Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a gentle E-facing slope. First identified in centre-line testing (05E0983) for a new line of the N4 (O’Connor et al. 2005, 33-5), and later fully resolved (E003301) as a part of Moher 1, which is an unmapped nineteenth century limekiln sitting over a Late Bronze Age fulacht fia (LE037-011002-), which in turn is sitting over this Early Bronze Age fulacht fia. The lime-kiln consisted of an earthen mound (dims 9.2m E-W; 7.4m N-S; H 2.2m) with a flue opening on the W side. The earliest feature uncovered is a ring of stakes (dims 1.44m x 0.72m) with fragments of brushwood, which may have been an outline for a pit. There were re-deposited natural clays with charcoal inclusions in the surrounding peat. A deposit of unburned limestone (dims 2.3m x 1.7m) was nearby. (Collins and O’Connor 2008, 14)

Over this initial activity a fully developed mound of broken and burnt stone (diam. 7.2m x 7m; T 0.25m) developed around a rectangular trough (dims 2.1m x 1.45m; D 0.2-0.65m) N-E-S. The trough was partly lined with planks on the W, N and E sides, and five planks covered the N part of the floor. The planks were held in place by five stakes. Three fills included burnt stone, peat and sand, and a sample from the basal layer produced a C14 date of 3038 +- 43 BP (1420-1130 cal. BC), possibly representing its last use. Sticky clays lined the trough and two mossy organic layers beneath its floor produced a C14 date of 3116 +- 44 BP (1500-1260 cal. BC), perhaps from its construction phase. A layer of peat with wood and charcoal directly beneath the mound produced a C14 date of 3207 +- 51 (1610-1390 cal. BC). (Collins and O’Connor 2008, 14-16; Collins 2009)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 9 January 2020

O’Connor, D. J., Marta Muniz Pérez and Sheelagh Conran 2005 N4 Dromod-Roosky Bypass. Advance Archaeological Works Contract Licence No. 05E0983 Preliminary Report. Unpublished, CRDS

References

Collins, A. and O’Connor, D. J. 2009 N4 Dromod – Roosky Bypass. Advance Archaeological Works Contract. Moher 1. Ministerial Direction A 31 (A31-013/E003301) Final Report, Unpublished, CRDS

Collins, A. 2009 Moher 1. Prehistoric. In I. Bennett (ed.) Excavations 2006: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 317, No. 1226. Dublin, Wordwell