Excavation At A Prehistoric Hillfort In Co. Wicklow

Hawkes Archaeological Services is pleased to announce we have secured funding from the Royal Irish Academy for a small research excavation at a prehistoric hillfort in Co. Wicklow.

This excavation forms part of research currently being undertaken by Dr James O’Driscoll on the Baltinglass Hillfort Group. It also directly feeds into previous work carried out in the area by UCC under the direction of Professor William O’Brien. The excavation will focus on the largest of three enclosures on Tuckmill Hill – Rathcoran Hillfort. This is a pear-shaped bivallate monument that occupies a total area of 10.06ha. The enclosing elements at Rathcoran form some of the biggest known on an Irish hillfort. Previous scholars have interpreted Rathcoran as an unfinished hillfort, due to the seemingly incomplete nature of the enclosing elements, breaks in the circuit and intervening quarry features. Recent geophysical survey (James O’Driscoll) revealed a series of strong magnetic anomalies along the crest of the inner bank which probably represent an intensive burning event related to the destruction of a wooden palisade. The central aim of the excavation at Rathcoran is to obtain information on the defences of the hillfort. This included details of the physical form of the enclosing elements, and the methods and materials employed in their construction. It is also intended to obtain evidence for the date(s) of construction, and the chronology of site occupation and abandonment.