Road - class 2 togher

The National Monuments Service's description

This togher (L 38m min.; Wth 3.05m max.; D 0.06m), orientated NW-SE, was composed of longitudinal roundwood and occasional brushwood, which overlay irregularly spaced transverse brushwood and roundwood. The longitudinal elements (diam. 0.055-0.14m; L 0.05-5.05m) were laid one piece deep and an average of three pieces wide. They were quite widely spaced with gaps of 0.1-0.3m recorded between elements. The transverse elements (diam. 0.04-0.1m; L 0.9-3.4m) were quite regularly spaced 3-4m apart but variations of 0.5-4.1m were present. Occasional irregular deposits of fragmentary brushwood and pieces of split wood were dispersed throughout and several small stones were found within the togher at its SE end. The maximum width of the togher was 3.05m, however, this was due to the length of some of the transverses and an estimated true width of its surface was c. 0.7-1.5m. The wood was in good to moderate condition and only occasional metal-cut toolmarks were present; species identified included alder, hazel and ash. The NW extent of the togher underlay the S end of another togher (LF004-014----) in Trench 4. At its SE end it ran 0.32m beneath one togher (LF004-003----) and 0.37m beneath another togher (LF004-029----), in Trenches 9 and 12 respectively. A structure (LF004-044----) lay 0.2m above the E end in Trench 12. The togher extended beyond the development footprint at both its NW and SE ends. Radiocarbon dating revealed a date range of 2470-2200 cal BC (Wk-20202) (Moore and O’Connor 2009a, 37-8, EDC 36).

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 Unpublished report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.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.