Tara & Lismullin - NRA press release

 M3 Clonee - Kells Motorway Project
Information on Archaeological Investigations at Lismullin, Co. Meath
A008/021 & E3074.
http://www.meath.ie/LocalAuthorities/Publications/Heritage/File,7286,en.pdf

Summary

Archaeological investigations have been undertaken for the almost two
years on the approved M3 Clonee –North of Kells motorway scheme(fig
1-2), in accordance with Directions issued by the Minister for
Environment, Heritage and Local Government under the National Monuments
Acts. This work was recently completed with the exception of a site at
Lismullin, Co. Meath, which the Authority has concluded is a National
Monument. The Authority’s discovery of the site has been reported to
the Minister as required by legislation. Both the Chief Archaeologist
of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG)
and the Director of the National Museum visited Lismullin as soon as
the Road Schemes Archaeologist became aware of the potential
significance of the site. The Authority has ceased all works at the
National Monument pending the Directions of the Minister.

The enclosure is presently undated. However preliminary investigations
indicate that it is most similar in morphology to late prehistoric
ritual enclosures dating to the Late Bronze Age/Iron Age. Its closest
parallels are phases of the royal sites of Emain Macha, Co. Armagh and
Dún Ailinne, Co. Kildare, although Lismullin is of a much smaller
scale, is much less complex and appears to represent a single phase of
use. Archaeological excavation has revealed that the enclosure at
Lismullin has been heavily truncated by past centuries of ploughing,
with the result that the sample of surviving features investigated to
date are very shallow.
Location
The site is located in the townland of Lismullin (NGR E293424 N261564)
beneath the Hill of Tara in the Gabhra Valley, close to the Gabhra
River. The topography of the valley is characterised by glacial
features including eskers and gravel ridges. The site itself is
situated at the centre of a natural geomorphological hollow surrounded
by a ridge of higher ground which overlooks all sides of the monument,
which in turn is surrounded by lower ground (Fig 3).

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Preliminary Description

The site is a large (c.80m diameter) circular enclosure formed of a
double row or ring of stakeholes. The two rows are c.2m apart. The
stakeholes are small in diameter (c.10-15cm) and evenly spaced (c.60cm
apart) perhaps suggesting post and wattle construction. The enclosure
appears to have an entrance in the east. A smaller enclosure c.16m in
diameter formed of similarly closely spaced postholes (c.25cm diameter)
is positioned centrally within the large enclosure. There are two
radial rows of postholes forming a corridor between the entrance of the
outer and inner enclosures. In addition there are what appear to be two
slot trenches between the end of the corridor and the entrance of the
inner enclosure (Fig. 4.).

The enclosure is situated at the centre of a natural geomorphological
hollow surrounded by a ridge of higher ground which overlooks all sides
of the monument, which in turn is surrounded by lower ground. A portion
of the enclosure extends beyond the limit of the CPO landtake edge.

Only two artefacts have been recovered in the vicinity of the enclosure
to date, neither of which are stratigraphically related to the
enclosure – a small shale adze or axe and a sherd of middle bronze age
pottery. In addition a ringed pin, which appears to be of late Iron Age
date, was recovered from a feature outside the enclosure. In agreement
with the DOEHLG and the National Museum of Ireland a small selection of
stakeholes in the outer enclosure were excavated and their fills are
being processed in order to extract sufficient charcoal for scientific
C14 dating.
Significance and Parallels

In terms of morphology - the exact central positioning of the inner
enclosure, the large size of the outer and inner enclosures and the
radial entrance corridor – the closest parallels suggest that this site
may be a ritual enclosure – dated to the Late Bronze Age or Iron Age.
The Lismullin site can be compared with a number of Late Bronze Age and
Iron Age enclosures. At the hilltop Iron Age royal site at Dún Ailinne,
Co. Kildare, one of the phases (the second or ‘rose’ phase) consists of
a series of closely spaced circular timber

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enclosures, formed of deep foundation trenches 27m-31m in diameter,
(which may be contemporary or successive), with a funnel shaped timber
avenue which extends towards the entrance of an outer ditched and
banked enclosure, 400m in diameter. The central enclosures were annexed
to the south by a series of smaller enclosures forming a
figure-of-eight enclosure. At Emain Macha, Co. Armagh, the Iron Age
Phase 3ii structures provide another parallel. This phase consists of a
complex sequence of circular timber structures formed of palisade
trenches c.20-25m in diameter, with an entrance to the east and a
sequence of parallel trenches forming a corridor or avenue out towards
an outer ditched enclosure, 286m in diameter. As at Dún Ailinne, the
inner enclosure is annexed by a smaller enclosure (c.10m-13.5m in
diameter) to form figure-of-eight enclosures.

