Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

Located in a pocket of peat, at the base of a hill at the interface between zones of peat and dry pasture land. This fulacht fia was discovered during archaeological monitoring of the Lough Mask Regional Water Supply Scheme (2001-2002) and was subsequently fully excavated (01E0967) (Guinan 2015, 74-83; 87-89, Kildarra I). This fulacht fia consisted of a compact, irregular-shaped spread (5.3m N–S; 2.3m E–W) of heat-shattered sandstone and some limestone fragments, in a matrix of charcoal-rich peat. The mound had suffered disturbance in the past. A subcircular trough, cut into the underlying boulder clay, was located 1.3m E of the burnt stone. The trough (L 1.2m; Wth 0.7m; D 0.62m) had steep sides and a flat base. Alder wood chips, a degraded timber post and two unidentifiable fragments of burnt bone were found in the trough fill. Part of a blackthorn post (diam. 0.05m) was preserved where it had been driven into the ground on the S edge of the trough. A cluster of timber posts (diam. 0.02-0.05m), forming an arc, were found 2.5m to SE of the trough. A charcoal sample submitted for radiocarbon analysis produced a date (2500 +/-45 BP (800-409 BC) indicating the latter stages of the Late Bronze Age. Another fulacht fia (MA102-63----) was located 50m to S. (Guinan 2015, 74-83; 87-89).

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.