Archaeological Excavation of a Multi-Period Prehistoric Settlement at Waterunder, Mell, Co. Louth

County Louth Archaeological and History Society

Archaeological Excavation of a Multi-Period Prehistoric Settlement at Waterunder, Mell, Co.LouthAuthor(s): Melanie McQuadeSource: Journal of the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. 26, No. 1(2005), pp. 31-66Published by: County Louth Archaeological and History SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27729967 .

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Archaeological Excavation of a

Multi-Period Prehistoric Settlement

at Waterunder, Mell, Co. Louth By Melanie McQuade

INTRODUCTION

This site was identified during monitoring of development works (Licence Ref: 04E1687) at

Waterunder, four kilometres north-west of Drogheda in Co Louth. The site was located at National

Grid 306290.65/276467.76, in the townland of Mell, parish of Tullyallen and barony of Ferrard

(Fig. 1). The excavations were commissioned by Mellview Developments Ltd. and carried out by

the author from December 2004 to February 2005 for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. Full reports on the archaeological monitoring and excavation (McQuade 2005a; 2005b) have been lodged with

the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the National Museum.

THE EXCAVATION

The excavation area measured 80m north-south and up to 80m east-west. It was sited on the

summit (37m OD) and the south-facing slope of a hill to the north of the River Boyne and south east of Kenny's Stream (Fig. 1). The soil of the area is brown podzol and the bedrock is carbonifer

ous limestone. The stratigraphy comprised an average of 0.32m of topsoil. Excavation identified

five levels of activity, within which were several phases, dating from the Early Neolithic to the Post

medieval period (Table 1 ).

Level Phase

1

2 1

2

Period

Early Neolithic

Beaker

Beaker

Late Bronze Age

Iron Age

Iron Age

Iron Age

Date Activity

c. 4000-3600 BC Occupation







Iron Age/Late Iron Age c. 600 BC-400 AD Industry

Post-medieval c. 1750-1900 AD Agriculture

Table 1: Phasing of the site.

Level I: Early Neolithic Occupation (c. 4000-3600 BC): The first period of activity was characterized by the foundation remains of Structure A sited on

sloping ground at the south-east end of the site

(Fig. 2).

31



32 County Lout h Archaeological and Historical Journal

Fig. 1. Waterunder, Mell: site location map

Structure A: Structure A was built on a foundation of re-deposited natural soil F170 (Fig. 3). It was

defined by four slot trenches and a metalled floor surface, which indicate that it had a sub-rectan

gular floor plan. The slot trenches extended for approximately 8m. They were on average 2rh

long, 0.60m to 0.80m wide and up to 0.60m deep. The south-east trench (F168) was smaller,

measuring 1.10m long and 0.24m wide. Stone packing at the base of the north-west and south-east

trenches (F162 and F168) probably supported planks. A posthole F113 (0.30m in diameter and

0.15m deep) within slot trench F162 (Fig. 3) was a further indication that Structure A had a

timber frame. Two fills were evident within the northern trenches F162 and F164. The primary fill

F114 was a stony deposit. The secondary fill F161 was moderately compacted mid-grey brown silty



. X

F? m Ihm I

N? WOE II3N

y

\

F35 .

? go, $

m

\/ 040E

080 E 093 N

FI89

ni FIS* x

Kiln 2 FI5S

1

? * FI76

FI03

KEY:

Level I: Neolithic Level 2: Beaker

Level 3; Bronze age

Level 4: Iron age

Level 5: Post medieval

mi fi?o:

i

of'25

043N '

N 4

Fig. 2. Waterunder, Mell: multi-period plan of the site.



-.-.-,- ^

3&I8 ?i,

JK FUS F'0' FI 12 Wal) Slot ?jjf(

m^ m ̂

Sutton 3 oj

5s*1

36.02 g

/ e

_ * | ̂ FI?5 1 A S

|-'-1 V f ^Jlt?. ?.

-rs?n \^ ^/ 35

I_9 m |01 .A^W^r^

Fig. 3. Waterunder, Mell: Structure A: post-excavation plan and sections.



Archaeological Excavation of a Multi-period Prehistoric Settlement at Waterunder, Mell 35

clay, similar to the single fill of the other trenches (Fig. 3). Hazel charcoal from the primary fill

was dated to 3820-3690 cal. BC1 (Wk-17459; 4998 +/- 41BP), indicating that Structure A was

constructed in the Early Neolithic. There was no evidence that the trenches had been re-cut and

Beaker pottery recovered from them was intrusive from later occupation (see below).

The metalled floor of Structure A covered a sub-rectangular

area measuring 9.50m (east-west)

by 3.20m (Fig. 3). It comprised limestone and sandstone (0.10m to 0.70m in size). The absence of

slot trenches to the south and west of the floor is probably due to later ground disturbance. There

was no evidence for a hearth or other internal features and Early Neolithic occupation of the site

was probably short-lived.

Level 2: Beaker Period Occupation (2450-2200 BC): The next phase of occupation on site was dated by

pottery finds and radio-carbon analysis to the Beaker period. There was evidence for two succes

sive phases of occupation, represented by a series of deposits, postholes, and other domestic

features on the eastern part of the site (Fig. 2).

Phase I: Occupation Layer and Pit: There was a layer of light grey silty sand Fl 19 on the south-eastern

end of the site, where Structure A had been. It measured 8.30m (east-west) by 3.10m and up to

0.10m in depth (Fig. 3). Beaker sherds, a scraper, a bipolar

core and flint flakes from F119 are

consistent with domestic activity. A rubbish pit F138 (1.20m by 0.70m) cut the south-east of the

deposit F119 (Fig. 3). It was 0.40m in depth and was filled by F136, red brown silty clay with

occasional charcoal flecks.

Phase 2: Occupation Layers and Stone Deposit: A second occupation deposit F115 sealed the rubbish

pit F138. It comprised dark brown silty clay with frequent charcoal flecking. It measured 4.90m

east-west by 2.20m and was 0.10m in depth (Fig. 3). Beaker sherds, end scrapers and other flint

artefacts from this deposit represent domestic activity and barley seeds (Hordeum vulg?re) were

probably waste food (Mulder 2005). Charcoal within F115 was from a variety of species:

pomaceous fruitwood (Pomoideae), cherry (Prunus avium/padus), hazel (Corylus avellana), oak

(Quercus spp.) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and had probably derived from domestic fires that burned

in the vicinity (O'Donnell 2005). A sample of charcoal was dated to 2470-2290 cal. BC (Wk-17457; 3906 +/- 33BP). A loose stony deposit F118 (4.50m by 3.82m) overlaid the occupation deposit F115. It comprised limestone and sandstone (0.03m to 0.40m in size) and contained a flint scraper

and a flake. Another occupation deposit F101 sealed the stony deposit F118. It measured 9.50m

east-west by 5m and comprised red brown silty clay 0.08m in depth (Fig. 3). Over 330 sherds of

Beaker, including some from a polypod bowl (05E0072: 145, vessel 30, Fig. 9), were recovered

from F101 (Appendix A). A total of 24 lithics (scrapers, a bipolar core and a knife (Fig. 12)) and a

lead rod (PI 7) were also found.

Phases 1-2: Occupation: Beaker-period structures were represented by two postholes

to the east and

two to the north-east of the occupation deposits and there was a series of occupation features

nearby.

Postholes: Two postholes F130 and F128 were located 8m north-east of the occupation deposits

F119 and F115 (Fig. 2). They were set 1.20m apart. Beaker pottery was recovered from two pits

F126 and F121 in proximity and it is likely that the posts were contemporary. Two more postholes F221 and F187 located approximately 47m to the north (Fig. 2) contained Beaker pottery. The

postholes ranged from 0.17m to 0.37m in diameter and were up to 0.18m in depth. They were all

filled by mid-brown sandy silt with charcoal flecks.

1 Dates calibrated to 2 sigma.



36 County Louth Archaeological and Historical Journal

Hearth, Cooking Pits and Rubbish Pits: A hearth F125 was located 0.40m west of the posthole F128

and 8m north of the occupation deposits F115 and F119 (Fig. 2). It measured 0.45m by 0.35m and

was 0.13m in depth. Three cooking pits (F121, F90 and F100) 4m north-east of the hearth were

filled with charcoal, heat-shattered stone and burnt animal bone. There was a fourth cooking pit

(F82) 60m to the north-west (Fig. 2). These pits were on average 1.05m by 0.70m and 0.12m in

depth. Barley (Hordeum vulg?re) and oats (Avena) were identified from one of the pits (F121). The

barley is certainly food waste while the oats may have been present as a weed species in the crop

(Mulder 2005). There were three rubbish pits (F126, F132 and F135) in proximity to the cooking

pits and a fourth (F248) 47m to the north-west (Fig. 2). These were generally smaller than the

cooking pits, (0.30m by 0.25m to 1.80m by 0.59m) and were up to 0.19m in depth. Charcoal and

fragments of burnt animal bone within the pits were consistent with domestic refuse as were

sherds of Beaker and burnt flint flakes.

