings, 67 – 86. British Archaeological Reports 110.

McLaughlin, M. and Conran, S. (2008) ‘The emerging Iron Age of South Munster’ in Seanda, Issue 3, 51-53. Dublin.

National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (2006) An Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of North Tipperary. Government of Ireland.

O’Conor, K.D. (1998) The Archaeology of Medieval Rural Settlement in Ireland, Discovery Programme Monographs No 3, Discovery Programme/Royal Irish Academy Dublin.

Reimer, P.J., Baillie, M.G.L., Bard, E., Bayliss, A., Beck, J.W., Bertrand, C., Blackwell, P.G., Buck, C.E., Burr, G., Cutler, K.B., Damon, P.E., Edwards, R.L., Fairbanks, R.G., Friedrich, M., Guilderson, T.P., Hughen, K.A., Kromer, B., McCormac, F.G., Manning, S., Bronk Ramsey, C., Reimer, R.W., Remmele, S., Southon, J.R., Stuiver, M., Talamo, S., Taylor, F.W., van der Plicht, J. and Weyhenmeyer, C.E. (2004) ‘IntCal04 Terrestrial Radiocarbon Age Calibration, 0–26 Cal Kyr BP’, Radiocarbon 46, 1029-1058.

Stuiver, M., and Reimer, P.J. (1993) ‘Extended (super 14) C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 (super 14) C age calibration program’, Radiocarbon 35, 215-230.

Stout, M. (1997) The Irish Ringfort. Dublin, Four Courts Press.

Moatquarter-e3910

25


Taylor, K. (2008) ‘At home and on the road: two Iron Age sites in County Tipperary’ in Seanda, Issue 3, 54-55. Dublin.

Woodman, P.C. (2000) ‘Hammers and Shoeboxes: New Agendas for Prehistory’., pp. 1 -10 in Desmond, A., Johnson, G., McCarthy, M., Sheehan, J. and Shee Twohig, E. New Agendas in Irish Prehistory. Papers in commemoration of Liz Anderson. Bray, Wordwell.


26

Appendix 1 Stratigraphic Index

Please see attached CD.

Moatquarter-e3910

27


Appendix 2 Stratigraphic Matrix


28

Moatquarter-e3910

29


Appendix 3 Groups and SubgroupsGroup No.

Description Subgroup No. Description Context No.

1 Natural Deposits

TopsoilSubsoil

C.1C.2

2 Ditch 2 Ditch C.11, C.103 Pits and

spread3a 4 pits C.3, C.5, C.8, C.185

3b 1 charcoal spread

C.12

4 Roundhouse 4a Outer line of postholes

4 postholes C.44, C.54, C. 81 and C.180

4b Inner circuit of structure

15 postholes, 2 slot trenches

C.15, C.17, C.19, C.24, C.26, C.29, C.36, C.41, C.44, C.48, C.50, C.52, C.56, C. 65, C.187, C.43 and C.46

4c Internal features 3 pits C.20, C.39, C.1764d Hearth 1 Hearth C.186

5 Stakeholes 5a Stakeholes associ-ated with the inner line of house

24 stakeholes C.57, C.64, C.69, C.71, C.86, C.93, C.97, C.100, C.105, C.126, C.132, C.139, C.178, C.90, C.92, C.95, C.102, C.166, C.168, C.130, C.62, C.83, C.111 and C.119

5b Stakeholes associ-ated with the hearth

11 stakeholes C.107, C.142, C.154, C.117, C.146, C.156, C.159, C.161, C.165, C.175 and C.182

5c Stakeholes associ-ated with the interior of the house

20 stakeholes C.60, C.77, C.87, C.103, C.110, C.113, C.115, C.122, C.124, C.128, C.134, C.136, C.140, C.144, C.148, C.150, C.152, C.162, C.170 and C.172

6 Pits 4 Pits in the Area 2 4 pits C.502, C.503, C.506 and C.508

Group 1 Natural DepositsThis group describes the natural geological deposits identified across the area of excavation.

Topsoil C.1 The topsoil was covering the archaeological features on the site. It was dark grey brown silt.

Subsoil C.2The subsoil was yellow silty clay with frequent stone inclusions. This is the natural subsoil which occurs under the features and is found across the site.

Group 2 DitchDitch C.11 filled with C. 10A modern ditch located north-east of the house was aligned north-east to south-west. The ditch measured c.22.6m in length (within the area of excavation), 1.6 -2.0m in width and maximum 1.1m in depth. The break of slope at the top was gradual. The sides were concave and moderate. The break of slope at the base was gradual. The base was flat in


30

profile. The fill was mid red brown soft clayey silt with moderate inclusion of fine pebbles and small stones. An iron peg was recovered from the fill.

Group 3 Pits and spreadFour isolated pits and a charcoal spread in the northern part of Area 1

Context Dimensions (m) (I x w x d) Type3 1.05x0.93x0.3 Pit5 1.57x1.57x0.22 Pit8 1.87x1.7x0.28 Pit185 1.1x0.75x0.15 Pit12 0.5x0.45x0.04 Spread

Tableofdimensions

Subgroup 3a PitsPits C. 3, C.5, C.8, C.185 Pit C.3 filled with C.4, C.7The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were steep and smooth. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The break of slop at the base was sharp. The pit contained two fills. The upper fill C.4 was brown grey firm silt clay, with occasional pebbles, small stones and charcoal flacks. The basal fill C.7 was grey black soft silt clay with occasional pebbles and moderate amount of charcoal flecks.

