1977-79:105 - CLOGHER DEMENSE, Tyrone

The major outstanding problem at the beginning of the season was the relationship of a number of important internal features. This problem now seems to be satisfactorily solved (below), putting the relative chronology of the site on a firm basis. The results may be summarised thus:

Three courses of the inner face of a massive stone wall overlie sterile soil of apparently Later Bronze Age date (radiocarbon). This wall, whose main body and outer face have been removed by later occupation, runs in such a way as to suggest a long narrow enclosure on the summit of the hill, and is associated with the distinctive Clogher-style (club rim) coarse pottery, and a series of large pits. The most interesting feature was strong evidence for horizontal timbers lying across the wall at secnd course height. Such lacing timbers in stonework have not been clearly demonstrated in Ireland before. The provisional date for the structure would be in the middle of the first millennium BC (Phase 1b).
It seems probable that the ‘inner palisade’, now seen to be a very massive affair of continuous timbers and to be regarded as defensive, was contemporary with the ring-ditch (Phase 2a). The occupation debris associated with the earlier fill of the ring-ditch (pre- ‘yellow layer’) continues to produce Mediterranean amphorae sherds (including, now, Bi). Also well stratified at this horizon was a ‘mottled’ glass bead of a type well known from the site and a multi-spiral bronze ring, best paralleled on a number of Irish latchet brooches. Besides confirming the general date of this horizon, the 5th/6th centuries AD we have satisfactorily tied it to important Irish material.
The ringfort occupation above the ‘yellow-layer’ (Phase 2b) has now produced a major concentration of bronze-working debris. The crucibles are the same as those previously found in Phase 2a, with the addition of a small flat-bottomed type. Many mould fragments showed the manufacture of complex, large objects by the piece-mould method. As expected the bronze-work included a small hand-pin. It still seems unlikely that the major occupation went beyond the 9th century. Two massive postholes of late (Phase 2W?) date near the centre of the site suggest the possibility of a major building, perhaps a hall.
Further work on the ringbarrow produced no material finds, but provided sealed charcoal for a radiocarbon date. Construction took place in the earlier Iron Age and pollen analysis suggests that the bank incorporated soil brought from some distance to the site.