County: Limerick Site name: RED BOG, Ballynagallagh
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 96E0249
Author: Rose M Cleary, Dept. of Archaeology, University College Cork
Site type: Enclosure - large enclosure
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 564358m, N 639247m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.503454, -8.524976
The site is located on the western edge of a former lake, now known as Red Bog. The site is a large oval enclosure (140m x 100m) but the enclosing element is denuded, apart from a low bank on the east side. It is also apparent from aerial photographs. The excavation has shown that the site has a deep, complex stratigraphy and that at least four levels of activity are discernible.
The main features of the excavation include a stony band, interpreted on present evidence as a trackway, and overlying redeposited boulder clay. The redeposited boulder clay may be part of a levelled bank, and it is possible that the bank was levelled when the site was still in use. A number of postholes were also recorded as being cutinto the trackway; these may represent some type of structure/fence over the trackway associated with the levelled bank.
Linear slot-trenches within the enclosure appear to represent the remains of two parallel structures, set 19.6m apart. Both sets of slot-trenches are similarly spaced at distances of 1.4m, and both have the remains of substantial postholes within the excavated areas of the trenches. The interpretation of the linear slot-trenches is tentative, but it may be that these are the vestiges of large palisades within the oval enclosure. There are also indications of structural remains within the excavated area.
Artefactual dating evidence from the site is undiagnostic. The flint assemblage mainly consists of debitage, indicative of on-site flint-working, but with few artefacts being recovered (a scraper from the 1994 and 1996 excavations).
Three small fragments of pottery were found in the basal fill of a post-hole. In contrast to other prehistoric sites excavated at Lough Gur, this dearth of ceramic material is remarkable and may indicate a non-domestic function for the site. Given the good quality of preservation in the limestone-derived soil, a relatively small quantity of animal bone remains were also recovered.
The present excavation has posed more questions than it has solved as regards the site function. The large proportions of the overall site and the substantial internal palisades may indicate a ritual origin.
The excavation was funded by the Royal Irish Academy.
