Road - class 2 togher

The National Monuments Service's description

This togher (L 25m min.; Wth 1.8m; D 0.2m) was orientated E-W in a gradually curving 'S' shape. It was built by laying a sparse layer of longitudinal brushwood (diam. 0.015-0.04m; L c. 3m) and roundwood (diam. 0.1-0.12m; L c. 7m) directly onto the bog surface. This was overlain by irregularly spaced large brushwood, roundwood and split timbers, which were placed transversely or diagonally across the line of the togher. Variations among these pieces included the use of a forked roundwood at the W end, whereas in the central area two roundwoods were laid 0.6m apart. At the E extent, three transverses were laid 0.1-0.2m apart. Following this a layer of longitudinal brushwood and occasional roundwood was loosely woven under and over the transverses and into the basal layer. The pattern of the weave was quite irregular, however, the sequence of under/over indicated that the togher was built moving from W to E. The roundwood tended to be laid at the edges and may have had a role in defining and delineating the togher. The maximum width was 1.8m, however, this included both outlying pieces and the transverse elements, which extended out at each edge. The functioning surface of the togher was an average of 1.1-1.2m wide. Woodworking evidence indicated the use of stone axes and included some small, crudely split pieces of wood. The togher was located 0.04m above another togher (LF004-045----) and c. 1.9m below, and to the N of, a further togher (LF004-039----). Radiocarbon dating revealed a date range of 3640-3370 cal BC (Wk-20960) (Moore and O’Connor 2009a, 41-2, EDC 45).

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 Unpublished report, National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.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