Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

In partly cutaway bog, located towards the E end of a natural peat basin. A second fulacht fia (MA085-001001-) is located 20m to N.
This fulacht fia was partly excavated (92E0162) over two seasons in 1992 and 1993 (King, 2007, 249-266). Prior to excavation, the fulacht fia was visible as lenses of densely-packed, heat-shattered sandstone and charcoal in both section faces of a NNW-SSE field drain (Wth c. 3m) which had cut through and partly damaged the mound. During the pre-excavation survey, a rim sherd of decorated, coarse-textured prehistoric pottery was found protruding from the lens of burnt stone.
The excavation established the limits of the mound (c. 7.4m N−S; c. 5m E−W; H c. 0.39m), and revealed evidence for at least two phases of activity. The earliest phase was represented by an oval depression (1m NE-SW; 1.6m NW-SE; D 0.07m), possibly a trough, which was surrounded by a stone-covered surface, possibly intended to provide a working surface. The oval depression was delimited on the inner edge of its perimeter by eighteen wooden pegs, with traces of possible wattling between the pegs. It was filled with heat-shattered stone, charcoal and partially burnt wood, with a large stone slab lying in the base. At the SE end of the depression, an oval concentration of heat-shattered and fire-reddened stones may have been the remains of a hearth. Also belonging to the primary phase, was an enigmatic stone-built structure (max. W 1.07m; H 0.35m) located a few meters S of the oval depression. It had been damaged by the field drain, but it was clear that it had sides of upright sandstone slabs, and a floor lined with small stones, and it appeared to have been roofed with slabs. It was tentatively interpreted as an oven, although there was no evidence of heat-fracturing. A thin peat horizon appears to have developed during this early phase, and the mound of burnt stone overlay this.
A charcoal sample from the mound produced a radiocarbon date of 3620+/-32 BP (UB6828) which points to use of the site in the Early Bronze Age during the period 2121-2015/2041-1892 BC (King 2007, 265).

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 10 December 2018

References

Gosling, P., Manning, C. and Waddell, J. (eds.) 2007 New Survey of Clare Island, Volume 5: Archaeology. Dublin, Royal Irish Academy.

King, P. 2007 The archaeological excavation of a fulachta fia (Cat. No. 37) at Park, Lecarrow. In Gosling, Manning and Waddell (eds.) 2007 New Survey of Clare Island, Volume 5: Archaeology, Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, 249-266.