Inhumation burial: There was a grave F94 on high ground

at the north-eastern end of the site,

approximately 60m north of the occupation deposits F119 and F115 and 13m north of the

postholes F221 and F187 (Fig. 2). The grave was sub-rectangular in plan and measured 1.55m in

length, 0.85m to 1.20m in width and 0.25m to 0.35m in depth. It had straight sides and a flat base

and its eastern end was partially lined by a series of large flat stones. The interred body was in a

prone (face down) position, with its head to the west and feet to the east and there was a large

stone on top of the back. The legs were bent at the knees and the left arm was flexed under the

chest. The skeleton was not well preserved but was identified as that of a female probably over 30

34 years of age and 148cm tall (Appendix B). There was degenerative joint disease in the vertebral

column and hyperostosis frontalis interna in the skull (Appendix B) but the cause of death was not

determined. A sample of bone was dated to 2490-2200 cal. BC (Wk-17463; 3894+/-50 BP).

Level 3: Late Bronze Age Occupation (c. 1100-800 BC): Occupation of the site during Level 3 was

evident from a fragmentary Late Bronze Age coarse ware pot (05E0072:1) (Appendix A). This was

found during monitoring on the western end of the site but was not associated with any features

(Fig. 2).

Level 4: Iron Age Occupation and Industry (c. 800-100 BC and 100 BC-400 AD): Four phases of Iron

Age activity were evident on site. Phases 1-3 were characterised by occupation, which was repre

sented by a

penannular enclosure, a probable structure, a series of associated domestic features

and a curvilinear ditch. Phase 4 was represented by a series of bowl furnaces and cereal drying

kilns, indicative of industrial activity (Fig. 2).

Phase 1: Occupation: Penannular Enclosure: The penannular enclosure was located on the summit of

the hill at the northern end of the site (Fig. 2). This location afforded commanding views and the

enclosure was probably visible for some distance. It measured 12m in diameter and 28m in circum

ference with 12m unenclosed at the north-west end (Fig. 4). The enclosure ditch F232 was on

average 1.2m in width with gradually sloping sides and a u-shaped profile. It had been heavily

truncated, surviving to a maximum depth of 0.20m (Fig. 5). A small (5.80m by 4.50m) deposit of

clay internal to the west of the enclosure may be the remains of a bank. It was 0.15m in depth and

may have been upcast from the construction of the ditch. Carbonised ash and alder planks F245

along the inner ditch at the western and south-western edges of the enclosure may be the remains

of a perimeter

fence. They measured 5.10m in length, and 0.20m in width. Two stake holes F261

and F263 within the eastern part of the ditch could also have been part of a fence. They measured

up to 0.11m in diameter and 0.18m in depth (Fig. 5). The ditch was filled by F66 mid-brown silty



Archaeological Excavation of a Multi-period Prehistoric Settlement at Wat er under, Mell 37

..

P94

Burial)

^

F23

B Level2

ill L6^4 Level 5

F189

N

20

Fig. 4. Waterunder, Mell: north-east end of site: post-excavation plan

clay, with inclusions of oxidised clay, charcoal flecks and fragments of burnt animal bone. A

worked flint and a fossil were found within the fill. Dates of 770-400 cal. BC (Wk-17460; 2461+/

31BP) and 520-360 cal. BC (Wk-17458; 2347 +/- 36 BP) were obtained for the plank F245 and for

charcoal from the ditch fill F66 respectively.

Internal Features and Occupation of the Pencinnular Enclosure: Three large postholes represented the

remains of a substantial structure within the western area of the penannular enclosure. Two of the

postholes (F244 and F253) were 1.70m from the western arm of the enclosure ditch and the third

F59 was 4.2m to the south-east (Fig. 4). The postholes had maximum dimensions of 0.35m by

0.50m and were 0.20m in depth. The high charcoal content within F253 suggests that its post had

been burnt. The other posts were filled by silty clay with infrequent flecks of charcoal and oxidised

clay.




Anomalous Pits: There were three large pits, which probably resulted from occupation within the

penannular enclosure. An irregularly shaped pit F201 was located 3.80m from the eastern arm of

the penannular ditch and a 'kidney bean' shaped pit F209 was located 2.60m to the south-west

(Fig. 4). These pits were oriented roughly north-south and measured from 2.30m by 0.50m to

2.90m by 1.80m. They were concave in profile and ranged from 0.15m to 0.40m in depth. A sub

circular pit F228 was located 2m south-west of F201 and 2.70m north of the enclosing penannular

ditch (Fig. 4). It measured 0.90m in diameter and 0.30m in depth. The larger pits F201 and F209 resembled kilns and a series of large stones aligned along the long axis of the former may have

formed a stone lining. However there was no evidence for burning within or adjacent to these pits

and they are unlikely to have been fired. Their fills comprised silty clay and a flint flake was

recovered from F201.

Occupation Features in Proximity to the Penannular Enclosure: A hearth and a series of pits in proximity

to the penannular enclosure relate to contemporary occupation. The hearth was evident from an

area (2.50m by 1.50m) of fire-scorched earth F225, 4.20m to the north of the penannular enclosure. There were three rubbish pits F233, F242 and F65 (on average 1.05m by 0.65m) in

proximity to the hearth (Fig. 4). They were up to 0.32m in depth and were filled with charcoal, burnt clay and worked flint.

Phase 2: Occupation: A later phase of occupation within the penannular enclosure was evident from

a stake hole, posthole and pit which cut Phase 1 features.

Stake Hole, Posthole and Rubbish Pit: A small stake hole Fill within the eastern ditch of the penannu lar enclosure was similar in size to the Phase 1 stake holes, and probably held a

replacement stake.

A posthole F207 inside the penannular enclosure cut the Phase 1 pit F209 (Fig. 4). It was 0.30m in

diameter and 0.32m in depth and its scorched sides indicate that the post had burnt in situ. A

large (1.20m by 0.50m) rubbish pit F205 within the eastern end of the penannular enclosure cut

the Phase 1 pit F228 (Fig. 4). It was 0.24m in depth and contained fragments of charcoal and

burnt animal bone.

Phase 1-3: Iron Age Occupation: A probable structure (Structure B) and a series of pits were located

on the eastern part of the site (Fig. 2). No finds were recovered from these features but their

proximity to the penannular enclosure and the curvilinear ditch F217/F215 (see below) strongly

suggests that they are Iron Age in date. In the absence of a

stratigraphie sequence on this part of

the site it was not possible

to determine whether these features relate to occupation during Phases

1-2 when the penannular enclosure was in use, or if they were contemporary with the Phase 3

curvilinear ditch F217/F215.

Structure B: Structure B was located 10m south-east of the penannular enclosure (Fig. 2). It was

represented by an arced arrangement of seven postholes (F61, F63, F237, F43, F45, F47, F189) which enclosed an area

measuring approximately 10m north-south by 8m east-west (Fig. 4). The

postholes ranged from 0.25m to 0.56m in diameter and 0.12m to 0.14m in depth indicating that

Structure B was a substantial building. Fire reddening at the edges of three postholes F63, F45 and

F237 indicates that their posts had burnt in situ. There was no floor surface or occupation deposit

associated with Structure B but domestic features nearby suggest that it was a dwelling.

Rubbish Pits, Cooking Pit and Occupation Deposit: There were eight pits (F51, F156, F47, F229, F178,

F180, F191 and F197) in proximity to Structure B (Fig. 2). These were on average 1.21m by 1.12m




and were between 0.08m to 0.20m in depth. Three of the larger pits resembled kilns, but there was

no evidence that they had been fired. Charcoal, burnt animal bone and an incomplete flint

scraper were recovered from the pits and indicate that they held domestic refuse. Nearby was a

cooking pit F15 which measured 0.73m by 0.55m. It was 0.09m in depth and contained heat

shattered stone and animal bone. A small (0.82m by 0.52m) occupation deposit F198 was associat

ed with these pits (Fig. 2).

Phase 3: Occupation: A curvilinear ditch and a pit

cut the penannular enclosure and represent a

later phase of occupation (Fig. 2).

Curvilinear Ditch: The ditch F217/F215 on the eastern end of the site curved from south to east. Its

southern and eastern extents had been truncated. The north-south section of the ditch F217 was

20m long, 1.8m to 2.2m wide and 0.46m deep (Fig. 5). Although of equal length the east-west

-^

F232

Section 7

36.75

F232

Section 8 Burnt Clay and Charcoal

36.74

F263 F26I

F232

Section 9 Ditch F2I5/F217

Section 10

Charcoal

Fig. 5. Waterunder, Mell: ditch of the penannular enclosure (F232) and curvilinear ditch (F215/F217): sections.




section of the ditch F215 was only 0.90m wide and 0.30m deep (Fig. 5). Each section of the ditch was filled by mid-brown silty clay with infrequent flecks of charcoal. A hollow cylindrical piece broken from a copper-alloy artefact (05E0072:661) was the only find from the ditch and did not

provide any dating evidence. A pit F67 (1.80m by 0.80m) to the west of the curvilinear ditch was

probably contemporary, since it also cut the ditch of the penannular enclosure

Phase 4: Industrial' Activity: (Late Iron Age c. 170 cal. BC- cal. AD 400): A complex of seven bowl

furnaces and sixteen kilns on the northern part of the site represent industrial activity (Fig. 2).

They have been dated by radio-carbon analysis to the Late Iron Age.

