2001:820 - DERRYCOLUMB 5 BOG, Derrindiff, Longford

This site (99DBSE0027A) was excavated as part of the 2001 Bord na Móna Archaeological Mitigation Project. It was partially exposed on the field surface at the drain edge, approximately 50m north-east, along the same drain, of the Bronze Age plank trackway (No. 818, Excavations 2001, 01E0585). It was 18m north of another small brushwood platform, 01E0588 (No. 821, Excavations 2001). A single cutting 2m by 2m was recommended in the mitigation strategy document, but this was extended to 3.5m by 2m to encompass the entire platform structure.

The overlying peat was 0.06–0.3m in depth. It was moderately well-humified Sphagnum peat with patches of Eriophorum and ericaceous heather roots. The site itself was exposed on the field surface at the drain edge running south for a distance of approximately 0.6m, from which point southwards it was covered with peat. The cutting revealed an elongated triangular platform structure. On first inspection the site appeared to be composed of layers of haphazardly laid brushwood. Excavation revealed that the elements were laid at 45° degree angles to one another and that this was a process that was carried out twice during the construction. On the removal of the upper layer of brushwoods during sampling it became apparent that there was an underlying layer of identical composition. This layer contained larger elements, ranging from 0.05m to 0.08m in diameter. Apart from those elements exposed at the drain edge the wood was generally in good condition, some elements having bark intact. There were only four tool-marked elements uncovered. These were three small chisel-point brushwood rods and a larger pencil-point roundwood which appeared to have been burnt at its tip. The peat directly underneath the site was similar in composition to that surrounding the structure.

Windsor House, 11 Fairview Strand, Dublin 3