Pit C.5 filled with C.6The pit was sub-circular in plan with rounded corners. It had gradual break of slope top and base. The sides were gentle and irregular at east, gentle and smooth elsewhere. The base was sub-circular in plan and flat in profile. The fill was dark brown black firm silty clay, with frequent medium stones and charcoal flecks.

Pit C.8 filled with C.9The pit was circular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top and base was sharp at east, gradual elsewhere. The sides were steep and concave at east, moderate and convex elsewhere. The base was circular in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid brown loose silty sand with moderate fine pebbles and occasional small pieces of charcoal.

Pit C.185 filled with C.184The pit was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top was gradual. The sides were gentle and concave. The break of slope at the base was imperceptible. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid yellow soft sandy silt with fine pebbles, medium stones and occasional large stones. The fill contained frequent flecks and small pieces of charcoal.

Moatquarter-e3910

31


InterpretationFour isolated pits at the northern end of the site, c. 30 m to the north of the house. No

artefacts were recovered from the pits, their date or function is unknown. It is not certain if these pits are contemporary with the house.

Subgroup 3b SpreadSpread C.12A small charcoal reach spread situated c. 10 m to the east from pit C.3. It was black soft clayey silt with frequent flecks and small pieces of charcoal.

Group 4 HouseThis group describes the features related to the construction of a house and the associated features within the structure.

Subgroup 4a Outer line of postholesFour postholes C.44, C.54, C.81and C.180 constituted the outer line of structure.

Context Dimensions (m) (l x w x d) Type44 0.82x0.64x0.28 Posthole54 0.87x0.62x0.08 Posthole81 0.16x0.4x0.12 Posthole180 0.77x0.57x0.16 Posthole

Tableofdimensions

Posthole C.44 filled with C.45. The posthole was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top and at the base was gradual. The sides were moderate and concave. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid brown loose silty sand with pebbles and occasional small pieces of char-coal. The posthole was located within the eastern end of slot trench C.46.

Posthole C.180 filled with C.181The posthole was oval in plan. It had gradual break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were steep and concave at east, moderate and concave elsewhere. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid yellow brown soft sandy silt with occasional pebbles and flecks of charcoal.

Posthole C.54 filled with C.55The posthole was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope top was sharp. The sides were gentle and concave. The break of slope base was imperceptible. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was light brown grey very soft sandy silt with occasional pebbles and flecks of charcoal.


32

Posthole C.81 filled with C.82The posthole was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top and at the base was sharp. The sides were vertical and smooth. The base was circular in plan and pointed in profile. The fill was mid yellow brown soft sandy silt.

The four postholes were located on the outer, northern circuit of a structure. The in-terval between the posts was irregular. Three postholes C.44, C.53 and C.180 had similar dimensions and fills (sandy silt with pebbles and occasional flecks of charcoal). The fourth posthole C.81 was remains of driven post. The post C.81 was smaller then the others and had sterile fill of sandy silt.

Subgroup 4b Inner circuit of postholes and slot trenchesTen postholes C.17, C.19, C.24, C.26, C.29, C.36, C.41, C.56, C. 65, C.187 and two slot trenches C.43 and C.46 constituted the inner circuit of the house. A single posthole C.15 was located inside/west of postholes C.19 and C.59. The entrance was probably to the southeast between posts C.187 and C.29. It measured 1.8 in width.

Context Number Dimensions (m) (I x w x d) Type15 0.41x0.3x0.25 Posthole17 0.58x0.36x0.33 Posthole19 0.57x0.53x0.34 Posthole24 0.6x0.4x0.25 Posthole26 0.5x0.47x0.35 Posthole2959

0.46x0.32x0.310.57x0.5x0.2

PostholePit

36 0.73x0.34x0.23 Posthole41 0.8x0.75x0.25 Posthole43 1.2x0.7x0.31 Slot trench46 2.7x0.57x0.07 Slot trench48 (within C.46) 0.37x0.24x0.25 Posthole50 (within C.46) 0.17x0.16x0.28 Posthole52 (within C.46) 0.6x0.4x0.12 Posthole56 0.65x0.6x0.21 Posthole65 0.25x0.25x0.05 Posthole187 0.48x0.39x0.25 Posthole

Tableofdimensions

Posthole C.187 filled with C.188The posthole was sub-circular in plan. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were moderate and concave. The break of slope at the base was imperceptible. The base was sub-circular in plan and concave in profile. The fill was light yellow brown loose sandy silt with occasional pebbles, small stones and flecks of charcoal. It was probably the entrance post of the house.

Posthole C.36 filled with C.35The posthole was oval shape in plan. It had gradual break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were moderate and concave. The base was oval in plan and concave in pro-

Moatquarter-e3910

33


file. The fill was dark black loose silty sand with moderate inclusions of pebbles and small pieces of charcoal. The posthole was located 0.9m to the east of posthole C.187.

Posthole C.17 filled with C.16The posthole was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top was sharp at northwest and south east, gradual at north east and south west. The sides were steep and smooth. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill C.16 was dark, black loose silty sand with inclusions of fine pebbles and frequent small pieces of charcoal. The posthole was placed in the south end of the slot trench C.47, 1.5m to the north of posthole C.36.

