EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Meath
Knowth, Co. Meath
1. Early Medieval Raised Bivallate Settlement Enclosure and Cemetery
2. Early Medieval Unenclosed Settlement
Grid reference: N99677343 (299674/273437)
SMR No: ME019-030
Excavation Licence No: N/A
Excavation duration: 1962-2000
Site directors: G. Eogan (Research)
Knowth, excavated since the 1960s by George Eogan, is a large multi-period burial and
settlement complex that was utilised from the Neolithic until post medieval times. The
complex of monuments are situated on a low hilltop – at 61m OD – in the Boyne river valley
with extensive views over the plains of Meath.
1. Bivallate Raised Enclosure and Cemetery
The passage tomb mound, measuring 85m in diameter, was the focus of the first early
medieval phase at Knowth. During the seventh and eighth centuries two concentric ditches
were excavated into the mound. The outer ditch was dug at the base of the mound and was
on average 5m wide and 2.3m deep. The inner ditch enclosed the top of the mound and was
3m in depth. A steep scarp linked the outer and inner ditches and the average height
between the base of the outer ditch and the outer edge of the inner ditch was 6m. There was
no evidence for a bank associated with either ditch. A 6m wide causewayed entrance was
located to the south-east. No internal domestic features were identified but both occupational
and dating evidence was present in the enclosure ditches and mostly within the outer
enclosure ditch.
Artefacts from this phase included a sherd of E ware and a single-edged bone comb from the
lower fills of the inner enclosure ditch. The former demonstrates that the inner enclosure was
in use between the sixth and mid-seventh centuries. Bronze items included a potential ear
scoop, two possible spoons and three penannular brooches with zoomorphic terminals. A
melon bead was also uncovered. Animal bone was present in both the inner and outer
ditches.
A small mixed cemetery of crouched, flexed and extended burials was associated with the
passage tomb and some of the latter were contemporary with the first early medieval phase.
They were situated outside but close to the mound. Thirteen burials, which were either
crouched or flexed, with accompanying grave goods have been dated to the middle Iron Age
(see Table A for radiocarbon dates; taken from O’Brien forthcoming). The second phase of
burial activity was represented by four slab-lined cist burials which were located at the
western perimeter of the passage tomb and potentially date to the fifth and sixth centuries.
The final burials included three seventh- and eighth-century disturbed extended inhumations.
2. Early Medieval Unenclosed Settlement
The first phase of early medieval activity at Knowth ceased by the end of the eighth century
and occupational evidence during the following century is absent. However, in the tenth
century a large unenclosed settlement – including 15 houses, nine souterrains, five
metalworking areas, cobbled and paved surfaces and many hearths – succeeded the initial
settlement which had been backfilled (Fig. 241). The houses survived as bases of dry-stone
walls. They were rectangular with rounded corners and some examples had central hearths
on stone floors. The houses measured between 6m and 12m in length and 3.5m to 6.25m in
width. Eight souterrains had beehive chambers and some were associated with the houses.
The metalworking areas revealed that iron-, bronze-, gold-working and enamelling occurred
on site. Stone-, bone- and antler-working was practised and there was indirect evidence for
wood, wool, leather and textile craft. Artefacts from this phase were more abundant than that
of the earlier phase and included many items of personal adornment. These included a range
of metal ringed and stick pins dating between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, bone pins,
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