Bowl Furnaces: There were seven bowl furnaces on the north-western part of the site (Fig. 2). These

comprised pits filled with slag and charcoal and were probably used for smelting iron. Such

furnaces typically comprised a

bowl-shaped pit covered by a domed roof of clay. Charcoal and iron

ore would have been fired within the covered pit and then the clay roof would have been broken

and the iron bloom removed for further working (O'Kelly 1989, 155; Scott 1990, 160). The bowl furnaces were

arranged in three pairs and there was a single furnace F73 to the west.

The paired furnaces comprised a small pit (0.50m to 0.60m in diameter and up to 0.30m in

depth) and a larger pit,

on average 0.81m by 0.47m and 0.36m deep (Fig. 6). The small pits were

set between 0.10m and 0.40m from the larger pits (Fig. 2) There was a distance of 20m between

each of the furnace pits. The single furnace F73 was approximately 75m to the west of the others

(Fig. 2). It was within the larger size range measuring 0.86m in diameter and 0.27m in depth (Fig. 6).

Bowl Furnace

Section 13 F72a 32.99

F72b

F72f

JIL

Fig. 6. Waterunder, Mell: bowl furnace (F73): plan and section.




All of the furnace bowls had u-shaped profiles and, with the exception of F29, their edges were

reddened as a result of firing. The bowls had similar fills which comprised black silty sand of moderate compaction, with frequent flecks of charcoal and pieces of slag. The single furnace F73

was the only one with evidence for successive episodes of firing (Fig. 6). Samples of charcoal from

two of the bowl furnaces F7 and F12 were identified as alder (Alnus glutinosa) (O'Donnell 2005) and the latter returned a radio-carbon date of 170 cal. BC - 60 cal. AD (Wk-17456; 2034 +/- 38BP).

Kilns: Sixteen kilns were spread

across the northern extent of the site (Fig. 2). They varied from

sub-rectangular (3) to figure of eight (11) and keyhole (2) in shape. The fire was generally located at the wider deeper end of the kiln. In the keyhole-shaped kilns a flue led from the fire to the bowl

where the corn was dried but the sub-rectangular and figure of eight-shaped kilns had no flues.

The dimensions of the kilns are detailed in Table 2 below.

Kiln Shape in plan 1 sub-rectangular

2 figure of eight

3 figure of eight

4 figure of eight

5 figure of eight 6 figure of eight

7 figure of eight

8 sub-rectangular

9 figure of eight 10 figure of eight

11 figure of eight

12 keyhole 13 figure of eight

14 figure of eight

15 sub-rectangular 16 keyhole

Orientation

NE-SW

NE-SW

N-S

E-W

NE-SW

N-S

N-S

N-S

N-S

NE-SW

NE-SW

E-W

NW-SE

N-S

NE-SW

N-S

Length 1.80m

0.64m

2.30m

2.91m

2.90m

2.70m

2.38m

0.40m

1.60m

0.62m

1.70m

0.60m

1.95m

2.04m

1.77m

0.53m

1.90m

0.92m

1.45m

0.70m

1.90m

1.50m

Width lm 010m 1.01m

0.80m

1.40m

0.82m

1.08m

0.82m

1.16m

0.86m

0.68m

0.72m

0.82m

0.79m

0.75m

Depth 0.10m-0.30m

0.56m

0.20m

0.52m

0.35m

0.85m

1.60m

0.49m

0.08m

0.05m

0.25m

0.52m

0.10m

0.25m

0.90m 0.38m

0.78m 0.21m

0.06m

0.15m-0.62m 0.08m

0.92m

0.90m

0.26m

0.12m

bowl

south

north

south

west

north

south

north

south

north

north

north

east

east

north

north

west

Table 2: Dimensions of kilns, Phase 4, Area A/B.

Sub-rectangular Kilns: There were three sub-rectangular-shaped kilns (Kilns 1, 8 and 15) in the

centre of the site (Fig. 2, Table 2). Kiln 1 cut the Phase 3 pit F67 (Fig 2). It was oriented north-east to south-west and the fire was in the southern end (Fig. 4). Kiln 15 was located 2.5m south-west of

Kiln 1 (Fig. 2). It was on the same alignment, but the fire was in its northern end. Kiln 8 was

located 12.5m north of kilns 1 and 15 and cut the rubbish pit F156 (Fig. 2). It was oriented north south and the fire was located in the southern end. Each of these kilns had one fill, which suggests

either that they were used only once or that they had been cleaned out before the final firing. The




fills comprised dark brown silty clay of moderate compaction, with flecks of charcoal and small,

angular stones. Seeds of barley (Hordeum vulg?re),

oats (Avena), and wheat (Triticum

durum/aestivum) were present within the fill of Kiln 15 (Mulder 2005). Some of the oat seeds were

positively identified as cultivated species (Avena sativa) and a date of 340-540 cal. BC (Wk-17462;

1629+/-37 BP) was returned for this kiln.

Figure of eight-shaped Kilns: There were eleven figure of eight-shaped kilns across the site (Fig. 2). The majority

were oriented north-south or north-east to south-west (Table 2). The fire bowl was

generally located in the northern end of the kiln (5 examples), but there were examples at each of

the other cardinal points (Table 2; Fig. 2). The fire bowl was circular or oval in plan with

maximum dimensions of 0.94m to 1.35m in width and 0.20m to 1.60m in depth. In situ fills

comprised ash and charcoal-rich silts with inclusions of burnt animal bone, carbonised seeds and

occasional heat-shattered stones, and ranged from 0.04m to 0.20m in depth. The majority of kilns

had evidence for only one episode of burning, but Kiln 2 had been fired twice, Kiln 5 three or four

times (Fig. 7) and Kiln 11 four times (Fig. 8). In most instances the primary fills were sealed by backfilled deposits after the kiln had gone out of use (Figs 7 and 8). Seeds of barley (Hordeum

vulg?re internode and Hordeum vulg?re), Emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccon), wheat (Triticum

durum/aestivum) and oats (Avena) were identified from the primary fills of kilns 5, 9 and 11 and

from a backfilled deposit F83 within Kiln 4 (Mulder 2005). A sample of seeds from F106 the

primary fill of Kiln 5 was radio-carbon dated to 380-550 cal. BC (Wk-17461; 1600 +/- 34 BP). This

is very close in date to Kiln 15 and the other kilns are likely to be more or less contemporary. Flint

flakes and a residual sherd of Beaker pottery were recovered from the primary fills of Kilns 3 and

11.

Fig. 7. Waterunder, Mell: kilns 3 and 4: sections.



Archaeological Excavation of a

MultiJ?eriod Prehistoric Settlement at Waterunder, Mell 43

Fig. 8. Waterunder, Mell: kilns 10, 11, 12 and 5: sections.

Keyhole-shaped Kilns: There were two keyhole-shaped kilns (Kilns 12 and 16) on the western part of

the site (Fig. 2, Table 2). Kiln 12 was oriented east-west and its fire bowl was in the eastern end. It

was 0.38m in depth and two episodes of burning were represented by the basal fills F182 and F123. These were 0.06m and 0.20m in depth respectively and were sealed by backfilled material F181

(Fig. 8). Kiln 16 was oriented north-south and its fire bowl was located in the western end. It was

0.12m in depth and had one fill F32, which represents a single episode of burning.

Fire Pits and Rubbish Pits: There were two sub-circular pits F78 and F176 on the south-western end

of the site (Fig. 2). These had evidence for in situ burning and may have had an industrial function. They were similar in size to the kilns (lm to 1.2m in length, 0.47m to 0.90m in width and

up to 0.30m in depth) and were filled by fire-reddened earth and charcoal. Four other pits (F35,




F25, F92 and F174) in proximity to the kilns and bowl furnaces (Fig. 2) had no evidence for

burning. They ranged from 1.17m to 1.26m in length and from 0.15m to 1.10m in width. They

were filled with coarse black brown sand, and inclusions of slag suggest that they were associated

with metal production, either as cooling pits

or rubbish pits. Charred seeds, a flint flake and two

scrapers from the pit F92 suggest that it contained rubbish.

Level 5: Post-medieval Agriculture (1600-1900 AD): This was represented by agricultural features

which date to the post-medieval period. A circular pit F117, probably a well, on the south-eastern

end of the site cut the Level 2 Beaker occupation layer F101 (Fig. 2). It measured 1.90m in

diameter, had almost vertical sides and was over lm deep. Finds of transfer-printed ware indicate

that it dates from at least the eighteenth century. Other agricultural features included a field

boundary F41 in the centre of the site (Fig. 2). This was oriented north-east to south-west and was

20m long, 1.40m wide and 0.30m deep. It has been dated by fragments of 17th to mid-18th

century bottle glass from the fill.

FINDS

Excavation recovered an assemblage of artefacts dating from prehistoric and post-medieval

periods. The prehistoric pottery (491 sherds) was almost exclusively Beaker ware, the majority of

which came from Level 2 features. These vessels had a classic Bell Beaker profile and, in this

context, were in domestic use. Decorated and undecorated vessels were present (Figs 9-11) and

the fabric and decoration were comparable

to those of Beakers from nearby sites. For example,

three of the vessels had been burnished, a finishing technique noted at Newgrange (Cleary 1983) and Newtownbalregan (Grogan and Roche 2005a and b) but otherwise rare in Ireland. The use of

grog and inclusions of quartzite have parallels with Beaker pottery from other Boyne Valley sites.