Posthole C.19 filled with C.18The posthole was circular in plan. It had sharp break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were steep and concave. The base was circular in plan and concave in profile. The upper fill C.18 was dark brown grey loose silty sand with inclusions of pebbles and small pieces of charcoal. The basal fill C.22 was mid brown loose silty sand with fine peb-bles and small pieces of charcoal. The posthole was located 1.8m to the north of posthole C.17.

Slot trench C.46 filled with C.47The slot trench was L-shape in plan. The break of slope at the top was gradual. The sides were gentle and concave. The base was linear in plan and concave in profile. The fill C.47 was mid brown loose silty sand with occasional small pieces of charcoal. The slot trench contained five postholes C.17, C.44, C.48, C.50 and C.52 and was placed in the eastern side of the house structure. Two postholes C.17 and C.44, placed on the ends of the slot trench, were components of respectively inner and outer ring of house structure.

Posthole C.48 filled with C.49The posthole was irregular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were moderate and concave. The break of slope at the base was gradual. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid brown loose silty sand. The posthole was positioned in the middle part of the slot trench C.46, to the west from the posthole C.44.

Posthole C.50 filled with C.51The posthole was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top and base was gradual. The sides were moderate and concave. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid brown loose silty sand with fine pebbles and flecks of charcoal. The posthole was placed within slot trench c.46, between posthole C.48 and C. 52, in the place where slot trench curves from east west to north south direction.


34

Posthole C.52 filled with C.53The posthole was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were vertical and smooth. The break of slope at the base was gradual. The base was irregular in plan and flat in profile. The fill was mid brown loose silty sand with occasional inclusions of pebbles and flecks of charcoal. The posthole was placed next to the posthole C.17, close to the south end of the slot trench C.46.

Posthole C.26 and pit C.59 filled with C.25 and C.33The posthole was oval in plan. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were vertical and smooth. The break of slope at the base was gradual. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. Pit C. 59 was adjusted to the posthole. The pit was oval in plan and had sharp break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were moderate and concave at northwest and southeast, steep and concave at northeast. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. Both features were filled with two fill C.33 and C.25. The upper fill C. 25 was mid grey brown very soft sandy clay with inclusions of pebbles, small stones and charcoal flecks. The lower fill C.33 was brown yellow very soft clay with pebbles, small stones and charcoal flecks. The posthole was placed 2.5 m to the northwest of posthole C.19. The pit C.59 was probably the result of an attempt to stabilize a posthole C.26.

Posthole C.56 filled with C.68The posthole was sub-circular in plan. It had gradual break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were moderate and concave. The base was circular in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid yellow firm silty clay with frequent flecks and small pieces of charcoal. The south part of the posthole was cut by pit C.20. The posthole C.56 was placed opposite to the entrance of the house and 2.1m to the west of posthole C.26.

Slot trench C.43 filled with C.42 and C.125The slot trench was sub-rectangular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top and at the base was sharp. The sides were vertical and smooth. The base was sub-rectangular in plan and flat in profile. The upper fill C.42 was dark brown grey firm clay silt with occasional stones and frequent flecks and small pieces of charcoal. The basal fill C.125 was light brown yellow firm silty clay with pebbles, small and medium stones and frequent flecks and occasional small pieces of charcoal. The slot trench C.43 was located between postholes C.56 and C.41, on the northwest side of the inner ring of house.

Posthole C.41 filled with four fills C.40, C.73, C.74 and C.75The posthole was ccircular in plan. The sides were moderate and smooth at north, steep and smooth at west and south, moderate and concave at east. The break of slope at the base was gradual at east, sharp elsewhere. The base was sub-rectangular in plan and flat in profile. The top fill C.40 was dark brown grey soft silty clay with frequent flecks and occasional small pieces of charcoal. The lower fill C.73 was dark grey black soft silty clay with occasional pebbles. The fill below C.74 was light brown yellow soft silty clay with

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moderate inclusion of pebbles. The basal fill C.75 was mid yellow brown soft sandy clay with occasional pebbles. The posthole was situated 2.6m to the south of posthole C.56. The northeast edge of the posthole was cut by pit C. 39.

Posthole C.65 filled with C.67The posthole was circular in plan with sharp break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were vertical and smooth at north and south, steep and concave at east and west. The base was oval in plan and flat in profile. The fill was yellow brown very soft sandy clay with inclusions of pebbles and small pieces of charcoal. The posthole was located 1.2m to the south of posthole C.41 and 3m to the northwest of posthole C.24.

Posthole C.24 filled with C.23The posthole was circular in plan. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were gentle and concave. The break of slope at the base was gradual. The base was oval in plan and concave in profile. The fill was mid brown black clay silt with inclusions of small stones and small pieces of charcoal. The posthole was located 0.7m to the west of entrance posthole C.29.

Posthole C.29 filled with C.30 and C.34The posthole was irregular in plan with rounded corners. It had sharp break of slope at the top and at the base. The sides were vertical and irregular at west, vertical and smooth else-where. The base was irregular in plan and concave in profile. The posthole contained two fill. The upper fill C.30 was dark yellow brown soft sandy silt with occasional pebbles and flecks of charcoal. The basal fill C.34 was mid yellow brown soft sandy silt with occasional pebbles and flecks of charcoal. The posthole was probably the entrance post of the house.

