Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Located at the interface of a glacial ridge and an area of lowlying, deep peat. This fulacht fia was discovered during archaeological monitoring of the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme (2001-2002) and was subsequently excavated (01E0680) (Guinan 2015, 52-62; 72-73, Carrowcor I). The fulacht fia, which had been disturbed by land reclamation and past farming activity, consisted of a low, irregular mound of sandstone fragments in charcoal rich soil. Part of the mound extends to S beyond the acquired pipeline wayleave and remains intact. The remainder of the mound (10.25m N–S; 8m E–W) was excavated. At the W of the excavated area, there was a shallow rectangular feature (1.5m NW–SE; 0.8m NE–SW), cut into the underlying marl layer, which may have been the remains of a trough. Ten artefacts of chert, flint and quartz were found, including a flint hollow scarper, a flint end scarper and a retouched chert blade. Also recovered were 147 fragments of pig and cattle bones. Two charcoal samples produced a radiocarbon dates of 3450 +/-45 BP (1889-1676 BC) and 3465 +/-41 BP (1896-1685 BC) which dates activity at the site to the latter stages of the Early Bronze Age. Another fulacht fia (MA102-059----) is located 30m to E. (Guinan 2015, 52-62; 72-73).

Compiled by: Jane O’ Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 3 March 2016

References

Guinan, B. 2015 On the plains of Mayo. Archaeological discoveries on the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme Stage III: Claremorris-Knock-Ballyhaunis-Ballindine. Mayo County Council Archaeological Series 5. Castlebar.