See also: Wayside Crosses [Nevinstown Wayside Cross] & Tara Mines Excavations
We reproduce here a pamphlet written by Ms Mary Cahill of the National Museum of Ireland who directed the Bula Mines sponsored excavations in Nevinstown, (where the orebody was discovered), in the summer of 1977.
The map below shows the location of the townland of Nevinstown, which lies on the northern bank of the River Blackwater, directly opposite Tara Mines. The orebody on this side of the Blackwater was originally owned by Bula Mines who eventually sold out to Tara mines. Note the location of a fort in Field 24 and the site of the Nevinstown Wayside Cross in the north western corner of Field 19. The exact location of the archaeological dig is not, unfortunately, recorded in the pamphlet, but the last paragraph would indicate that some of it at any rate, was located in the vicinity of the wayside cross.
(Above) Map of part Nevinstown townland from the Meath Fieldnames Project. Note the location of the Wayside Cross in Field 19 and a fort in field 24. The River Blackwater separates Nevinstown from Tara Mines.
(Above left) Encrusted Urn: This type of pottery vessel is so called because of the decoration, which is applied to the body of the pot using strips and blobs of clay. The urn was found mouth downwards in a shallow pit, filled with cremated human bone. The burial was accompanied by another pottery vessel, a Food Vessel Vase (above right). About 100 burials in encrusted urns have been found in Ireland and 17 have been accompanied by vessels such as this. Early Bronze Age c. 1700-1500 BC.
See also: Tara Mines Excavations