Decoration comprised lines, chevrons, herringbone and cordons, which were typically arranged in

horizontal bands. There were examples of cockle-shell decoration (05E0072: 337-342) and the

remains of a polypod bowl (05E0072:145, Fig. 9) both of which are rare in the archaeological record from Ireland (Appendix A). In addition to the Beaker wares the upper portion of a Late

Bronze Age coarse ware pot (05E0072T) was recovered from Level 3 (Appendix A). The absence

of pottery from Level 4 features is not surprising, since ceramics tend not to be found from Iron

Age contexts in Ireland.

There were 61 pieces of worked flint, 41 of which were recovered from Level 2 features. Most

notable among these were two button scrapers (05E0072: 635, 645) and a knife (05E0072: 615)

(Fig. 12), which would have been used in residential activity (Brady 2005). The button scraper in

particular is a typical Beaker period find and numerous

examples were recovered from nearby

Knowth (Dillon 1997, 226-8). Metal finds recovered during excavation include a solid cylindrical piece of lead

(05E0072:660), possibly an ingot, from Level 2 and a hollow cylindrical fragment from a copper

alloy artefact (05E0072:661) recovered from Level 4. The lead piece could be intrusive from later

metal-working activity on site during Level 4, but the copper alloy

was from a secure context. Finds

from Level 5 include sherds of I7th-18th century bottle glass, as well as

transfer-printed ware and

clay pipes dating from the 17th to 19th centuries.

DISCUSSION

There were four levels of prehistoric activity on the site. Level 1 was

represented by the founda

tion remains of Structure A, which dated to the Early Neolithic (Fig. 2). The curve of the founda

tion trenches and the area of metalled flooring suggest that the structure was sub-rectangular in

plan. Its long axis was oriented east-west and it had a wooden frame of post and plank construe




Vessel 30 I OU 45 115.525

\ 115.527

v

Vessel 31 115.386

101.31

10

Fig. 9. Waterunder, Mell: polypod Beaker bowl sherds and decorated sherds (Beaker vessel 31).



46 County Lout h Archaeological and Historical Journal

Vessel II M9.[2-3] I

Vessel 12 101.198-200 I

M

Vessel 14 101.213 Vessel 16 101.215 Vessel 17 115.354

Vessel 19 115.384

\ \

Vessel 23 [522-3]

V

i

I

Vessel 20 H5.[543-4] I

Vessel 24

115.490 115.524

Vessel 25 115.279

I 115.64

Vessel 27 101.63 Vessel 28 165.598

>

0 l_

cm 10

Fig. 10. Waterunder, Mell: Beaker pottery sherds.




Vessel I 119.1

\

115.363 i

Vessel 2 M5.[500,339]

Vessel 7 115.348-9 ,

Vessels 115.344

I

Vessel 6 115.346 i_

rvr "*i*.vn...J4

Vessel 8 115.350

I

i

I

115.337 101.146

I

Vessel 4 101.140

101.158 i

115.345

I

115.347

101.9 i

101.161

1

101.64/45 I

101.66

cm 10

Fig. 11. Waterunder, Mell: decorated Beaker pottery sherds.




635 645

Mell, Co Louth 05E0072

Fig. 12. Waterunder, Mell: flint knife (05E0072:615) and button scrapers (05E0072:635, 645).

tion. In these respects Structure A compares with the majority of domestic structures documented

from the Early Neolithic in Ireland (Grogan 2004, 104; Cooney 2000, 62; Armit et al 2003, 146). Its size (9.50m by at least 3.20m) is also within the range recorded for rectangular houses of the

period. Such 'houses' were unlikely to have functioned solely

as dwellings and may have been used

for a variety of purposes (Cross 2003, 195-203; Cooney 2000, 57). The absence of a hearth or

habitation deposit within Structure A could suggest that it was used for storage or other non

habitation purposes. The metalled floor is also of note, since there are few examples of Neolithic

buildings with stone flooring (Grogan 2004, 107). However, external cobbled areas were recorded

at the nearby Neolithic settlement sites of Coolfore and Monknewtown (O Drisceoil, 2003, 178;

Halpin 1995,45).




Early Neolithic occupation at Mell was part of the wider Neolithic landscape of the Boyne

Valley, which encompasses the settlement and ritual complexes at Newgrange and Knowth. Other

examples of rectangular houses dating to the Early Neolithic have been recorded nearby at

Coolfore (? Drisceoil 2003, 176), Platin (Moore 2001, 320) and Knowth (Eogan and Roche 1997). Circular houses excavated at Townley Hall (Eogan 1963) and Knowth (Eogan and Roche 1997) date to the Middle Neolithic.

The second level of activity on the site was

represented by the remains of two possible struc

tures, a series of occupation features and an inhumation burial, which dated to the Beaker period.

The site of Structure A, which had long since decayed, was

reoccupied and a series of deposits

represent two phases of occupation at that location. The deposits probably formed within a

dwelling, although no evidence for its foundations remained. Two postholes,

a hearth and pits to

the north-east of the occupation deposits indicate that a structure may have stood there. The

remains of another possible structure were represented by two more

postholes further to the

north. These postholes may have been part of small shelters or structures, but their floor plans

were no longer evident and it is difficult to

postulate what form they took (Fig. 2). Comparative

evidence does not help in this respect because definitive structures of the Beaker period

are

largely absent from the Irish archaeological record. Beaker structures at Newgrange are

perhaps

the most defined examples of the period (O'Kelly et al 1983; Cooney and Grogan 1994, 79), with

others typically represented by scatters of pits and postholes (Waddell 1998, 117; Carlin 2005). There were many finds from the occupation deposits, the most notable of which were sherds

from a polypod beaker. These bowls are rare, but examples have been found at the nearby sites of

Newgrange and Rathmullan, Co Meath and Newtownbalregan, Co Louth (Cleary 1983; Bolger

2001b; see Appendix A). Similarities in the fabric and decoration of these pieces suggest either

that they were manufactured locally

or that the inhabitants of these sites were in contact with the

same production

centre (Appendix A). The lithics from Mell also indicate that the occupants had

wider mobility or contacts outside the area, since initial selection and processing of flint did not

take place on site (Appendix C). Along with these artefacts were botanical and faunal remains.

Barley (Hordeum vulg?re) and oats (Avena) were identified. The former had a dietary value and may

have been grown by the occupants or been obtained from cereal growers in the area. The oats

were almost certainly present as a weed species in the barley crop (Mulder 2005). Unfortunately

the animal bone assemblage was too small and fragmented

to be a reliable indicator of meat diet

or livestock economy of the occupants (Strid 2005).

Contemporary with the Beaker occupation at Mell was an inhumation burial (2490-2200 cal.

BC), on top of the hill on the northern end of the site (Fig. 2). Here an adult female was buried in

a prone (face down) flexed position in a partially stone-lined grave. Very few Beaker burials have

been excavated in Ireland and this is an important addition to the record. It is unusual because

most recorded examples were cremations (Waddell 1998, 118-9, 143-5). The prone positioning of

the body is also unique and appears to have been deliberate. The interred woman had hyperostosis

frontalis interna in her skull. This condition is an indicator of premature menopause and could

have caused headaches and irrational behaviour, which might explain why the woman was buried

in such an unusual manner (Appendix B).

This burial and settlement evidence at Mell are indicative of relatively long time occupation of

the site during the Beaker period. Further evidence for Beaker settlement in the surrounding area

was uncovered at Newgrange, Rathmullan and Knowth (O'Kelly et al 1983; Bolger 2001a, 2001b;

Eogan and Roche 1997, 223), where there was also a cremation burial (Eogan 1984).

The next level of activity on site was Late Bronze Age occupation (c. 1100-800 BC), which was

represented by the remains of a domestic coarse ware vessel (05E0072T). The pottery, was not

from a sealed context and no other features were dated to the Late Bronze Age, suggesting that




settlement on the site was small-scale or short-lived at that time. However, fulachta fiadh, a pit and a

ring ditch excavated in the same townland (Campbell 2000a, b, c, 2001, 268; Chappie 2001, 266)

testify to settlement of the surrounding

area during the Bronze Age. Evidence for Bronze Age

activity in the wider area includes a cemetery at the Hill of Rath (Duffy 2000), a round house at

Tullyallen (Linnane 2002) and fulachta fiadh at Sheephouse, Donore and Rathmullan (Campbell 1994, 73; Stafford 2001, 295; McQuade 2004) (Fig. 1).

