Platform - peatland

The National Monuments Service's description

This site was located in the industrial peatlands of Cloonshannagh Bog. It was first recorded in the 2013 Reassessment Peatland Survey as exposed in the drain face, 0.45m below the field surface. It was composed of densely laid brushwood that were placed side by side and across each other, up to three elements deep (Whitaker 2014).

The site was excavated in 2015 (licence 15E0195) and dated to cal. 792-513 BC. Excavation revealed two platforms separated by a 0.17m peat layer, the lower of which is recorded as RO024-066----. The uppermost one was composed of a loose collection of haphazardly arranged brushwood contained within an area measuring 1.64m by 1.59m. The longer elements were oriented N-S with the remaining shorter elements having various orientations. Some elements showed tool-marked ends. Pegs were also found. The brushwood was identified as hazel followed by ash, alder and birch. Roundwoods were identified as ash while worked ends were hazel, alder and willow. Two pegs were identified as alder. Bark was present on the hazel brushwood (Coughlan and Whitaker 2019).

Compiled by: Femke Vleeshouwer/Jane Whitaker/Tim Coughlan

Date of upload: 15 April 2020

References

Coughlan, T & Whitaker, J 2019 Final excavation report Cloonshannagh Bog, Co Roscommon. Bord na Mona Peatland Archaeological Services 2014-2017. Unpublished report submitted to DOEHLG & BnM

Whitaker, J. 2014 Re‐assessment Peatland Survey 2013, Blackwater, Boora, Derrydreenagh, Mountdillon Group of Bogs, County Offaly, Longford, Westmeath and Roscommon. Unpublished report prepared by ADS for Bord na Móna.