County: Limerick Site name: CLOGHACLOKA
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 98E0159
Author: Paul Logue, Archaeological Development Services Ltd.
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Bronze Age (2200 BC-801 BC)
ITM: E 553360m, N 650445m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.603263, -8.688524
Excavations were carried out from 2 March 1998 to 14 April 1998. The work was undertaken in advance of road construction, on behalf of the Road Design Office, Limerick County Council.
The site, a fulacht fiadh, measured 24m north-east/south-west x 18m and lay in marshy, low-lying land close to the canalised remnant of a small stream. It contained two main phases of activity, the earliest of which consisted of a low mound of burnt stone fragments in a grey-green, loam clay matrix. This phase was associated with a trough 1.8m north-east/south-west x 1.2m and 0.2m in maximum depth. The trough was cut into the subsoil from the north around clockwise to the south. The south-western through to north-western sides of the trough were formed by the building of a wall of stones and redeposited clay subsoil. Evidence was also uncovered to suggest that the trough was deepened by the continuation of the clay wall around its entire circuit. Internally the trough contained nine large stake-holes, most likely to support a wooden lining. A contemporary stone surface extended from the trough west to the stream.
The early surface and trough were both overlain by a second, similar stone surface associated with a second trough 7.4m to the north. This second cut measured 3m east-west x 1.35m. The base was lined with clay and stones, and overlying this the sides of the cut were lined with a second deposit of clay and stones. This deposit was thickened and heightened above the old ground level, creating a wall similar to that surrounding the earlier trough. The clay wall was most likely supported on the exterior by stakes. Evidence of these was found around the circuit of the cut as stake-holes adjacent to the outer face of the wall. This method of construction formed a trough measuring 2.8m east-west x 0.7m and 0.55m in maximum depth. The trough was contemporary with two small hearths to the north and east.
A third trough was uncovered adjacent to the south-west. It measured 1.58m north-south x 1.6m and had a maximum excavated depth of 0.4m. The cut contained seven large stake-holes, most likely providing the framework support for a wood-lined trough. Excavation suggests that the trough was deepened by the addition of a clay wall from the south-west clockwise around to the north-west. This trough cut the stone surface that serviced the secondary trough and was associated with one small hearth to the north and also the reuse of part of the secondary trough as a hearth.
Both the second and final troughs were filled by material from the upper phase of the mound, a mix of burnt stone and loose, black soil.
All features were cut into the compact, orange clay subsoil. The clay was maximum of 0.4m deep and overlay a gravel subsoil. The clay subsoil formed a capping on top of the gravel layer, with the base of the clay dictating the level of the water table. Any feature cutting below the base of the clay would immediately flood with water. Hence the three troughs were given the required depth by creating a shallow cut into the clay and raising the sides with the excavated subsoil as a water-tight clay wall.
Unit 48, Westlink Enterprise Centre, 30–50 Distillery Street, Belfast BT12 5BJ
