1977:076 - CARROWNAGLOGH, Mayo

Excavation continued in 1977 to uncover, map and investigate prehistoric cultivation under peat inside and outside the prehistoric walled enclosure at this site. An area of 3000 sq m. was uncovered in four parallel north-south cuttings and two ancillary east-west cuttings in the western sector of the area under investigation.
As in previous seasons, the cultivation ridges ran mainly east-west, with clearance heaps of field-stones dotted here and there. In the south-western sector, two linear concentrations of field-stones were found running roughly east-west 18 and 34m north of the intact field-wall, respectively, and parallel to it. Some of their stones were scattered on the cultivation-ridges immediately to the south. These were interpreted as the remains of stone field-boundaries abandoned and partly destroyed as fresh areas of cultivation were opened up to the south.
In one cutting running south from the intact field-wall cultivation ridges continued for a distance of 50m. No obvious boundary feature to this area of cultivation could be discerned. An earthen bank and stone setting, about 5m in diameter and roughly circular, defined what appears to be a shelter sited north of centre of the main walled enclosure. Investigation of this feature was begun but not completed.