2016:103 - N5 Ballaghaderreen Scramoge Road Development; AH05 Lavally & Vesnoy, Roscommon

Stage (i) Standard Archaeological Test Excavations were undertaken at Lavally & Vesnoy, Co. Roscommon in January‑February 2016 in order to provide further information as part of the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge Road Project. Machine-assisted test excavations) were undertaken in greenfield areas amounting to 2.652ha within the proposed landtake for the proposed roadway. A total of 21 machine-assisted test-trenches (1770.5 linear m) were excavated within the site (c. 12% of the LMA). Testing confirmed the presence of archaeological features, a disturbed fulacht fia was recorded at AH05b. A series of surface depressions across the testing areas were shown to be of archaeological potential, albeit of post-medieval date.

The fulacht fia (Lavally 1) was recorded at ITM 594097, 781813 and consisted of an extensively disturbed spread of heat-shattered rock in a charcoal-rich clay matrix, associated with a large pit or trough, cut through the underlying subsoil. The trough was subcircular in plan and had dimensions of 4m north-west/south-east x 3m x 0.9m deep. It was filled with 2 layers of material derived from the overlying burnt spread.

Numerous surface depressions were identified in LiDAR survey and designated as a ‘pitfield’.  The surface depressions were subjected to geophysical survey, metal detection, Electrical Resistivity Imaging, loss-on-ignition analysis and mass-specific magnetic susceptibility in advance of archaeological testing (which was undertaken in the presence of a geologist). The combined evidence from advance archaeological, geological and geophysical investigations is somewhat ambiguous. The underlying geology across the testing area provided conditions where enclosed karstic depressions might form. However, at the north of the area (AH05a), a longer, narrower and deeper plan form was identified, indicating that it is less certain that they are derived from natural processes. Despite this, no archaeological material indicative of a human origin for the surface depressions were noted. In the central area of testing (AH05b) the size, depth and plan form of depressions, and the underlying geology indicated that they could be formed by natural processes. However, a sherd of post-medieval pottery was retrieved from one of the pits. Radiocarbon dating subsequently confirmed the recent date. A sample of Pomoideae charcoal collected from the same pit was dated to AD 1687‑1927. In the southern portion of the testing area (AH5c) the size, depth and planform of depressions, and the underlying geology indicate that they could be formed by natural processes. No archaeological material was noted in the surface depressions in this area.