Habitation site

The National Monuments Service's description

At the base of the crannog two knolls c. 3m apart were utilised during the Mesolithic. The W knoll (diam. 9m; H 0.55m above water) was covered in a layer of white mud over stones with activity represented between both knolls by a total of 167 pieces of chert and flint including cores, blades, and Bann flakes. Brushwood layers spreading out from the knolls were probably deliberately laid down. A C14 date of 4313-3980 cal. BC +- 60 BP was obtained from charcoal from the brushwood layer (Bradley 1984, 86; O’Sullivan 1998, 52-3). The knolls were covered with lake mud (max. T 0.6m) which contained a few stray items but was largely sterile until a platform was established on the mud in the Early Bronze Age, on which two huts (ME005-088004-; ME005-088006-) were built. (Bradley 1982-3, 12-19; 1991, 7-9; O'Sullivan 1998, 52-3)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 6 September 2018

References

Bradley, J. 1982-3 Excavations at Moynagh Lough, Co. Meath 1980-81. Interim Report. Ríocht na Mídhe vol. 7, No. 2, 12-32.

Bradley, J. 1991 Excavations at Moynagh Lough. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 111, 5-26.

O'Sullivan, A. 1998 The archaeology of lake settlement in Ireland. Discovery Programme Monograph No. 4. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy.