EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Limerick
Sluggary, Co. Limerick
Early Medieval Settlement Enclosure
Grid Ref: R55905355 (155907/153550)
SMR No: LI013-038
Excavation Licence: E131
Excavation Duration/year: June - July 1973; June – July 1974
Site Director: E. Shee Twohig (University College Cork)
A large trivallate enclosure at Sluggary, partially excavated in 1973 and 1974 in advance of a
residential development, revealed internal habitation consisting mainly of a hearth, pits,
stakeholes, animal bone and early medieval finds. The site was situated on well drained
boulder clay just above 15m OD on the northern edge of Sluggary townland, 5km from
Limerick city centre.
Pre-enclosure habitation on the site was minimal except for the presence of animal bone
inside the banks and the recovery of some postholes under the middle bank. Another possible
early feature consisted of a red clay bank (0.15m thick and 2.0m wide) which ran east-west
across the site and appeared to be edged by a line of stones along the south side of its
eastern end.
The trivallate enclosure was polygonal in plan and had a diameter of 40m-48m internally and
70m-80m externally (Fig. 196). The inner (0.8m high by 3.8m wide), middle (0.5m high by
2.3m wide) and outer (0.35m high by 2.5m wide) concentric banks were originally revetted
with stone. External ditches were excavated outside the inner and middle banks and had
maximum measurements of 1.5m deep by 2.6m wide; and 0.8m deep by 2.3m wide
respectively. A single edged decorated bone comb and a possible bone handle were
recovered inside the fill of the southern perimeter of the inner ditch.
Internal features consisted mainly of stakeholes, post-pits and pits, some rich in animal bone
and charcoal and cut into the red clay bank principally in the centre of the enclosure.
Attempts to identify the ground plans of individual houses were unsuccessful though a
number of stakeholes associated with patches of burnt earth and a hearth may represent the
remains of a structure.
The finds were principally recovered on the surface of the red clay banks or within or
associated with the pits cut into it. Finds from the site consisted of ten knives, two needles,
one saw, one key and bars, awls and nails. A copper-alloy ringed pin, button/stud and thin
strip (from a composite object) and two fragments of fired clay, one a possible mould, were
also recovered.
Four furnace bottoms and one piece of slag from the interior of the enclosure suggest on-site
iron smelting while one possible clay mould could also indicate metalworking. The animal
bone assemblage originated mainly from ditch deposits and pit fills and was dominated by
cattle bone (60%), followed by pig, sheep and other animals including horse, dog and red
deer.
383