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AR01055_EMAP_Gazetteer_of_Sites_4-2_10.pdf - The Heritage ...

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Meath<br />

Platin, Co. Meath<br />

1. Early Medieval Unenclosed Settlement/Industrial Site<br />

2. Inland Promontory Fort<br />

Grid reference: O08877526 (30887/27526)<br />

SMR: ME020-014<br />

Excavation Licence No: 00E0822, 01E0044<br />

Excavation duration: November 2000 – March 2001, January – April 2001<br />

Site director: R. Lynch (IAC Ltd.), M. Conway (ACS Ltd.)<br />

1. Early Medieval Unenclosed Settlement/Industrial Site<br />

<strong>The</strong> settlement at Platin – discovered in advance <strong>of</strong> the M1 road-scheme – was located<br />

immediately north <strong>of</strong> the Duleek road 3km west <strong>of</strong> Drogheda and adjacent to the promontory<br />

fort (ME020-014; see below). <strong>The</strong> site was situated on agriculturally productive pastoral land.<br />

Two unenclosed successive circular structures were discovered (Fig. 260). <strong>The</strong> earliest<br />

structure (Structure B), evident as two concentric gullies, measured 15m in diameter. This<br />

represented the first phase <strong>of</strong> activity on site. <strong>The</strong> gullies were mostly filled through natural<br />

deposition <strong>of</strong> wash material and slumping <strong>of</strong> their sides. <strong>The</strong> only finds included a piece <strong>of</strong><br />

iron slag, a flint waste flake, a fragment <strong>of</strong> a ceramic bead and a crucible sherd.<br />

Structure B enclosed a number <strong>of</strong> pits that may have been contemporary. One – possibly a<br />

domestic refuse pit – contained some horse teeth, fragments <strong>of</strong> animal bone and charcoal. A<br />

central circular pit was also present which potentially supported a central ro<strong>of</strong> support<br />

although archaeological evidence for such was lacking.<br />

<strong>The</strong> following phase incorporated the construction <strong>of</strong> Structure A which cut Structure B. Like<br />

the latter, it was 15m in diameter and was defined by two curvilinear gullies. A number <strong>of</strong><br />

internal features or possible ro<strong>of</strong> supports were present. <strong>The</strong> enclosure was horseshoeshaped<br />

in plan and gaps or possible entrances were evident to the east and west. Twenty<br />

eight stake holes were located along the inner edge <strong>of</strong> the northern gully and probably<br />

formed the basis for a post-and-wattle wall. <strong>The</strong> southern section <strong>of</strong> the structure was also<br />

defined by a foundation trench with a number <strong>of</strong> stake-holes, 38 in total, located along its<br />

inner edge.<br />

<strong>The</strong> archaeological evidence suggests that Structure A was dismantled at some stage as the<br />

gully fills were subject to a number <strong>of</strong> episodes <strong>of</strong> natural silting, side slippage and infilling <strong>of</strong><br />

occupational material after the abandonment <strong>of</strong> the structure. Finds from the upper fills<br />

included a whetstone, crucible fragments, glass beads, tuyère fragments and iron objects all<br />

<strong>of</strong> which appeared to be associated with the Phase III industrial activity on site.<br />

A number <strong>of</strong> features were located to the west <strong>of</strong> Structure A including a possible hearth,<br />

which was truncated by a small pit, and a series <strong>of</strong> irregularly shaped pits which contained no<br />

dating evidence.<br />

Phase III consisted <strong>of</strong> two linear parallel gullies which were situated 4m apart from each<br />

other and approximately 15m east <strong>of</strong> the structures. <strong>The</strong> fills <strong>of</strong> the first gully suggest that,<br />

for the most part, it silted up naturally. <strong>The</strong> western end showed evidence for in situ burning<br />

and contained frequent charcoal inclusions and a large concentration <strong>of</strong> animal bone. A sherd<br />

<strong>of</strong> pottery, an iron nail and a copper-alloy ring were also recovered from its fill.<br />

Approximately 4m to the south was a similar east–west-oriented linear gully which terminated<br />

in a posthole at its western end. Industrial activity was evident in the middle part <strong>of</strong> the gully<br />

evident as a high ash content with inclusions <strong>of</strong> burnt clay and charcoal. This fill also<br />

contained slag and a crucible sherd. Below this was further evidence for in situ burning,<br />

crucible sherds, ferrous material and a substance which had a glass-like appearance.<br />

568

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