Subgroup 4c Internal featuresThree pits C.20, C.39 and C.176

Context Dimensions (m) (l x w x d) Type20 1.51x0.8x0.41 Pit39 1.3x0.8x0.39 Pit176 1.1x0.5x0.18 Pit

Tableofdimensions

Pit C.20 filled with C.21 and c.27The pit was linear in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top and at the base was sharp. The sides were vertical and smooth at north and south, vertical and con-cave at east and west. Pit contained two fill C.21 and C.27. The upper fill C.21 was dark brown grey firm clay silt with occasional pebbles, small and medium stones and frequent flecks of charcoal. The basal fill C.27 was light brown yellow firm silty clay with occa-sional inclusions of pebbles, medium and large stones and small pieces of charcoal.The pit


36

was situated in the northern part of the interior of the house and cut southeast corner of the posthole C.56.

Pit C.39 filled with fill C.38 and C.76The pit was sub-circular shape in plan. The sides were moderate and smooth at north, steep and smooth at west and south, moderate and concave at east. The break of slope at the base was gradual at east and sharp elsewhere. The base was sub-rectangular in plan and flat in profile. The upper fill C.38 was dark brown grey soft silty clay with occasional pebbles and frequent flecks and small pieces of charcoal. The basal fill C.76 was mid yel-low brown soft silty clay with occasional pebbles and small stones. The pit was located in the northwest part of the house and had truncated northeast corner of posthole C.41.

Pit C.176 filled with C.177The pit was irregular in plan. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were steep and smooth at north, moderate and smooth at south, gentle and concave at east, moderate and concave at west. The break of slope at the base was gradual at east and west and sharp at north and south. The base was irregular in plan and concave in profile. The fill was yellow brown soft silty clay with occasional pebbles and moderate flecks and small pieces of charcoal. The pit was situated in the central part of the structure.

Subgroup 4d HearthHearth C.186The feature was red scorched natural subsoil. It measured 0.44m (north west-south east) by 0.35m and was placed in the centre of the house. It was truncated by four small stake-holes (C. 117, C.161, C. 165 and C. 175).

Group 5 StakeholesFifty six stakeholes had been recovered during excavations. In broad spectrum all of them had similar fill which was soft gray brown sandy silt with occasional flecks of char-coal. They vary in sizes from 0.03-0.13m in length to 0.03-0.12m in width and 0.03-0.26 in depth. Eight of the stakeholes (C.117, C.159, C.161, C.165, C. 175, C.107, C.142 and C.154) were associated with the hearth C.186, twenty four stakeholes (C.57, C.64, C.69, C.71, C.86, C.93, C.97, C.100, C.105, C.126, C.132, C.139,C.178, C.90,C.92, C.95, C.102, C.166, C.168, C.130, C.62, C.83, C.111 and C.119) could be related to the inner ring of the house, thirteen stakeholes (C.110, C.150, C.148, C.136, C.115, C.152, C.122, C.124, C.162, C.103, C.87 C.182 and C.156) were probably connected with the internal division of the house, eleven stakeholes (C.170, C.172, C.140, C.60, C.77, C.144, C.134, C.113, C.146, C.117 and C.128) were placed within interior of the house.

Sixteen of the stakeholes C.57, C.64, C.69, C.71, C.86, C.93, C.97, C.100, C.105, C.126, C.132, C.139, C.178, C.107, C.142 and C.154 had sizes bigger or equal to 0.09m. Those stakeholes formed two distinctive patterns: thirteen of them created a circular ring

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along the inner circuit of the house (Subgroup 5a) and three of them formed a possible base of tripod around the hearth C.186 (Subgroup 5b).

Subgroup 5a Stakeholes associated with the inner ring of the house

Twenty four stakeholes C.57, C.64, C.69, C.71, C.86, C.93, C.97, C.100, C.105, C.126, C.132, C.139, C.178, C.90, C.92, C.95, C.102, C.166, C.168, C.130, C.62, C.83, C.111 and C.119 could be connected with inner line of the house.

Thirteen stakeholes C.57, C.64, C.69, C.71, C.86, C.93, C.97, C.100, C.105, C.126, C.132, C.139 and C.178 had sizes bigger or equal to 0.09m. Except stakehole C.126, twelve of them composed an internal line along the inner circuit of the house. They con-stituted a regular pair of stakeholes C.97-C.71, C.69-C.64, C.132-C.105, C.139-C.100, C.93–C.86 and C.57-C.178. The intervals between opposite pair of stakeholes were the same and indicate structural character of the stakeholes.

Seven stakeholes C.130, C.62, C.166, C.97, C.83, C.111 and C.119 were placed between posthole C.24, C.81 and C.65 along the southwest part of inner ring of the structure.

Three stakeholes C.90, C.92 and C.102 were situated next to the posthole C.17 and entrance slot trench C.46.

One stakehole C.95 was located next to the posthole C.26 on the northern perimeter of inner circuit of the house.

