Ceremonial enclosure

The National Monuments Service's description

On the summit of the Rathcroghan plateau. Rathcroghan mound (RO022-057010-) is just E of the centre of a large enclosure (diam. c. 360m) defined by a fosse which has been traced SE-W-N by geophysical survey and which is visible SE-S. It does not appear to have had an accompanying bank, but seems to have consisted solely of a fosse (Wth c. 5m), which may have been rock-cut in places. No entrance is noted, but the NE quadrant of the perimeter is largely destroyed by quarries. (Waddell et al. 2009, 148, 191, Fig. 5.6)

Further work (Fenwick 2018, 77) identified a second, internal enclosure (diam. c. 160m), again defined by a narrow fosse (Wth c. 2m) and utilising the same centre more or less. This also encloses the great mound, placing it just E of its centre, and must be regarded as relating directly to the larger enclosure. An intense examination of a small area (dims 40m N-S; 40m E-W) on the perimeter of the large enclosure at W with various remote sensing techniques, of which the most productive was perhaps fluxgate gradiometer, failed to identify any bank accompanying the fosse (Wth 2.5m), although at this point the fosse was probably not rock-cut. However, the E-W post-medieval cultivation ridges crossed the infilled fosse at this point (Fenwick et al. 2020 89-90).

Apart from Rathcroghan mound, the standing stones (RO022-057006-; RO022-057008-); mound (RO022-057007-), barrows (RO022-057013-; RO022-057014-; RO022-056015-; RO022-056016-), the enclosure (RO022-057085-) and the associated avenues (RO022-057093-; RO022-057094-) are also within the ceremonial enclosure. The entire area of the enclosure was cultivated with in small plots of c. 0.4 ha at a later time, but the perimeter still functioned as a boundary over much of the enclosure as can be seen in the changes in direction of the cultivation ridges on either side of it (ibid. 147). (Herity 1983, 130, fig. 38; Waddell 1987-8, 35 No. 50; Fenwick et al. 1996)

This is a National Monument in state ownership: No. 294.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010
Amended: 24 November 2020

References

Waddell, J. 1987-8 Excavations at Daithi's Mound, Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon. Journal of Irish Archaeology 4, 23-36.

Waddell, J., Fenwick, J. and Barton, K. 2009 Rathcroghan: archaeological and geophysical survey in a ritual landscape. Dublin. Wordwell.

Herity, M. 1983 A survey of the royal site of Cruachain in Connacht, 1. Introduction, the monuments and topography. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 113, 121-42.

Fenwick, J., Brennan, Y. and Barton, K. 1996 ArchaeoGeophysical imaging project. Third six-monthly report to the National Heritage Council. Unpublished.

Fenwick, J., Daly, E. and S. Rooney 2020 Rathcroghan revisited: A renewed archaeological and geophysical exploration of selected areas of the focal ritual complex. Emania, 25, 81-98.

Fenwick, J. 2108a A comparative archaeological review of the Late Prehistoric ‘royal site’ of Rathcroghan. In Farrell, R., O’Conor, K. and M. Potterton (eds) Roscommon, History and Society: interdisciplinary essays on the History of an Irish county. Dublin, Geography Publications

Fenwick, J. 2018b The Late Prehistoric ‘royal site’ of Rathcroghan, Co. Roscommon: An enduring paradigm of enclosed sacred space. Emania 24, 35-51.