Excavation of Two Souterrain Complexes at Marshes Upper, Dundalk, Co. Louth

This report describes the results of archaeological excavation at the Finnabair Industrial Estate, Dundalk, between January and April 1982. Excavation on two sites, Marshes Upper 3 and 4, revealed five souterrains, some of which had been partly destroyed and robbed of their stones during the post-medieval period, and the remains of two enclosure ditches, one of which had a causeway. Finds retrieved include a range of souterrain ware, two sherds of E-ware, an unusual bronze mount, a bone comb, two bronze stick-pins and a bronze sewing needle. Quernstone fragments, hammer-stones, hones, two flint awls and a large stone maul were also found. Two charcoal samples, one from construction backfill in souterrain A, Marshes Upper 3, and one from primary material blocking the entrance to souterrain B, Marshes Upper 4, yielded uncalibrated radiocarbon dates of A.D. 688±55 (UB-2572) and A.D. 848±50 (UB-2573) respectively.