Level 4 was represented by four phases of activity dating to the Iron Age. During Phases 1 and

2 a penannular enclosure occupied the top of the hill on the northern end of the site. A fence

constructed of wooden planks and stakes ran around the perimeter of this enclosure and there

was evidence for an internal post-built structure. The postholes did not form a recognisable floor

plan, but a hearth and several pits in proximity suggest that they were from a

dwelling. On the

eastern part of the site was the post-built Structure B. This was roughly arc-shaped in plan with a

maximum width of 10m. There was no evidence for a floor surface or associated occupation

deposit. However, a cooking pit and several rubbish pits were indicative of domestic occupation

almost certainly associated with Structure B. There were no finds from these features and there

was no stratigraphie evidence as to whether Structure B was occupied at the same time as the

penannular enclosure (during Phases 1 and 2) or if it was contemporary with the curvilinear ditch

(Phase 3) to the west. The curvilinear ditch may have been part of an enclosure. It had been

truncated by later activity on site and survived for a

length of 40m. A broken copper-alloy artefact

was the only find from the ditch and did not provide any precise dating evidence, but the lack of

pottery and the proximity of the forementioned features strongly suggest that it was Iron Age. A

small assemblage of animal bone was recovered from Level 4 features. Pig and cattle remains were

identified, but the sample was too small to allow for any reliable interpretations on the diet or

farming practices of the occupants (Strid 2005). However, the penannular enclosure and

Structure B provide important evidence for Iron Age habitation, which is extremely rare in the

Irish archaeological record (Waddell 1998, 319). The best comparanda for the penannular

enclosure are the palisaded enclosures recently excavated at Ballybrowney, Co Cork, although

these were slightly earlier, dating to the Later Bronze Age (Cotter 2005, 37-45). The fourth phase of Iron Age activity

on site was industrial in character. It was represented by

seven bowl-furnaces used for smelting iron and sixteen corn-drying kilns. Evidence for iron

working in the form of slag has been recovered at many sites but furnaces are less common (Scott

1990, 99). The paired arrangement of furnaces at Mell was unusual since most other excavated

examples were

single pits, such as those at Johnstown 3, Co Meath; Tullyallen 6, Co Louth and

Kiltenan, Co Limerick (O'Hara 2002; Campbell 2000d; Dennehy 2003). Another point of note was

the choice of fuel. Alder was the only wood identified from two of the bowl-furnaces at Mell. This

species would not easily achieve the high temperatures (1100 to 1200 degrees Celsius) needed for

producing iron. Oak wood on the other hand burns at a high temperature and has been identified

from other excavated furnaces (Fanning 1981, 164, quoted in Scott 1990; O'Donnell 2005).

Despite the use of alder, the slag within the furnaces at Mell suggests that they were

successfully

fired. Experimental reconstructions have shown that firing a bowl-furnace for up to six hours

produced about half a kilo of iron bloom (O'Kelly 1989, 261). It has been claimed elsewhere that

one smelt could produce 1.5 to 2 kilos (Scott 1990, 176). Using these models one can calculate

that between three to nine kilos of iron bloom were produced in the furnaces at Mell. The ore

smelted in the furnaces was probably sourced somewhere nearby, since bedded ores are

widespread throughout the country (Scott 1990, 178). A date of 170 cal. BC - cal. AD 60 was

obtained for charcoal from one of the furnaces and the Mell furnaces are among the earliest

dated examples excavated in the country (see Scott 1990, 160-1). They are broadly contemporary

with an iron-working hearth excavated at Tara (Roche 2002, 29) and furnaces at Reask, Co Kerry




and Ballydavis, Co Laois (Fanning 1981, 164-5, quoted in Scott 1990; Keeley, 1995) Two of the kilns dated centuries later than the furnaces (cal AD 340-540 and cal AD 380-550)

and suggest that industrial activity at Mell was carried out over a considerable period of time. The

dates were obtained for a figure of eight-shaped kiln and a

sub-rectangular example respectively and suggest that the shape of the kiln was not an indication of its date. This is confirmed by

a

variety of oval, keyhole and figure of eight-shaped kilns which were dated to the Iron Age.2 Corn

drying kilns served a number of purposes. They were used to harden the grain and facilitate

threshing, to reduce the risks of insect infestations, and for the production of malt (Monk 1994,

218). The variety of cereal species identified from the kilns at Mell represent crops from different harvests or a

single harvest of mixed crops (Mulder 2005). They were similar to the mix of species

identified from other excavated kilns (Tobin 2003, 32; Johnston 2004; Dennehy 2006). Cultivated oats was identified from one of the dated kilns at Mell and is a

relatively early incidence of such

(Mulder 2005). Fuel for the kilns was derived from a variety of woods and compares with the

evidence from other excavated kilns, which did not indicate any particular fuel preference but

suggests that use was made of whatever wood was readily available (O'Donnell 2005).

While an exact phasing could not be determined for all of the Iron Age occupation features on

the site, the penannular enclosure had clearly been abandoned prior to the commencement of

industrial activity on site. It is highly likely that Structure B and the other occupation features also

pre-date the industrial activity, since the high temperature required for operating both the bowl

furnaces and kilns would have posed a serious fire risk to any wooden structures on the site. It is

likely that the people who operated the kilns and furnaces at Mell lived somewhere nearby and

historical sources indicate that corn-drying kilns were located at a slight

remove from the main

settlement area (Kelly 1998, 369).

Although none of the features on site dated to the Early Medieval period, there is evidence for

occupation of the surrounding area at this time. This includes ring forts at Rathmullan and

Sheephouse as well as a cemetery excavated in the townland of Mell (Breen 2000). Other sites of

this period include St Patrick's well and holy stone and Tullyallen church and graveyard.

The final level of activity identified on site was post-medieval agriculture, which has been dated

by finds from the 17th to 20th centuries. Waterunder Cottage, which stood to the east of the

excavation site, is depicted on the first edition OS (Fig. 2) and dates from at least the 19th century.

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Excavations 2001, 295, no. 959. Bray.

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Tobin, R. 2003 'Houses, enclosures and kilns -

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to thank Mellview Developments Ltd. who financed on-site excavation and

post-excavation analysis. Thanks are due to those from Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd who worked on

the excavation: Simon Dick, Sarah Tobin, Keiko Yamamura, Ian O'Leary, Patrick Collins, John

Collins, Siobhan Breen, Ray Murphy, Steven McGlade, Johnny Ryan and Thomas Carolan and to

all who carried out post-excavation analysis. Thanks to Eoin Grogan and Conor Brady for advice

and comments on an earlier draft of this paper.

APPENDIX A:

THE PREHISTORIC POTTERY FROM MELL, COUNTY LOUTH3

By Helen Roche and Eoin Grogan

Summary: The excavations at Mell produced prehistoric pottery. There were 491 sherds (36 rim-,

113 neck/shoulder-, 39 base- and 303 bodysherds) as well as 102 fragments representing at least 38

Final Neolithic /Early Bronze Age including 29 fine Beakers (nos 1-29), 8 domestic vessels (nos 31

8) and one polypod bowl (no. 30). A fragmentary Late Bronze Age

coarse vessel (no. 39) came

from the west of the site.

The Beaker Pottery Assemblage: For convenience the discussion of the Beaker assemblage is divided

into two sections dealing with fine and 'domestic' pottery. The latter term is generally used in

Ireland for larger heavier vessels often with less formal decoration4 but it should be stressed that

all of the Mell Beaker is domestic in context and function. The style of Beaker at Mell has

generally been assigned to Clarke's European Bell Beaker, or his Wessex/Middle Rhine types (1970).5 More recently, following reviews by, for example, Lanting and van der Waals (1972), there

has been a greater recognition of the regional development of Beaker. Case's (1993) simpler

threefold scheme, and its specific application to the Irish material, provides a

straightforward medium for insular comparison (Case 1995). The Mell material, with its classic Bell Beaker profile

and simple horizontally-arranged zonal ornament, conforms to his style 2 and is dated to c. 2450

2200 BC.

Context: The pottery came from a compact group of associated features on the south-east of the

site. These include a metalled surface (F139): this produced no pottery. Overlying F139 were three

layers (F119, F115 and F101) that produced the bulk of the pottery from this area. F139 was partly defined by a slightly segmented curvilinear ditch (F112) consisting of four segments (F161, 162,

164, 166); of these F161 also produced pottery. Sherds from most of the vessels came principally from F115 and F101, while sherds from F119 and F161 also represented vessels found in these

features, indicating that all were broadly contemporary in use (see Table 1).

3 This is a summary account of the ceramic report prepared for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd.

4 Other terms, such as 'coarse' Beaker or 'rusticated' ware have also been used to refer to this material. Often, as

at Mell, these vessels, while larger and heavier, are not appreciably 'coarser' than the so-called 'fine' wares.

Rustication refers specifically to decoration with fingernail, or sometimes bird bone, impressions frequently

arranged haphazardly over the entire vessel. This style of decoration, in the form of 'rustication', is represented on a single vessel, no. 38, at Mell.

5 Clarke also placed polypod bowls within this group (see Discussion below).



Archaeological Excavation of a MultiJ)eriod Prehistoric Settlement at Waterunder, Mell 55

Condition: While in generally reasonable condition a large proportion of the assemblage is worn.

Much of this appears to be post-depositional wear that has affected both edges and surfaces; there

is occasional more severe abrasion. This is manifest in the fact that while there are many apparent

ly clean breaks the edge wear has resulted in few refitting sherds. This type of damage is typical of

pottery deposited in domestic contexts and subject to abrasion in a context where the material is

trampled, moved about or exposed

on the surface, such as on a floor or in a midden. Another

feature of the Mell assemblage that is in keeping with this assessment is the number of vessels that

are represented by very few sherds (Table 1). Furthermore, many of the vessels have a

slight calcitic accretion on the surfaces which suggests their deposition in a context subject to water

percolation.

