Jennings, RP and Coughlan, T (2011) Archaeological excavation report, E3458 Danesfort 9, County Kilkenny. Project Report. National Monuments Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin..

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Abstract

Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd (IAC), funded by the National Roads Authority (NRA) through Kilkenny County Council, undertook an excavation at the site of AR086, Danesfort 9 along the proposed N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme, Phase 4 – Knocktopher to Powerstown (Figure 1). The following report describes the results of archaeological excavation at that site. The area was fully excavated by Richard Jennings under Ministerial Direction A032 and Excavation Registration Number E3468 issued by the DOEHLG in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland for IAC. The fieldwork took place between 5 and 11 June 2007. The site consisted of a temporary prehistoric shelter or the ephemeral remains of a domestic dwelling. The extant structural features comprised a short curvilinear slot- trench that may have held upright timbers and two postholes that may have supported posts for a possible lean-to-type structure. A single pit was discovered 2.5m to the north-east of the structure. No finds were recovered. Charcoal was examined from the site and the results from the slot trench and postholes are both dominated by oak, which indicates that this was the species used for construction. A sample of oak charcoal from posthole fill C12 was sent for radiocarbon dating and returned a 2 sigma calibrated date of 2874–2632BC (UBA 11002) placing the site in the late Neolithic period. Danesfort 9 is an important site locally and although the archaeological remains are small they are significant in assisting our understanding of a developing landscape from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. This is particularly relevant given the presence of middle and late Neolithic, Beaker, middle and late Bronze Age, and Iron Age evidence in the immediate vicinity of the site. The Danesfort area is also rich in early medieval and medieval settlement and the Neolithic activity at Danesfort 9, Danesfort 7 and Rathclogh 2 thus represents the foundation for all later activity. It is likely that the area was not intensively settled or farmed in the Neolithic, possibly due to heavy soils, and the temporary structure at Danesfort 9 is evidence of this.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Subjects:	C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CC Archaeology
Divisions:	Biological & Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	National Monuments Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dublin.
Date Deposited:	20 May 2021 11:18
Last Modified:	26 Jan 2022 16:10
DOI or ID number:	10.7486/DRI.rv04g915x
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/14922

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