Each of the stakeholes was filled with one fill. The fills were similar and were in gen-eral soft in compaction, grey brown in colour and sandy silt in composition

Context Length (m) Width (m) Depth (m) Filed with

Description

57 0.09 0.10 0.09 58 Black silty sand with charcoal flecks 64 0.10 0.08 0.25 66 Grey brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks69 0.09 0.07 0.09 70 Yellow brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks71 0.10 0.10 0.26 72 Grey brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks86 0.10 0.10 0.16 85 Dark grey clayey silt 93 0.09 0.07 0.12 94 Mild gray clayey silt with charcoal flecks97 0.10 0.08 0.19 98 Mild gray clayey silt100 0.10 0.10 0.09 99 Grey brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks105 0.11 0.11 0.24 106 Grey brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks 126 0.13 0.12 0.18 127 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks132 0.09 0.09 0.15 133 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks139 0.10 0.09 0.14 138 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks178 0.09 0.07 0.12 179 Dark brown sandy silt90 0.07 0.07 0.08 89 Mild gray clayey silt92 0.08 0.06 0.1 91 Mild gray clayey silt95 0.08 0.08 0.18 96 Mild gray clayey silt with charcoal flecks102 0.07 0.07 0.1 101 Brown clayey silt with charcoal flecks


38


Description

166 0.08 0.08 0.15 167 Gray brown sandy silt168 0.08 0.08 0.12 169 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks130 0.05 0.05 0.11 131 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks62 0.07 0.06 0.09 63 Gray brown sandy silt83 0.08 0.07 0.22 84 Yellow brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks111 0.06 0.06 0.16 112 Mid grey brown sand silt 119 0.06 0.06 0.2 120 Mid grey brown sand silt

Tableofstakeholesassociatedwiththeinnerringofthehouse

Subgroup 5b Stakeholes associated with the hearthThree stakeholes C.107, C.142 and C.154 were situated around the hearth C.186. Four stakeholes C.117, C.161, C.165 and C.175 truncated the base of the hearth.


Description

107 0.10 0.10 0.18 108 Mid grey brown sandy silt 142 0.10 0.10 0.17 143 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks154 0.12 0.10 0.13 155 Gray brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks117 0.08 0.08 0.13 118 Dark brown silty sand161 0.06 0.06 0.14 160 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of

charcoal 165 0.04 0.04 0.05 164 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of

charcoal175 0.03 0.03 0.03 174 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal

Tableofstakeholesassociatedwiththehearth

Each of the stakeholes was filled with one fill. The fills were in general soft in compac-tion, grey brown in colour and sandy silt in composition. Three stakeholes C.107, C.142 and C.154 formed triangle around the hearth which could be interpreted as a base of a cooking tripod.

Subgroup 5c Stakeholes associated with the interior of the houseThirteen stakeholes form two patterns which could be associated with internal division of the house.

Six stakeholes C.110, C.150, C.148, C.136, C.115 and C.152 could have formed an arch in the east quarter of the house. The arch was 2.7m long.

A group of seven stakeholes C.122, C.124, C.162, C.103, C.87 C.182 and C.156 could have created similar arch c. 0.45m further to the northeast. The arch was 4m long.

Parallel to the big stakeholes along the inner circuit of the house, both arches con-sisted of stakeholes of the similar size (0.08m in length). Only the three most southern stakeholes of the longer arch were smaller, but again, they all had similar size (0.05m n length).

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Context Length (m) Width (m)

Depth (m)

Filed with Description

110 0.08 0.07 0.14 109 Mid grey brown sandy silt 150 0.08 0.06 0.11 151 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal148 0.08 0.05 0.08 149 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal136 0.07 0.06 0.09 137 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal115 0.08 0.06 0.11 116 Mid grey brown sandy silt with flecks of

charcoal152 0.08 0.08 0.15 153 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal122 0.05 0.05 0.13 121 Mid grey brown sandy silt 124 0.05 0.05 0.11 123 Mild grey silt162 0.06 0.05 0.09 163 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal103 0.08 0.07 0.13 104 Mid grey brown sandy silt with flecks of

charcoal 87 0.08 0.08 0.12 88 Mild gray clayey silt with flecks of charcoal182 0.08 0.07 0.17 183 Mid grey brown sandy silt with flecks of

charcoal 156 0.08 0.08 0.14 157 Gray brown sandy silt with flecks of charcoal

Tableofstakeholesassociatedwithinternaldivisionswithinthehouse

Eleven more stakeholes C.170, C.172, C.140, C.60, C.77, C.144, C.134, C.113, C.146, C.117 and C.128 were situated within interior of the house. Two stakeholes C.170 and C.172 were situated close to the shorter arch of the stakeholes and could be connected with it.

Two stakeholes C.113 and C.128 were placed close to the northern end of longer arch and could be connected with it.

Three stakeholes C.60, C.70 and c.140 were located in the central part of the structure. Stakehole C.146 and C.117 could be connected with the nearby hearth C.186.Stakehole C.134 and C.144 were positioned next to the stakeholes C.146 and C.117

and could be related to the hearth C.186 or to the pit C. 39.

Group 6 PitsFour isolated pits located approximately c. 170 m to the northeast of the house.

Context Dimensions (m) (l x w x d) Type502 1.19x0.76x0.13 Pit503 2.1x0.7x0.05 Pit506 0.45x0.35x0.11 Pit508 0.38x0.25x0.2 Pit

Tableofdimensions

Pit C.502 filled with C.501The pit was oval in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top was sharp. The sides were gentle and concave. The break of slope at the base was imperceptible. The base was irregular in plan and concave in profile. The fill was black firm clay with occa-


40

sional pebbles and medium stones. Fill contained frequent flecks, small and large pieces of charcoal.