Discussion: the Fine Beaker Material: The Mell pottery is generally fine to very fine and, not withstand

ing the wear, it is evident that the vessels were both well made and finished. The colour, buff to

cream or red-buff, is typical of the finer Beaker pottery in Ireland and especially in the Boyne Valley; paler, grey to grey-buff

or black cores, are also a feature of this material. The vessels are fine

walled, 5-7mm in thickness, and occasionally less, with smooth to very smooth surfaces and with

inclusions rarely appearing on, or protruding through. Some of the better preserved sherds

exhibit clear evidence for surface smoothing in the form of broad, very shallow, probably fingertip

marks; a few vessels (nos 3-5) appear to have been burnished - a feature noted at Newgrange, Co

Meath (Cleary 1983), but rarely identified elsewhere.6 The vessels all contain small to medium

quantities of finely crushed quartzite inclusions, typical of most Beaker pottery in Leinster, but

some pots also contain smaller amounts of shale or sandstone.

As noted the vessels were carefully finished and the surfaces smoothed. Firing is generally good

and very even resulting in reasonably consistent colouring and the 'sandwich' profile typical of

much Beaker pottery. A few vessels, such as nos 6, 18 and 19, have pitting on the surfaces; while

these sherds are worn and the pits could be a result of the loss of large inclusions after post-deposi

tional surface abrasion the sherds from Vessel 11 are not worn so these may represent the combus

tion of organic temper during the firing process. Vessels 13 and 23 are grog-tempered. The latter

has been identified in a very small number of Irish assemblages including Knowth and Newgrange, Co Meath (Brindley 1984).7

Particular mention should be made of Vessel 3 which is an exceptionally fine, well made pot,

with an even red-buff colour and represents the very finest Beaker pottery quality. However, nos 2,

4 and 5 are also of very fine fabric.

Form and Size: The wear to many of the sherds has made refitting very difficult although it has been

possible to estimate the profile of a few pots, such as nos 1, 6, 18-23. Identification of separate

vessels is based on fabric, shape and decorative features. In total not less than 29 fine vessels are

represented in the assemblage. All of the fine vessels are small (<10cm in diameter at the mouth)

or medium (<15cm) in size and all have soft to rounded S-shaped profiles typical of early Beaker.

The rims are rounded or slightly flattened with occasional expansion and slight eversi?n, the

necks are curved or gently curved and the bellies gently rounded. Vessel 29, a very small pot, has a

very sharply-curved neck. The bodies tend to be deeply rounded, splaying out

sharply from the

base. All have flat bases, generally unfooted, but slightly footed bases occur on a few, such as nos

19 and 20. There is no evidence for short truncated bodies or sharply-rounded bellies.

6 Rare exceptions occur on the nearby sites of Newtownbalregan 2 and 6, Co Louth (Grogan and Roche 2005b,

2005a).

7 Grog is usually only clearly identifiable within the enclosing matrix under polarised light (Brinbley 1984, 332).




Fig. 13. Waterunder, Mell: conjectural reconstructions of vessels 1, 6, 7 and 20.

Decoration: A wide variety of techniques is represented although there are only nineteen decorated

vessels (nos 1-18, 29). There is a single comb-ornamented vessel, no. 1, and this has all-over

ornament of closely-spaced horizontal lines. There is a limited number of Irish Beakers with AOO

but these include comb-decorated pots from Newgrange, and Dalkey Island, Co Dublin (Cleary

1983, 66-7; Liversage 1968, fig. 9, p. 61). Vessel 2 had panels of horizontal lines of shell-impressed ornament

separated by blank zones. This decorative technique is rare but is represented at

Newgrange (Cleary 1983) and on a domestic Beaker at Knowth concentration A, Co Meath

(Eogan 1984, 256-9, fig. 90). The remaining decorated vessels have scored horizontal lines usually

arranged in groups with intermediate blank zones (nos 9-12), or lines with pendant fringes of

scores or thumbnail impressions (nos 5, 6 and 8). These, with either incised or comb-impressed

lines, represent the most common decorative arrangement on Irish Beakers and occur, for

example, at Knowth concentrations B, C, and D (Eogan 1984, 264, fig. 94.1565-95; 267, fig.

95.1596-1618; 275, fig. 100; 276, fig. 101; 295, fig. 110); Dalkey Island Site 5 (Liversage 1968, 72,

fig. 8; 51-2), Lough Gur, Co Limerick, Sites C, D (including a reconstructed example; ? R?ord?in

1954, 277-8, pis 36-7, and 394, fig. 36.1-12), L (Grogan and Eogan 1987, 407, fig. 46) and 10 (ibid., 451, fig. 68.V.5 and V.6). This decorative treatment dominates the assemblage at Kilgobbin, Co

Dublin (Hagen forthcoming 1; Grogan 2004a), and is also represented at Newtownbalregan 6

(Grogan and Roche 2005a). Ladder patterns, as on no. 7, occur on vessels at Newgrange (Cleary

1983, 71, fig. 26, group 11) and Kilgobbin (Grogan 2004a) while the filled pendant triangle can be

paralleled by a very finely decorated pot (no. 1) from Newtownbalregan 2 (Grogan and Roche

2005b) that also had ladder ornament. The deep broad scores on vessel 3, giving a rilled appear

ance, are unusual.

Undecorated Vessels: There are ten plain vessels including three that have applied cordons on the

neck (nos 19-21) and seven (nos 22-8) completely unadorned pots. Undecorated Beakers occur in

several assemblages, although these are mainly vessels that have applied

or pinched-up cordons

like Mell vessels 19-21, as at Newgrange (Cleary 1983, 78, fig. 29) and Knowth concentrations B

and D (Eogan 1984, 268, fig. 95.1638-43, and 300, fig. 113.3252-3281). Otherwise plain vessels are

rare but include the Beaker from a burial at Knowth (Eogan 1984, 308-12, fig. 117, pi. 80), vessels

from Knowth concentration B (Eogan 1984, 268-9, fig. 96), and several examples from Kilgobbin

and Newtownbalregan 2 (Grogan 2004a; Grogan and Roche 2005b).




?Mell, Co. Louth

Newtowabalregaa % Co. Louai

(from Grogan and Roche 2005b)

B Tirkemaghan, Co. Tyrone (after Barwood 1991/2)

D Newgrange? Co, Meath (after Cleary 1983, fig. 25)

E Newgrange, Co. Meath (alter Cleary 1983, % 25)

F Site D, Knockadoon, Lough Gur,Co. Limerick (O Riordain 1954? 398-9; after Clarke ? 970, fig. 306)

G ?nkpenBeacon,Berks.(afterClarke 1970,fig.306) ?T Darawta<ftWaterworks,Germany i^w?^^ 20cm fy?**C?arke l970* %30*)

Fig. 14. Waterunder, Mell: Beaker bowls and polypod bowls including a conjectural reconstruction (A) of the Mell

vessel.




Beaker

No.

Selection of Material 0

nodule

Production of Tools 2

bipolar core 2 (+1)

Discarded Pieces 9

unutilised flake 8

unutilised bipolar flake 1

Unmodified Tools 15

utilised flake 15

Modified Tools 14

end scraper 2

end and side scraper

button scraper 1

side scraper

scraper 6

round scraper

concave scraper

knife 1

retouched flake 2

notched flake 1

notched bipolar core 1

1

Beaker % Iron Age No.

Iron Age %

Unstratified

Miscellaneous

quartz flake

chunk

Total

1

41

0

4.9%

22.0%

36.6%

34.1%

2.4%

100

0

1

1

2

3

1

3

3

4

1

1

2

2

1

15

6.6%

26.6%

20%

26.6%

20%

100

Table 3: Mell lithic assemblage: behavioural analysis.

The Polypod Bowl Vessel 30: The Mell polypod bowl (Fig. 14A) is a very important addition to the

small collection of these vessels from Ireland. These are concentrated in the Boyne Valley area of

Cos Meath and Louth. The closest parallel for the Mell vessel is another coil-built example from

Co Louth at Newtownbalregan 2 (Fig. 14C) (Grogan and Roche 2005b). This had five feet and it

possible that the Mell pot was similarly equipped. The Newgrange pots (Cleary 1983, 74, fig. 25,

group 15) are pinched up, rather than coil-built bowls (Fig. 14D). Each has four splayed feet and

is c. 22.4cm in diameter at the mouth; the feet were applied. A simple flat-bottomed bowl, and

another with a concave base giving a

single 'foot', also came from the site (Fig. 14.E.) (Cleary 1983,

84). Both of these are plain and of fine fabric; however, while described as Beaker they

are very




similar to fine Grooved Ware bowls from the same site (Roche 1995). Beaker polypod bowls have

been recovered from an occupation spread at Rathmullan, Co Meath (Bolger 2002, 12-13, fig. 3).8

A very small number of polypod bowls have been recovered in Britain (Clarke 1970, 89-92;

Cleary 1983, 74). Manby (1995, 83) has noted that a series of these, generally with four feet, occur

'in burial associations of Corded Ware, Single Grave and Beaker traditions across Europe north of

the Alps'. The comb-decorated example from Inkpen Beacon, Berkshire (Fig. 14.G) (Clarke 1970,

89-92) is a fine pot similar to the Mell vessel. The foot and attached base portion of another vessel

came from a disturbed context at Abingdon, Oxfordshire (Cleal 1992, 138, fig. 9.P7). Another fine

vessel came from the Darmstadt Waterworks, Germany (Fig. 14.H). Clarke (1970, 89-92) included

polypod bowls within a wider group of bowls and footed vessels including those with a single

upright 'foot'; amongst these were vessels from Alsfeld, Germany, and a large open bowl from Site

D, Knockadoon, Lough Gur (Fig. 14.F)(? R?ord?in 1954, 398-9, fig. 37).9 He accepted these bowl

types as forming a component of his WTessex/Middle Rhine complex (Clarke 1970, 89-92). Vessels

of this type have a very wide distribution in northern and central Europe and include examples

from The Netherlands, the Saale region in Germany, Bohemia in the Czech Republic, and Poland

(see Harrison 1980, figs 8, 26, 30, 39 and 45).

