County: Leitrim Site name: TULLY
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 94E0041
Author: Hilary Opie
Site type: Fulacht fiadh
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 598151m, N 798213m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.933258, -8.028147
Archaeological excavations of a fulacht fiadh were carried out at Tully, Jamestown, Co. Leitrim over a four-week period between May 16 and June 10, 1994. The site was uncovered during topsoil stripping along the route of the proposed Drumsna-Jamestown by-pass scheme and was being archaeologically monitored at the time. There were no visible surface features prior to machine clearance to suggest the existence of a fulacht fiadh. First indications came in the form of a spread of burnt sandstone, charcoal and soil.
Upon excavation, a trough, cut into the subsoil, was noted. The trough was bowl-shaped and measured 1.5 x 1.5m and was approx 0.7m deep. An upper layer of burnt sandstone, charcoal and soil covered the trough and spread over a considerable distance beyond. This would appear to represent later infilling of the feature after it had gone out of use with activity, such as ploughing etc., pushing in the burnt material, which is in abundance across the site. Beneath this was a fill consisting of a mix of grey gritty silt and clay with a high charcoal content. This was confined to the pit itself and was sealed by the overlying layer. A charcoal sample from this layer is awaiting C14 analysis. A pig's teeth and jawbone were recovered from the base of the trough. The trough lay on low-lying boggy ground and filled automatically through natural seepage without having to be manually filled.
In addition, a small hearth lay directly to the south of the trough and an area of intense burning lay to the west containing burnt sandstone, charcoal and soil. Another similar area of burning lay to the south. These may represent areas where the sandstone was heated prior to being placed in the water. The burnt area to the south was also of note as a barbed and tanged arrowhead was recovered from the base of the burning on the subsoil surface. This may suggest a Bronze Age date for the site. The large amount of burnt sandstone observed would seem to suggest the site was used on a number of occasions.
Greystones, Co. Wicklow for V.J. Keeley, project director