Pit C.503 filled with C.504The pit was irregular in plan. The break of slope at the top was imperceptible at east, gradual elsewhere. The sides were gentle and concave. The break of slope at the base was gradual at north and west imperceptible at south and east. The base was irregular in plan and flat in profile. The fill was grey yellow very soft sandy silt with pebbles, small stones and occasional flecks of charcoal. It was a shallow pit next to the pit C.508.

Pit C.506 filled with C.505The pit was irregular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top was sharp at north and east, gradual at south and west. The sides were vertical and smooth at north and east, moderate and concave at south and west. The break of slope at the base was gradual at south and west, sharp at north and east. The base was irregular in plan and concave in profile. The fill was dark black firm silty clay with occasional pebbles and fre-quent flecks and medium pieces of charcoal. The pit was located c.30m to the northwest of the pit C.508 and c. 31m to the southwest of pit C. 502.

Pit C.508 filled with C.507The pit was irregular in plan with rounded corners. The break of slope at the top and at the base was sharp. The sides were steep and undercut at west, vertical and concave else-where. The base was irregular in plan and flat in profile. The fill was grey soft sand clay with pebbles and occasional small stones.

.

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Appendix 4 Plant remains

By Penny Johnston

IntroductionThis report details the results of plant remains analysis from Moatquarter, Co. Tipperary (E3910). The site comprised a circular house and associated pits and stake-holes (appar-ently Bronze Age in date), a group of isolated pits to the north and a group of isolated pits to the north-east.

MethodologyThe samples were collected on site as bulk soil and were processed using machine-as-sisted floatation (following guidelines in Pearsall 2000). The floating material (or ‘flot’) from each sample was collected in a stack of geological sieves (the smallest mesh size was 250mm). When all the carbonised material was collected the flot was then air-dried in paper-lined drying trays prior to storage in airtight plastic bags. The samples were scanned under low-powered magnification (x 10 to x 40) using a binocular microscope. Nomen-clature and taxonomic order follows Stace (1997).

ResultsThe results of preliminary scanning are presented in Table 1 at the end of this report. A total of 30 samples were scanned and plant remains were present in just 7 of the samples. The identifications are presented in Table 2.

Plant typesHazelnut shell fragments were found in four of the samples, with just eight fragments counted. Hazelnut shell fragments are frequent finds in Irish archaeological sites. Their frequency is due partly to the fact that they were collected, eaten and used frequently in the past. It is also partly due to the taphonomic factors that govern the preservation of hazelnut shells (as outlined in Monk 2000, 74 – 75). Firstly, they have a dense cellular structure, which means that they are slow to decay. In addition, the nut shell fragments are waste, and the shells were broken open and thrown in the fire. The fact that they were often discarded in hearths means that they were very likely to come into contact with fire and were therefore frequently carbonised and preserved.

The cereals from this site were identified as barley (2 grains were recovered) and a single grain of emmer wheat. A single grain was classified as ‘ceralia’, it was not possible to determine what genus this cereal grain came from. As this assemblage of cereals and plant remains is so small, it is impossible to determine or to judge the relative importance of each type of plant material found.


42

ContextsAlmost all of the plant remains from this site were obtained from the area of the round house (see Table 3). These included the samples from the post-hole C.17 (C.16, S.7), from the slot trench C.20 (C.21 S.9), from the pits C.26/59 (C.25 S.11) and C.29 (C.30 S.14), from the post-hole C.52 (C.53 S.20) and the slot trench C.43 (C.125 S.58). The only sam-ples that contained plant remains that was not from the round house was taken from the pit C.508, found c. 141 m to the east of the round house. The indeterminate cereal grain recovered from this pit is assumed to be un-related to the assemblage from the round house.

Plant remains from Bronze Age round houses are generally cereals and studies repeat-edly show barley as the predominant cereal type retrieved. Although the assemblage from Moatquarter contained only small quantities of seeds, the recovery of greater quantities of barley than of wheat certainly fit the expected pattern for archaeobotanical results from this period. For example, barley was the predominant crop type recorded at from the Middle Bronze Age settlement sites at Ballynamona 2, Co. Cork (Johnston 2010), Knock-house Lower, Co. Waterford (Johnston 2007a), Site A at Chancellorsland, Co. Tipperary (McClatchie 2008, 475) and from Late Bronze Age settlement sites at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick (Tierney and Hannon 2003) and at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary (Monk 1987). The earliest studies of Irish cereal remains, concentrating on the seed impressions from pottery, also suggested that barley was the most common cereal type (Jessen and Helbaek 1944), although as Monk (1985/86) points out this material is biased by the fact that, firstly it is taken from artefacts and secondly these artefacts were primarily recovered from funerary contexts. However, sites along the gas pipeline to the west suggested that both wheat and barley were present at sites but that barley became more common as the Bronze Age progressed (Johnston 2007b, 73).

However, despite the predominance of barley at these sites, wheat is usually also re-covered at these sites (e.g. at Knockhouse Lower, Curaghatoor and Lough Gur). In ad-dition, a single grain of wheat was recovered from the deposits at Moatquarter. The fact that barley is often numerically predominant means that it is often emphasised over con-sideration of the wheat crop, but as both crop types are found consistently, both evidently played a role in crop husbandry practices in the Irish Bronze Age.

