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Rathgall

Wicklow, Republic of Ireland · Atlas IR0723

Rathgall is a contour fort and a multiple enclosure in Rath East, Wicklow, Republic of Ireland.

Other names on the record: Rath East.

It is recorded as extant, with a multivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, and an enclosed area of 5.77 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on a hilltop and at 139 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes pasture.

Dating evidence is recorded for 1200–800 BC (Artefactual and C14). Reliability is recorded as A - High.

Location

Atlas number
IR0723 (723)
Country
Republic of Ireland
Current county or unitary authority
Wicklow
Historic county
Wicklow
Parish, community, or townland
Rath East
Latitude
52.80223
Longitude
-6.66314
Altitude
139 m

Form and condition

Type
contour fort and multiple enclosure
Condition
Extant
Morphology
multivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
4
Ramparts by quadrant
NE 3, SE 4, SW 4, NW 4
Number of ditches
1
Possible original entrances
1
Breaks through the ramparts
2
Enclosed area
5.77 ha
Enclosure areas
1.34 ha, 2.14 ha, 5.77 ha
Footprint
6.08 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank
Enclosing works, excavated
earthen bank
Also recorded
multi-period enclosure system and ditches
Entrance forms
Simple Gap (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
hilltop
Aspect
level
Land use
pasture

Dating

Dating
1200–800 BC
Dating evidence
Artefactual and C14
Dating reliability
A - High

Interior and investigation

Interior excavation
pits, postholes, and roundhouses
Finds
pottery, metal, metalworking, human bones, lithics, and environmental material
Investigations
1st Identified Map Depiction (1842); Earthwork Survey (1906); Other (1911); Other (1990); Excavation (1960-1979)

Identifiers

HER
Archaeological Survey of Ireland SMR Database WI037-016
National record
record WI 037
Wikidata
Q31081106

Sources

References

  1. Chapple, R. 2013, https://sites.google.com/site/chapplearchaeology/irish-radiocarbon-dendrochronological-dates.
  2. Grogan, E. and Kilfeather, A. 1997. Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow. The Stationery Office, Dublin.
  3. Orpen, G. 1911. Rathgal, Co. Wicklow. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 41, 138 - 150.
  4. Raftery, B 1972. «Irish hillforts. In The Iron Age in the Irish Sea Province (ed C Thomas), C.B.A Research Report 9, London. 37 _ 58.
  5. Raftery, B 1976. Rathgall and Irish Hillfort Problems. In Hillforts: Later Prehistoric Earthworks of Britain and Ireland (ed D Harding), Academic Press, London. 339 _ 357.
  6. Raftery, B 1994. Pagan Celtic Ireland, Thames and Hudson, London
  7. Waddell, J 1998. The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland 1st edn, Wordwell, Dublin.