Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the NE shore of Lough More. This fulacht fia consists of a kidney-shaped mound (7.5m NE−SW; c. 4.5m NW-SE; max. H 0.52) composed of angular heat-shattered fragments of sandstone, conglomerate and limestone. Lake waters eroded part of the W side of the mound, exposing a damaged trough, and in 1992 a rescue excavation (92E01750) was carried out focusing on that side of the mound (McDermott 1995, 187-196). The excavation revealed that the trough was set in a depression dug into the underlying peat. The base of the depression was lined with a layer of bog myrtle leaves and, above that, a layer of moss. The E side (L 1.05m NE-SW; H 0.5m) and part of the N side (max L 0.8m NW−SE) of the trough survived in situ, and were constructed of roundwoods (diam. 6cm) horizontally laid, one on top of the other, and held in place with upright corner posts. Moss was found in the gaps between the lower timbers, perhaps used to make the trough watertight. Immediately to W of the fulacht fia mound, an irregular arc of upright stakes, is set in the lake bed. This feature could not be fully examined but it may be associated with the fulacht fia. Charcoal and charred wood fragments retrieved from the fulacht fia included ash, willow, alder, hazel and birch. Radiocarbon analysis of a timber sample produced a Bronze Age date of 1290-939 cal BC to 2 sigma (GrN 21260) (McDermott 1995, 190). There is another fulacht fia (MA059-013----) located on the lake shore c. 75m to SW.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 2 November 2016

References

McDermott, C. 1995 Fulacht fiadh in Bofeenaun Townland, Lough More, Co. Mayo. In: Moloney et al. 1995 Blackwater survey & excavations. Artefact deterioration in peatlands. Lough More, Co. Mayo. Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit Transactions, Volume 4, 187-196. Dublin, OPW; UCD.