The small quantity of seeds recovered from this Bronze Age house site is not unusual. For example, the round house at Kilmurry North in Co. Wicklow (Ó Néill 2003) was widely sampled and they only contained five charred seeds. The paucity of seed remains from the house site cannot be explained away due to disturbance and truncation of the site, as the excavator suggest that the period of occupation at the site was relatively ex-tended, and the deposits were well sealed (Johnston 2001). A round house at Lisheen/Kiloran, Co. Tipperary was also widely sampled but very few seed remains were found (J. Ó Neill and E. Reilly, pers. comm.). The plant remains from Drumroe (another round house excavated along the route of the new N7 Castletown to Nenagh) also demonstrated that round house sites are not always rich in plant remains. This indicates that although

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some round house sites contained large amounts of charred seeds, e.g. at Ballynamona 2 (Johnston 2010) and Killydonoghoe in Co. Cork (Johnston 2003 and online), there were clearly an even greater number where only very small quantities of domestic debris and food evidence are found. It is likely that large caches of charred grain are only recov-ered when stored crops are accidentally burnt. The small quantities of charred material from Moatquarter suggests that this represents piecemeal and small-scale charring during cooking and domestic activity, and that there was no sudden episode when stored crops were catastrophically burnt.

Sample Context Charcoal Seeds Percentage2 6 Medium Absent 1003 7 Medium Absent 1006 14 Medium Absent 1007 16 Medium Low 1009 21 Medium Low 10010 22 Low Absent 10011 25 Low Low 10012 33 Low Absent 10013 23 Medium Absent 10014 30 Low Low 10016 45 Low Absent 10017 47 Low Absent 10019 51 Low Absent 10020 53 Low Low 10021 35 Low Absent 10023 72 Low Absent 10024 68 Low Absent 10025 66 Low Absent 10027 61 Low Absent 10030 40 Low Absent 10036 67 Absent Absent 10039 88 Absent Absent 10041 91 Absent Absent 10045 96 Low Absent 10057 42 Medium Absent 10058 125 Low Low 10087 181 Low Absent 10088 177 Low Absent 100503 505 Medium Absent 100504 507 Low Low 100

A=Absent,L=Low,M=MediumandH=High

Table1:ScannedsamplesfromMoatquarter,Co�Tipperary(E3910)


44

Context 16 21 25 30 53 125 507Sample 7 9 11 14 20 58 504Hazelnut shell fragments (Corylus avellana L.) 2 1 2 3 Flax seed fragments (Linum L. species) 1 Barley grains (Hordeum vulgare L.) 1 1 Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccum L.) two seeded grain

1

Indeterminate cereal grains (Ceralia) 1Table2:IdentifiedseedsfromMoatquarter,Co�Tipperary(E3910)

Context Sample Context16 7 Fill of post-hole C.17 part of round house21 9 Fill of slot trench C.20, part of round house25 11 Fill of pit C.26/59, part of round house30 14 Fill of pit C.29, part of round house53 20 Fill of posthole C.52, asociated with round house125 58 Fill of slot trench C.43 part of round house507 504 Fill of pit C.508, other area of excavation

Table3:LocationofMoatquartersamplesthatcontainedseeds

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ReferencesJessen, K. and Helbaek, H. (1994) ‘Cereals in Great Britain and Ireland in Prehistoric

Times’, det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab, Biologiske Skrifter III, Nr. 2, 1-68.

Johnston, P. (2010) ‘Appendix 5 Analysis of the charred plant remains from Ballynamona 2, Co. Cork (E2429),’ Unpublished technical report for Eachtra Archaeological Projects.

Johnston, P. (2007a) ‘Charred seeds from Knockhouse Lower, Co. Waterford (03E1033)’, Decies 63, 14 – 15.

Johnston, P. (2007b) ‘Analysis of carabonised plant remains’, pp. 70 – 79 in Grogan, E., O’Donnell, L. and Johnston, P. The Bronze Age Landscapes of the Gas Pipeline to the West. Bray, Wordwell.

Johnston, P. 2003 ‘Analysis of the plant remains from the Glanmire – Watergrasshill road scheme, Co. Cork’, unpublished technical report for Sheila Lane and Associates. Summary details available online:

http://archaeology�nra�ie/ResultsDetail�aspx?itemid=8f9a45c0-0e44-4cc2-bb66-8abf77629169 (accessed 20 May 2010).

Johnston, P. 2001 ‘Analysis of the plant remains from Kilmurry North, Co.Wicklow’, unpublished technical report for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd.

McClatchie, M. (2008) ‘Plant remains from Site A,’ pp.473–477 in Doody, M. The Ballyhoura Hills Project. Dublin. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 7.

Monk, M. (2000) ‘Seeds and soils of discontent,’ pp. 67-87 in A. Desmond, G. Johnson, M. McCarthy, J. Sheehan and E. Shee Twohig (eds.) New Agendas in Irish prehistory. Bray, Wordwell.

Monk, M.A. (1987) ‘Appendix I The charred plant remains,’ in Doody, M. ‘Late Bronze Age huts at Curraghatoor, Co. Tipperary,’ in Cleary, R.M., Hurley, M.F. and Twohig, E.A. (eds.) Archaeological Excavations of the Cork-Dublin Gas Pipeline (1981-82). Department of Archaeology, University College, Cork.

