부산대학교 도서관

Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd (IAC), funded by the National Roads Authority (NRA) through Kilkenny County Council, undertook an excavation at the site of AR112, Ballyquirk 1 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 Ruth Elliott under Ministerial Direction A032 and Excavation Registration Number E3863 issued by the DOEHLG in consultation with the National Museum of Ireland for IAC. The fieldwork took place between the 4 and 6 December 2007. The site was located on a small patch of dry land within a marsh and the results of the excavation have identified one large pit which was filled with burnt mound material. It is possible that this functioned as a trough. A second, smaller pit truncated this. There was no evidence of an extant mound so the main pit may have functioned as a pot boiler or roasting pit (see below).The activity has been dated to the early Bronze Age. Ballyquirk 1 has produced small scale, localized burnt mound activity. In isolation it is of little importance. However the site is important locally as it adds to the body of information gathered from other sites excavated as part of the N9/N10 Phase 4. While the activity on the site could not be identified as directly contemporary with any of the adjacent sites, it provides further evidence of a wider landscape that was well settled throughout the early Bronze Age period. NOTE: THE GRID REFERENCES PROVIODED IN THE REPORT PROVED INCORRECT. THE CORRECT GRID REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED IN THE METADATA.