Fig. 15. Waterunder, Mell: large cordoned domestic Beaker from Kilgobbin, Co Dublin.

8 Rathmullan also produced more substantial cylindrical feet that the excavator suggested belonged to early Bronze Age urns (Bolger 2002, 16). Polypod bowls of the food-vessel tradition occur within the food-vessel tradition in Britain (Manby 1995); these are generally upright and pinched out rather than applied and some

contain lateral perforations. It is probable that the quartered ornament on the base of several Irish food vessels, and on a Beaker from Kilgobbin, reflects this tradition (Manby 1995, 84).

9 The rationale behind the inclusion of vessels with a single prominent 'foot' is the suggestion that the origin of the polypod type is the quartering of the protruding cylindrical base of wooden vessels to provide greater

stability' (Clarke 1970, 90).




It has been suggested that footed ceramic vessels are skeuomorphs of wooden bowls, probably

of origin in 'Corded Ware' complex of the late Neolithic in central and northern Europe (Clarke

1970, 90). Six Irish wooden polypod bowls have been studied by Earwood (1991/2; 1994); these

have four to six feet. The four-footed example from Tirkernaghan, Co Tyrone has been dated to

2870-2147 cal. BC (OxA-3013, 2010?100 BP) (Fig. 14.B); it was found with two simple wooden

bowls (Earwood 1991/2, 27). In an Irish context it is possible, as Earwood has argued, that the

wooden bowls were copying ceramic forms, a reversal of the suggested origins for the European

examples. The Mell vessel is very similar in form to the wooden examples (Fig. 14.B).

The Domestic Vessels: There are fifty-three sherds of domestic Beaker representing

at least eight

vessels (nos 31-8). Their association with the fine Beaker at Mell indicates that they are an

integral

component of the overall assemblage. These are generally

more substantial than the fine vessels

with rim diameters of between c. 19.5-24cm (nos 31-2) and c. 17-19cm (nos 34-8). Vessels 1 and 2

can be readily paralleled: large generally bucket-shaped vessels of this type, with heavy applied

cordons close to the rim, occur at Kilgobbin (Grogan 2004a; Fig. 3), site 5 at Dalkey Island

(Liversage 1968, 72, pi. 7, p. 54; diameter c. 27cm), Knowth (Eogan 1984, 305, fig. 116.3728),

Lough Gur site D (? R?ord?in 1954, 379, fig. 38.1), and Rockbarton hearth II, Co Limerick

(Mitchell and ? R?ord?in 1942, 264, fig. 6. II.I). It is probable that the application of cordons, loosely applied ornament, 'rustication' or

rough

ening of the vessels, and especially the upper portions, was functional as well as decorative and was

executed to facilitate a firm purchase on

large domestic vessels (Gibson 2002, 53). The cordons

suggest the use of covers, probably of leather or cloth, which were tied in place over the mouth of

the vessel. None of the Mell pots shows evidence, in the form of sooting or blackened accretions,

which would indicate their use in cooking so the domestic vessels were

possibly for storage.

The presence of both fine and domestic Beaker has been widely recorded, occurring at, for

example, Knowth (Eogan 1984), Newgrange (Cleary 1983), and Monknewtown (Sweetman 1976), Co Meath; Dalkey Island and Kilgobbin, Co Dublin (Liversage 1968; Grogan 2004a) (Fig. 4); Doonmoon (Gowen 1988, 52-61), and several excavations at Lough Gur, Co Limerick, including

Sites C, D and K (? R?ord?in 1954; Grogan and Eogan 1987).

Conclusions: The Mell assemblage is an important contribution to the study of Late Neolithic/Early

Bronze Age Beaker ceramics in Ireland. The occurrence of a rare polypod bowl in this context is a

further significant addition to this research. The proximity of this site to the Boyne Valley, and the

discovery of other important Beaker sites in the near vicinity

at Rathmullan, Co Meath; the Hill of

Rath, Co Louth (Duffy 2002), as well as slightly further afield to the north at Newtownbalregan 2

and 6, and to the south at Beaverstown and Lusk, Co Dublin (Hagen forthcoming 2; Grogan

2004b; Roche 2004b), reinforces the importance of this landscape in early prehistory. The Mell

material fits in very comfortably with the large assemblages from Knowth and Newgrange and

shares a number of similarities with the two Newtownbalregan sites including the very fine finish

of several vessels, the generally soft S-shaped profiles, the overall decorative motifs and the

presence of both plain vessels and the polypod bowl. Several of the vessels had been burnished, a

finishing technique noted at Newgrange and the two Newtownbalregan sites that is otherwise rare

in Ireland. In terms of form, decoration, fabric and firing the parallels with the Boyne Valley sites

are striking and the presence of grog and the use of quartzitic inclusions mirror the Mell pottery.10

It is probable that Mell is contemporary with Knowth and Newgrange and should date to c. 2450

2200 BC.

10 In the absence of detailed petrological analysis it is not possible to make more exact comparisons but there are

some felsite inclusions at Mell as well as evidence for feldspar minerals




Fig. 16. Waterunder, Mell: the distribution of Beaker pottery in north Leinster.

West of site: This area produced

a large portion of the upper part of a coarse domestic vessel oflate

Bronze Age date. The fabric is of poor quality. A slight burnt staining on the inner surface

indicates that the vessel had been used in a domestic context. This single pot is an important

addition to the distribution of late Bronze Age material in the region. Recent discoveries of small

quantities oflate Bronze Age domestic pottery have occurred at Beaverstown (Hagen forthcoming

2; Grogan 2004b), Cherrywood/ Loughlinstown (O'Donovan 1998), Flemingtown (Byrnes 2004), Skidoo (Dehaene 2004; Roche 2004a), 'Belarmine', Kilgobbin (Grogan 2004c), and Lusk, Co

Dublin (Roche 2004b). To the south in Co Wicklow this type of pottery has come from

Ballynabarny (Gahan 2004) and Rathmore (McLoughlin 2004). Other finds oflate Bronze Age

pottery include comparable material from Moynagh Lough (Bradley 2004), Carranstown (Grogan

and Roche 2004), and the enclosed occupation sites at Lagavooren and Kilsharvan, all Co Meath

(Clarke and Murphy 2002; Russell and Corcoran 2002).




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Midhe, 13, 8-17.

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Grogan, J. Bradley, J. Coles and B. Raftery (eds), From Megaliths to

Metals. Essays in honour of George Eogan, 91-8. Oxford.

Brindley, J.C. 1984 'Petrological examination of Beaker pottery from the Boyne Valley sites'

in G. Eogan, Excavations at Knowth 1, 330-46. Royal Irish Academy

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Clarke, L. and 2002

Murphy, D.

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townland, Co. Meath', R?ocht na Midhe, 13, 18-22.

Cleal, R. 1992 'Pottery' in R. Bradley, 'The Excavation of an Oval Barrow beside the

Abingdon Causewayed Enclosure, Oxfordshire', Proceedings of the

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231-3, no. 688. Bray.

Earwood, C. 1991/2 'A Radiocarbon Date for Early Bronze Age Wooden Polypod Bowls', Tournai of Irish Archaeology, 6, 27-8.

Earwood, C. 1994 Domestic Wooden Artefacts in Britain and Ireland from Neolithic to

Viking Times. Exeter.

Eogan, G. 1984 Excavations at Knowth 1. Royal Irish Academy Monographs in

Archaeology. Dublin.

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Excavations 2002, 531-2, no. 1955. Bray.

Gibson, A. 2002 Prehistoric Pottery in Britain and Ireland. Stroud.

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Unpublished report for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. (Ines Hagen).

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Unpublished report for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. (Ines Hagen).

Grogan, E. 2004c The prehistoric pottery assemblage from 'Belarmine', Kilgobbin, Co.

Dublin. Unpublished report for Margaret Gowen and Co. Ltd. (E.

Dennehy).



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Eogan, G.

1987 'Lough Gur excavations by Sean P. ? R?ord?in: further Neolithic and

Beaker habitations on Knockadoon', PRIA, 87C, 299-506.

Grogan, E. and

Roche, H.

2004 The ceramic assemblage from Carranstown, Duleek, Co.

Dublin.Unpublished report, The Archaeology Company.

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Roche, H.

2005a The prehistoric pottery from Newtownbalregan 6, Co. Louth.

Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.

Grogan, E. and

Roche, H.

2005b The prehistoric pottery from Newtownbalregan 2, Co. Louth.

