Platform - peatland

The National Monuments Service's description

A platform (L 5.25m; Wth 3.87m; D 0.52m), orientated NE‑SW, consisting of two layers. The upper layer was composed of horizontally laid timbers, roundwood (diam. 0.06‑0.16m), brushwood (diam. 0.015‑0.05m) and twigs, laid up to three pieces deep. The brushwood was concentrated in the SE portion and numerous pegs (diam. 0.015‑0.03m), set at angles of 70‑90°, were evident at NE and SW. The lower layer consisted of brushwood, roundwood and twigs laid up to two pieces deep. The brushwood was densely packed and, again, concentrated to the SE, while the roundwood was widely spaced to the NW. Twigs were laid both in dense beds and scattered throughout the larger elements. Nine pegs, at angles of 55‑80º, were set throughout this layer and were concentrated in its S half. Occasional small wood chips were also scattered throughout this layer. The wood was in a very good condition with woodworking indicated by a high number of metal‑cut toolmarks, and by both half and tangentially split timbers. Radiocarbon dating revealed date ranges of 750‑700 cal BC and 540‑390 cal BC (Beta‑217355). The platform lay 1m S of a togher (LF004‑003‑‑‑‑) and was 0.2m above another platform (LF004‑020‑‑‑‑) (Moore and O’Connor 2009a, 16‑17, EDC 1c).

Compiled by: Mary Tunney based on data kindly supplied by Caitríona Moore.

The attached image is copyright and uploaded courtesy of CRDS Ltd.

Date of upload: 26 August 2011

References

Moore, C. and O'Connor, D.J. 2009a N4 Dromod Roosky bypass. Advance archaeological works contract. Edercloon. Final report, archaeological excavation. CRDS Ltd. Unpublished report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Licence no. A31-025/E3313.