County: Fermanagh Site name: DERRYHOWLAGHT EAST
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 230:91 Licence number: —
Author: Brian B. Williams, Environment Service, Historic Monuments and Buildings, DoE (NI)
Site type: Crannóg
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 629945m, N 836404m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.275566, -7.540227
This site is situated towards the southern shore of Derryhowlaght Lough, an inter-drumlin lake in the Upper Erne basin, altitude 100 ft + OD. On the west shore of the Lough a complex of burnt mounds and barrows has been the subject of archaeological investigation (See No. 104, Excavations 1993) and this was extended to the lough itself. Irish Underwater Archaeology Research Team divers conducted a gridded search of the lake-bed and a detailed survey was made of the crannóg over a period of five days in September.
The crannóg is not marked on any OS map edition, perhaps because the water level was several metres higher than the present level within living memory. It now appears as an irregular oval island 10.5m north-south by 8.2m east-west and standing only 0.3m above the surface of the water. The surface contains small angular sandstone fragments and silty soil which may be a post-occupation lake silt. Willow trees and waterside vegetation grow on the island's surface.
Underwater inspection revealed a submerged wooden outer perimeter indicating the original extent of the structure was some 23m east-west. On the exposed weather side of the crannóg in an arc from north-north-west to west to south-west, erosion has revealed a jumble of round-sectioned timbers, each on average 1m long and 0.15m in diameter. Only two of these timbers have indications of morticing. The timbers were left in situ with the exception of one fragment which has been identified as alder. This showed traces of having been cut with a sharp axe. A sample submitted for radiocarbon dating (UB 3719), gave a result of 1262 + 38 BP and with 95% probability lies within a date range of AD 666-872. Elsewhere on the sheltered side of the crannóg the lake-bed was more silted and timbers were fewer in number.
Off the south side, below 0.3m of silt, is an area of extensive complicated woodwork with indications of vertical wattle panels. This extends out 19m from the centre of the crannóg but could not be surveyed as it was not visible and diver activity was damaging to the fragile structures.
Careful searching, using metal detectors, of the crannóg and surrounding lake-bed led to the recovery of some artefacts and animal bones. A complete rotary quern and two fragments were recovered from the water. A fragment of iron slag, a piece of burnt clay and an iron object were recovered as was a jaw-bone of a horse and a single pig bone. A gridded search of the entire lake-bed indicated deep silting and no archaeological objects were recovered. A report will be published in Ulster Journal of Archaeology.
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