Unpublished report, Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd.

Hagen, I. forthcoming 1 Excavations at Kilgobbin, Co. Dublin.

Hagen, I. forthcoming 2 Excavations at Beaverstown, Co. Dublin.

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Lan ting, J. and

Van der Walls, D.

1972 'British Beakers as seen from the Continent', Helenium, 12, 20- 46.

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233.

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1985. Bray.

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Early Bronze Age pottery' in I. Kinnes and G. Varndell (eds), Unbaked

Urns of Rudely Shape, 81-8. Oxbow Monograph 55, Oxford.

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Unpublished report, Arch-Tech Ltd.

Roche, H. 2004b The Prehistoric Pottery Assemblage from Lusk, Co. Dublin.

Unpublished report, Arch-Tech Ltd.

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Corcoran E.

2002 'Excavation of a possible Bronze Age enclosure at Kilsharvan

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25-73.




APPENDIX B: SKELETAL REPORT

By Laureen Buckley

Burial Position: The burial was not seen in situ by the writer. Examination of the photographs

revealed that the burial was not crouched in the manner of a typical Bronze Age burial with the

knees tightly drawn up close to the chest, but rather the one remaining leg was merely bent at the

knee in what is usually described as a flexed burial position. Comparison of the remaining pelvic

bone and the femur to the photograph shows clearly that the burial was in a prone position.

The relative preservation of the bone also provides clues to how the bone was lying in the

grave. In a typical crouched Bronze Age burial the side that is uppermost is the least preserved

with the underside being better preserved. In this burial the left arm was in a very good state of

preservation but the right arm was

poorly preserved. There were also more ribs surviving from the

left side than from the right. Again examination of the photographs reveals that the left hum?rus

was lateral to the left radius and ulna in a position that can

only occur if the body is face down with

the arm flexed 180? at the elbow.

The right arm and ribs in this burial were very decayed. The right arm was

lying in a flexed

prone position but it was clearly out of its original burial position as it was in the neck area of the

skeleton and this would be impossible to achieve naturally, therefore it must have been disturbed

during excavation. It would have been very interesting to know if this arm had been in this general area as it could indicate that the arm was bent over the back of the head. This would also be

consistent with the decay of the right arm as it would have then been in a

higher level in the grave

than the left arm. The right ribs are not visible in the photograph and it is not known why they were not as well preserved

as the left ribs. A possible explanation is that the stone placed

over the

left ribs protected them better than those on the right side.

The front of the skull was in a good state of preservation but there were

only very small

decayed fragments from the back of the skull. This is also consistent with the skull being face

down, although it may have been turned slightly and lying on its right side since it was mainly the

right front of the skull that remained.

To summarize, the skeleton was lying in the prone position with the legs slightly drawn up and

flexed at the knees and with the left arm tightly flexed under the chest. The head may have been

turned slightly and lying on its right side. Given the position of the burial it is likely that the

placing of a large stone over the back of the ribs was deliberate.

Preservation: The preservation of the bone was variable with the outer cortex being in good

condition on the front of the skull, the left arm and the pelvis. The right arm was very decayed

with most of the outer cortex gone. The head of the femur was in good condition probably

because it was protected by the hip joint. The lower femur and tibia had most of the cortex intact

but they were

completely shattered into small fragments. Only a trace of the left femur remained

in the grave. The small bones of the hands and feet were missing.

Description of skeleton: The skull consisted mainly of the right side of the frontal bone. The right

orbit, the glabella and part of the left orbit were present as well as most of the right squamous

frontal. The squamous part of the right temporal bone and an area of right parietal bone from just

above the squamous suture were present. The mandibular fossa and anterior suture of the

temporal bone were also present and most of the right greater wing of sphenoid remained. The

right zygomatic bone was almost complete and an area of the adjoining part of the maxilla was also

present. There were several very small decayed fragments of skull remaining probably from the

back of the skull. The crowns only of two molar teeth remained.




There were only partial bodies from three vertebrae remaining from the vertebral column.

Two of the bodies consisted of the anterior surface only. Sixteen fragments of ribs remained repre

senting a minimum of six left and two right ribs. One of the left ribs was very small and rudimenta

ry and may have been a lumbar rib.

A fragment of the inferior border of the left scapula remained and there was also part of a

glenoid fossa from an unsided scapula. The proximal joint surface, part of the mid-shaft area and

the distal third of the left hum?rus were present and in good condition. The proximal third and

part of the mid-shaft of the left radius were present and the proximal half of the left ulna

remained. The left lunate was the only hand bone remaining.

The lateral third of the right clavicle remained in relatively good condition but the other bones of the right arm were very decayed. The distal half of the shaft of the right hum?rus and the

proximal halves of the right radius and ulna were present. The pelvis consisted of the anterior part

of the right ilium with the superior part of the acetabulum present.

Part of the left patella and a few flakes of femur and tibia were all that remained from the left

leg. The right leg consisted of the proximal half of the femur and several fragments from the rest

of the shaft. A fragment from the lateral condyle of the right tibia was present with the fibular

articular surface visible. There were also several small fragments of tibia shaft and a few fragments of fibula shaft.

Sex and Age: With very little of the pelvis remaining, sex was determined by metrics and by morpho

logical features of the skull. The diameter of the head of the femur (42mm) and the diameter of

the head of the radius (20.4mm) were well within the female range. The orbital rims and supra

orbital ridges were also of the female type.

The only feature that could be used in ageing was the sternal end of one rib, which indicated

an age of 34-46 years (Iscan et al 1985). However one rib alone would not be considered sufficient

to determine age. The only other evidence to consider is the presence of osteophytosis on the

vertebrae, which indicates that the individual was probably over 30 years of age. It is probable that

this individual was over 30-34 years of age but it cannot be certain.

Stature: The length of the femur was measured on site as being 38cm. Using this length and the

stature equations of Trotter and Gleser (1952, 1958), the living stature was estimated as

being

148cm. This is very short but there is no way of determining the accuracy of the femur measure

ment. The average stature for females from a variety of archaeological sites is 155cm.

Non-metric traits: There was a septal aperture in the right hum?rus, a

fairly common trait usually

seen in females. There was a large vastus notch present in the left patella.

Congenital anomaly: There appeared to be at least one lumbar rib on the left side.

Skeletal Pathology: The frontal bone of the skull was thickened, measuring 10mm in the thickest

part of the squamous frontal. There were areas of new thickened bone on the endocranial surface.

This condition is known as hyperostosis frontalis interna and is thought to be caused by

a hormonal

imbalance as it is usually seen in post-menopausal

women. Generally this condition is seen in

archaeological populations in women over 45 years of age. Unfortunately the age of this individual

is not certain but it is probably at least a late middle adult. If the age could be ascertained more

accurately then the possibility that this person suffered premature menopause could be consid

ered as this might have had a bearing

on the nature of the burial.




The anterior parts of the bodies of two thoracic vertebrae were present and they both had mild

osteophytosis.

Dentition: Only the crowns of two teeth remained, the roots being decayed. The teeth were the

upper right second and third molars. The occlusal surface of the second molar was flattened with

polishing and second dentine formation on one quadrant. The third molar had polishing of the

enamel only. It is not possible to say anything about these attrition rates since the date of the burial

is unknown. However prehistoric burials generally have a heavier attrition rate than this in

individuals over 35 years of age. There were slight calculus deposits on most of the surfaces

of the teeth with moderate deposits on the mesial surfaces and on the distal surface of the second

molar.

Summary and Conclusions: This burial lay in a prone flexed position in a partially stone-lined grave

and had a large stone placed

over its back. It was the skeleton of a female, probably over 30-34

years of age with an estimated living stature of 146cm. There was some degenerative joint disease

in the vertebral column and hyperostosis frontalis interna in the skull. This condition may have been

caused by premature menopause and may have caused headaches and irrational behaviour. This

may explain why she was buried face down with a large stone on her back as this is not the usual

burial method of the period.

Separate burial of women and prone burials have been found in various cemeteries in Ireland.

The first millennium cemetery at Bettystown, excavated by James Eogan (unpublished), had a

female burial apart from the main cemetery with a large boulder over the abdominal area. There

were also a few prone burials found in the medieval cemetery of Johnstown, Co Meath excavated

by Linda Clarke.

REFERENCES

Clarke, L. 2004 'Johnstown 1 (Site A), Early medieval burial and settlement' in I.

Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2002, 415-16, no. 1471.

Eogan,J. 1998 'Bettystown, Prehistoric/multi-period site' in I. Bennett (ed.),

Excavations 1998, 161, no. 503. Bray.

Iscan, M.Y,

Loth, S.R. and

Wright, R.K.

1985 'Age estimation from the rib by phase analysis: White Females', Journal of Forensic Sciences 30, 853-63.

Trotter, M. and

Gleser, G.C.

1952 Estimation of stature from long bones of American Whites and

Negroes', American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 10, 463-514.

Trotter, M. and

Gleser, G.C.

1958 'A Re-Evaluation of Estimation of Stature based on Measurements of

Stature taken during Life and Long Bones after Death', American

Journal of Physical Anthropology, 16, 79-123.



Archaeological Excavation of a Multi-Period Prehistoric Settlement at Waterunder, Mell, Co. Louth

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