EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Clare
Garrynamona, Co. Clare
Early Medieval Settlement Enclosure
Grid Ref: R36516095 (136518/160952)
SMR No: CL061-004
Excavation Licence: N/A
Excavation Duration/year: Spring 1959
Site Director: E. Rynne (National Museum of Ireland)
An enclosure in Garrynamona townland, excavated in advance of the construction of a new
runway and landing strip at Shannon airport, revealed evidence for a possible early medieval
enclosed settlement preceded by a series of trenches and pit features (Fig. 49). The
excavations were conducted on behalf of the National Museum of Ireland over the course of
eleven days in the spring of 1959. The site was situated on a small rock-outcrop on low-lying
ground, surrounded on the north, east and south by marshy land and on the west by gently
rising rocky ground.
Two main periods of inhabitation was uncovered. The first phase was associated with a series
of pre-enclosure shallow trenches and pits in the eastern and south-western area of the site.
The shallow pits or trenches, averaged about 0.20-0.30m in depth, and were filled with a
dark material containing small flecks of charcoal and some animal bone. An east-west trench
in the south-western part of the site ran across the area of the subsequent enclosure
entrance and was filled with dark-blackish stony deposits containing charcoal lumps. One
long, narrow trench (1m wide) ran in a north-south direction and extended under the northeastern
enclosure bank. A single course of setting stones (approximately 0.25m high) ran
along its western edge. Near a stone scatter, another north-south orientated trench
approximately 2.80m in width and 0.30m deep ran under the eastern enclosure bank and
contained a fill mixed with charcoal flecks and a fragment of a polished bone point.
A pit in the south-eastern quadrant contained a black charcoal-rich fill and revealed a
decorated double-sided bone comb at its base. This feature was uncovered at the northwestern
end of a pile of loose stones, which could have formed some part of a surface.
A fire-pit excavated to the east of the centre of the site revealed two large flat-headed iron
nails and a portion of a bronze binding strip within its reddish burnt charcoal fill. Nearby was
another small pit filled with charcoal-rich material. A possible posthole was suggested for this
pit though the presence of different varieties of wood in the charcoal argues against this
interpretation.
The second phase of habitation was associated with the construction of the enclosure banks
and the stone-revetted south-western entrance-way. The enclosure had a diameter of 32m
externally and 24m externally, and enclosed a habitation deposit containing flecks of charcoal
and a few bone fragments. There appears to have been no evidence of structures or other
features associated with this occupation phase.
The excavator suggested that the main period of inhabitation associated with the enclosure
was between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries A.D. He cited the late appearance of
some of the iron finds as well as the occurrence of seventeenth century pottery sherds and
clay pipes in contexts associated with this phase. It could be suggested however that the
enclosure is early medieval and that these artefacts were removed from their original
contexts due to subsequent site disturbance. Various other finds and artefacts including
fragments of quernstones and a piece of slag recovered in the ‘old ground level’ might
originally be early in date.
A late phase of occupation at the site was associated with a number of spreads of mussel
shells in the southern interior and a small internal enclosure (3m by 4m internally)
immediately inside and to the east of the south-western enclosure entrance. These features
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