Geophysical surveys at Rathcroghan Mound, at the centre of Cruachan,
Co. Roscommon have revealed a series of possible palisaded circular
enclosures, c. 17m and 30m in diameter, centred within a 90m diameter
embanked enclosure which may be enclosed within a palisaded circular
enclosure, 120m in diameter. A number of linear anomalies perpendicular
to the eastern edge of the inner enclosure may represent an entrance
avenue or corridor as present at Emain Macha, Dún Ailinne and
Lismullin.

At Raith na Senad on the Hill of Tara, the second phase consisting of a
series of palisaded enclosures c.16m and 25m in diameter (potentially
situated within a much larger, but as yet undated, enclosure recently
identified by geophysical survey) may also provide a parallel.
Closer in scale to Lismullin, but again of different construction, is
the Iron Age phase of Raffin Fort, Co. Meath. Here a 9m diameter
circular slot trench with an eastern entrance is centrally situated
within a 65m diameter circular ditched enclosure with an external bank.
There is no evidence of a corridor between the internal and external
enclosures. Raffin Fort has been interpreted as an Iron Age ritual
complex or site Associated with a lower grade of political power than
those represented at Dún Ailinne, Emain Macha and Rathcroghan above.
Other later prehistoric sites in Ireland

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have produced circular features situated centrally within wider ditched
enclosures such as those at Rathgall, Co. Wicklow, which are dated to
the Late Bronze Age. In addition to the differences in scale and
construction methodology (i.e. stakeholes rather than ditches and banks
in the outer enclosure and small shallow postholes rather than deep
foundation trenches) the site at Lismullin has a number of other
distinct differences from these parallels (Fig 5). The low-lying
position of the site is at variance to the above parallels which are
all located on hilltops. Lismullin while not located on a hilltop, is
situated at the centre of a natural geomorphological hollow and
therefore higher ground overlooks all sides of the monument. The
enclosure is Likely to have been deliberately situated to take
advantage of this unusual natural topography, which will add to the
interpretation of its use. The Lismullin enclosure also differs from a
number of the above parallels in that they have multiple phases of
rebuilding, while the enclosure at Lismullin appears to represent a
single phase of use. In addition unlike the Lismullin enclosure the
parallels outlined above are phases of sites that have multiple phases
of construction and long-term use spanning millennia.

Dating and Interpretation

Lismullin remains scientifically undated and it should be noted that
large enclosures defined by upright posts can be dated to other
periods, particularly the Late Neolithic and early medieval period.
Considering some of the differences between Lismullin and the Late
Bronze Age/Iron Age sites described above, it is possible that the site
at Lismullin may have a different date and function to the above
parallels. However, the basic similarities (i.e. an inner circular
feature, a larger outer enclosure and a corridor feature) mean that
Lismullin is a convincing candidate for a Late Bronze Age/Iron Age
ritual enclosure.

The site’s location beneath the important ceremonial complex on the
Hill of Tara may suggest that this is a ceremonial site serving smaller
or lesser political units. It may perhaps be more directly related to
the nearby cliff top fort Rath Lugh. It may alternatively represent a
single ceremonial event on a site which was not then used again, unlike
the parallels described above

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Condition

Prior to excavation, there were no visible archaeological features of
this site. The site was discovered in the course of topsoil stripping
(in accordance with Ministerial Directions) and is now uncovered,
within the landtake. Archaeological excavation has revealed that the
site has been heavily truncated by past centuries of ploughing, with
the result that the sample of surviving features investigated to date
are very shallow. The site is exposed and is vulnerable to
deterioration, however as a temporary measure the features have been
protected with plastic and the site is secured. During very wet weather
however the site will be susceptible to hill wash and silting due to
its low position beneath a gravel and sand ridge.
Other Sites
A series of smaller sites and dispersed features ranging in date from
middle bronze age to early medieval are dispersed across the large
cutting in which the enclosure is located and excavation of many of
these has been completed.

Excavation is ongoing of an early medieval souterrain which is located
approximately 50m from the enclosure. This souterrain is not related to
the enclosure.

Construction

Construction of the approved M3 Motorway Project is underway. The
Contractor Eurolink has been informed of the status of the Lismullin
enclosure site. No construction work will take place at this location
pending the outcome of the Ministers deliberations and any requirements
he may impose under Direction under the National Monuments Acts.

Road construction activity of the approved M3 route, with the exception
of the Lismullin enclosure site will proceed as planned.
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