Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the base of a NW−SE aligned valley, flanked by steep hillsides. This fulacht fia was discovered in 2018 during archaeological testing (License number: E005040 registration number E5014) and was fully excavated in 2019 in advance of the proposed N56 Letterilly to Glenties (Kilraine) Road Scheme (Hull 2019).
The fulacht fia was sealed by a thick peat layer (D c. 1m) and overlay underlay peat (D 0.4m). It consisted of a mound (6.1m by 4.9m; H 0.38m deep) of burnt stone and charcoal, with an associated timber trough underlying the E edge of the mound. The subrectangular trough (L 1.8m; Wth 1.13m; D 0.1m) was built on a roughly laid brushwood surface, and was lined with split timbers and roundwoods, mostly alder and hazel. Cut marks on the timbers indicated the use of adzes and sharp metal axes. Moss was packed below and between the timbers. The moss was derived from a woodland environment, and bramble seeds, alder and yew buds found within the moss suggest a late summer/early autumn construction of the trough. Analysis of the charcoal fragments from the mound indicates that oak was frequently used as fuel, as well as holly, fruitwood and willow. Five radiocarbon dates derived from timber and charcoal samples indicate that the fulacht fia was in use at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age, between the mid-11th and late 10th centuries BC. (Hull 2019)

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 10 May 2021

References

Hull, G. 2019 2019:591 - Letterilly 1, Donegal. TVAS (Ireland) Ltd. In Excavations.ie Database of Irish Excavation Reports: https://excavations.ie/report/2019/Donegal/0029712/