Monk, M. (1985/1986) ‘Evidence from macroscopic plant remains for crop husbandry in prehistoric and early historic Ireland: a review’, The Journal of Irish Archaeology III. 31 - 36.

http://archaeology.nra.ie/ResultsDetail.aspx?itemid=8f9a45c0-0e44-4cc2-bb66-8abf77629169


46

Ó Néill, J. (2003) ‘Kilmurry North’, in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 2001. Bray, Wordwell. http://www�excavations�ie/Pages/Details�php?Year=&County=Wicklow&

id=7326 (Online: Accessed 20 May 2010)

Pearsall, D. (2000) Paleoethnobotany: a Handbook of Procedures. New York, Academic Press.

Stace, C. A. (1997) New Flora of the British Isles. (2nd edition) Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Tierney, J. and Hannon, M. (2003) ‘Appendix II Charred plant remains’, inCleary, R.M. ‘Enclosed Late Bronze Age habitation site and boundary wall at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick‘, Proceeding of the Royal Irish Academy 103C (4), 152-157.

http://www.excavations.ie/Pages/Details.php?Year=&County=Wicklow&id=7326

http://www.excavations.ie/Pages/Details.php?Year=&County=Wicklow&id=7326

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Appendix 5 Lithic Artefacts Report

by Farina Sternke

IntroductionThree lithic finds from the archaeological investigations of a prehistoric site at Moatquar-ter 1, Co. Tipperary were presented for analysis (Table 1). The finds are associated with a possible Bronze Age house and several pits.

Find Num

ber

Context

Material

Type

Cortex

Condition

Length (mm

)

Width (m

m)

Thickn. (m

m)

Com

plete

Retouch

Period

E3910:1:2 1 Quartz-ite

Rubbing Stone

Burnt 110 87 69 Yes No Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age

E3910:1:3 1 Quartz-ite

Rubbing Stone

Burnt 230 170 68 No No Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age

E3910:1:4 1 Chert Flake No Reasonably Fresh

28 13 6 Yes No Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age

Table1CompositionoftheLithicAssemblagefromMoatquarter1(E3910)

MethodologyAll lithic artefacts are examined visually and catalogued using Microsoft Excel. The fol-lowing details are recorded for each artefact which measures at least 2 cm in length or width: context information, raw material type, artefact type, the presence of cortex, arte-fact condition, length, with and thickness measurements, fragmentation and the type of retouch (where applicable). The technological criteria recorded are based on the terminol-ogy and technology presented in Inizan et al. 1999. The general typological and morpho-logical classifications are based on Woodman et al. 2006. Struck lithics smaller than 2 cm are classed as debitage and not analysed further, unless they are retouched or of specific significance, e.g. cores etc. The same is done with natural chunks.

QuantificationThe artefacts are a flaked piece of chert (E3910:1:4) and two modified pieces of quartzite (E3910:1:2-3). All artefacts are larger than 2 cm in length and width and were therefore recorded in detail.


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ProvenanceThe finds were recovered from the topsoil.

Condition:The lithics survive in reasonably fresh (E3910:1:4) and burnt (E3910:1:2-3)

condition. One artefact (E3910:1:3) is incomplete.

Technology/Morphology: The lithics are a chert flake (E3910:1:4) and two macro tools (E3910:1:2-3).

Flakes

The flake was produced on a bipolar core. A possible attempt was made to use the flake further as a bipolar core. The flake measures 28 mm in length, 13 mm in width and 6 mm in thickness. It most likely dates to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age (O’Hare 2005).

Macro Tools: The two macro tools are two quartzite rubbing stones. Rubbing stone E3910:1:2 is smooth-ened on all sides, particularly on one side. It measures 110 mm long, 87 mm wide and 69 mm long.

The second rubbing stone E3910:1:3 was most likely used as a mano in connection with a saddle quern. It is smoothened on all sides and measures 230 mm in length, 170 mm in width and 68 mm in thickness. Both artefacts appear to date to the Late Neolithic or the Early Bronze Age period.

Dating:The assemblage has to be regarded as technologically and typologically diagnostic and dates to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age period.

ConservationLithics do not require specific conservation, but should be stored in a dry, stable environ-ment. Preferably, each lithic should be bagged separately and contact with other lithics should be avoided, so as to prevent damage and breakage, in particular edge damage which could later be misinterpreted as retouch. Larger and heavier items are best kept in individual boxes to avoid crushing of smaller assemblage pieces.

ConclusionThe lithic finds from the archaeological excavation at Moatquarter 1, Co. Tipperary are a bipolar chert flake and two quartzite rubbing stones.

Moatquarter-e3910

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The assemblage is technologically and typologically diagnostic and dates to the Late Neolithic period or the Early Bronze Age.

This site makes a minor contribution to the evidence for prehistoric settlement in Co. Tipperary.

BibliographyInizan, M.-L., M. Reduron-Ballinger, H. Roche and J. Tixier, 1999. Technology and

Terminology of Knapped Stone 5. CREP, Nanterre.

O’Hare, M. B., 2005. The Bronze Age Lithics of Ireland. Unpublished PhD Thesis. Queen’s University of Belfast.

Woodman, P. C., Finlay, N. and E. Anderson, 2006. The Archaeology of a Collection: The Keiller-Knowles Collection of the National Museum of Ireland. National Museum of Ireland Monograph Series 2. Wordwell, Bray.

archaeological report - moatquarter, co. tipperary (ireland)

Education

laois county council

county laois

john tierneywritten

archaeological works

eachtra journalissue

bronze age house dating

photographsby john sunderland

jacinta kiely