Barrow - bowl-barrow

The National Monuments Service's description

On a slight rise of the broad WNW-ESE ridge of Carnfree. It has been identified as part of Dumha Selga, which has mythological associations (FitzPatrick 2004, 64-5). Flat-topped grass-covered mound (diam. of top 16m N-S; 15.2m E-W; diam. of base 30.5m E-W; 25.4m N-S; H 1.6-1.8m), with a slight bank on the summit (Wth c. 3m; H 0.2-0.9m) SW-N, perhaps spoil from a levelling of an originally rounded top or an ancient adaptation. The mound is surrounded by a fosse (Wth of top 13.2-15.1m; Wth of base 4-5m; D 0.5-0.8m) and outer flat-topped bank (Wth of base 9.2-10.7m; Wth of top 4.1-4.9m). This bank has an earthen field bank on its outer edge (Wth c. 2m; int. H 0.2-0.3m; ext. H 1.2-1.7m), perhaps spoil from the cutting of an external flat-bottomed fosse or drain (Wth of top 5-6.7m; Wth of base 1.5-2.5m; D 0.2-0.8m). There are no original entrances identified (max. ext. diam. 66m E-W), but the bank was removed NW-NE in the construction of rath (RO028-063002-) which is to the N (max. ext. diam. 65m E-W). Mound barrow (RO028-063004-) is c. 50m outside to the ESE and mound barrow (RO028-063005-) is c. 60m outside to the NE.
Geophysical survey showed remarkably little variation with all techniques, suggesting that it is very uniform in composition. (Waddell et al. 2009, 124-135)

See the attached aerial image taken from SSE.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

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

FitzPatrick, E. 2004 Royal inauguration in Gaelic Ireland c.1100-1600: a cultural landscape study. Studies in Celtic History 22. Woodbridge. The Boydell Press.