EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Clare
Gragan West, Co. Clare
Early Medieval Settlement Enclosure
Grid Ref: M200018 (120000/201800)
SMR No: N/A
Excavation Licence: E000458
Excavation Duration/Year: October-November 1988
Site Director: C. Cotter (National Museum of Ireland)
A robbed out cashel was excavated at Gragan West because of severe farm disturbance on
the site in the 1980s. A number of Bronze Age finds were recovered, as well as a possible
hearth, dry-stone wall, other structures and finds associated with an early medieval
settlement. Previous finds from the site (e.g. a palstave axe-mould, part of a stone mortar,
tracked stone, spindle whorl, iron pick, and iron slag) were brought to the attention of the
National Museum, initiating a rescue excavation in winter of 1988. The site is situated on a
level platform (210m OD) on the eastern slopes of the limestone Burren ridge of Poulacapple,
commanding extensive views to the east, north and south.
The site consists of a robbed out cashel. It survived as an extensively disturbed roughly
circular mound 22.5m in diameter and 1.35m in maximum height in the centre, tailing off
steeply downslope to the east and more gently to the north and south. The western half was
almost completely levelled and a number of features (an outbuilding in the southwest sector,
a north-south farm-track bisecting the centre of the mound and a modern dry-stone wall
cutting its southern portion) had caused severe disturbance to the site.
There was limited stratigraphy (four layers) and where it survived this was extensively
disturbed. Two cuttings were excavated at right angles to each other near the midpoint of
the mound, and a third trench was excavated in a small pocket of archaeology, 35m to the
north of the mound.
Evidence for Bronze Age activity was identified in disturbed contexts from within the mound
and in an isolated pocket of archaeological material, 35m to the north of the mound. Finds
from the mound comprised a decorated rim sherd of an early Bronze Age food vessel pot in
the western disturbed half of the site and the previously recorded palstave axe-mould. An
area of prehistoric activity to the north of the mound comprised a variety of finds (e.g. animal
bone, fragments of chert, a stone knife and a possible dagger with a raised midrib). Iron slag
from these deposits also indicates later activity in this area.
The site itself appears to represent the disturbed remains of an early medieval enclosure. A
number of large stones were scattered across the western half of the mound. They may
represent the demolished remains of a dry-stone wall or could have been laid deliberately to
provide a well-drained, level surface- similar to that which occurred in many of the structures
in the interior of Cahercommaun. A stone-lined hearth (1.5m by 0.7m) set into the mound
just west of the mound’s midpoint was also similar in style to hearths excavated at
Cahercommaun. A small hole was drilled into the bedrock in this area and may have been
used to support a post for some form of structure.
Two sawn horn tips were recovered from in the disturbed material in the west side and just
east of the centre and indicate that bone-working was being carried out on the site. A
fragment of a worked bone rib from the western side of the mound and may have been used
for scraping and softening animal hides. The loom weight and spindle-whorls indicate textile
production. Iron slag from the sod of the mound, the centre of the mound and the area to
the north may have been associated with ironworking activity. The hone-stones and rotary
grinding stone were used for smoothing and sharpening tools and weapons. A relatively large
quantity of animal bone as well as occasional oyster, scallop and barnacle shells were also
discovered on the site.
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