Archaeological Excavation Report N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION REPORT N59 MOYCULLEN BYPASS, CO. GALWAY KILLARAINY 2 SITE TYPE: CHARCOAL-PRODUCTION KILN MINISTERIAL DIRECTIONS NO. A067 REGISTRATION NO.: E4576 ON BEHALF OF GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL ITM: 521007, 733353 LICENCEE: SHANE DELANEY AUTHOR: SHANE DELANEY REPORT TYPE: FINAL EXCAVATION REPORT REPORT STATUS: FINAL DATE: 14 OCTOBER 2015 Killarainy 2, Final Excavation Report N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway Registration No.:E4576 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd would like to acknowledge the assistance of the following in bringing the project to a successful conclusion: National Roads Authority Jerry O’ Sullivan Project Archaeologist National Monuments Section, DoAHG Mark Keegan Archaeologist Halcrow Barry Engineering Gabriel Dooley Senior Engineer Michael Naughton Resident Engineer IRISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTANCY LTD i Killarainy 2, Final Excavation Report N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway Registration No.:E4576 ABSTRACT The following report describes the results of an archaeological excavation at Killarainy 2 (Registration No.: E4576 and under Ministerial Directions A067), which was located along the route of the N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway. The site at Killarainy 2 was discovered during advance archaeological testing undertaken in 2014 by IAC Ltd (Ryan 2014; Registration No.: E4512). Stage (iii) excavation work at Killarainy 2 was undertaken from the 21 to 23 October 2014. Killarainy 2 was the remains of a charcoal-production kiln/clamp. Post-excavation analysis revealed that the timber reduced to charcoal in the charcoal-production kiln/clamp was oak. Coppiced oak woods may have been present and sourced for charcoal production in the immediate Killarainy area. A sample of oak charcoal returned a calibrated AMS result of AD 784–990 (Appendix 2.2), indicating a date in the early medieval period for this charcoal-production kiln/clamp. ii IRISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTANCY LTD Killarainy 2, Final Excavation Report N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway Registration No.:E4576 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................. ............ III ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ........................... IIIIII CONTENTS ................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................ ....................... IIIIIIIII List of Figures ................................................................................................................. iv List of Plates ................................................................................................................... iv 1.1.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................................... .................................................................................... ....... 111 1.1 General ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 The development ................................................................................................. 1 1.3 Topography & site description ............................................................................ 1 1.4 Previous archaeological investigation ................................................................ 2 222 MMMETHODOLOGYMETHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................... .................. 333 2.1 Stage (iii) excavation methodology .................................................................... 3 2.2 Stage (iv) post-excavation methods ................................................................... 3 333 EXCAVATION RESULTS ................................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................... 555 3.1 Natural geology.................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Charcoal-production kiln/clamp ......................................................................... 5 3.3 Topsoil .................................................................................................................. 6 444 SYNTHESIS ................................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................ ............... 777 4.1 Landscape Setting ................................................................................................ 7 4.2 The early medieval landscape ............................................................................. 7 4.3 Charcoal-production kilns ................................................................................... 7 4.4 Summary of the specialist analyses .................................................................... 9 555 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......... 101010 5.1 Discussion ........................................................................................................... 10 5.2 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 10 666 REFERENCESREFERENCES................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................... .......... 121212 APPENDIX 1 CATALOGUE OF PRIMARY DATA .......................................................................................................................... III Appendix 1.1 Context Register .................................................................................... i Appendix 1.2 Catalogue of Artefacts........................................................................... i Appendix 1.3 Catalogue of Samples ........................................................................... ii Appendix 1.4 Archive Register ................................................................................... iii APPENDIX 2 SPECIALIST REPORTS ............................................................................................................................................................................ ............ IVIVIV Appendix 2.1 Charcoal and Wood Report – Ellen O’Carroll ...................................... v Appendix 2.2 Radiocarbon Dating – QUB Laboratory ............................................... x FIGURES PLATES IRISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTANCY LTD iii Killarainy 2, Final Excavation Report N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway Registration No.:E4576 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Killarainy 2 - Site location Figure 2 Killarainy 2 - Site location and scheme Figure 3 Location of sites Killarainy 1–5 Figure 4 Killarainy 2 - Site plan and section LIST OF PLATES Plate 1 Killarainy 2 pre-excavation, facing west Plate 2 Killarainy 2 pre-excavation, facing southwest Plate 3 Killarainy 2 mid-excavation, facing southwest Plate 4 Killarainy 2, facing south iv IRISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSULTANCY LTD Killarainy 2, Final Excavation Report N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway Registration No.:E4576 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 GENERAL This report presents the results of the Stage (iii) Excavation and Stage (iv) Post- Excavation Services at Killarainy 2 carried out in the townland of Killarainy, Co. Galway (Figures 1–2). This work was undertaken as part of an archaeological mitigation program completed under the Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract for the N59 Moycullen Bypass, Co. Galway. Archaeological fieldwork was directed by Shane Delaney of Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd (IAC) under Registration Number E4576 (Ministerial Directions A067) as issued by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DoAHG) in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland (NMI). The work was undertaken on behalf of Galway County Council and it took place between 21 and 23 October 2014. The purpose of the Stage (iii) Excavation Services was to preserve by record through appropriate rescue excavation any significant archaeological features or deposits discovered by earlier investigations, so as to mitigate impacts on the archaeological remains discovered within the footprint of the project. 1.2 THE DEVELOPMENT The