2001:1087 - DAINGEAN SOUTH BOG, Barnaboy, Offaly

This find-spot was excavated as part of the 2001 Bord na Móna Archaeological Mitigation Project. This site was discovered during the 2001 Peatland Survey of parts of Derrygreenagh Works on 7 July, protruding from a drain face c. 20m from the eastern end of a drain in the townland of Barnaboy. It was located at the base of the drain, partially exposed to both water and air. Once the drain was cleared and the artefact recorded and photographed in situ, an area measuring 1m by 1m was excavated along the northern drain face to expose the entire artefact.

Although somewhat damaged, it was revealed to have been a single-piece wooden tub with handles and separate lid and base. The vessel was 325mm high and 265mm in diameter. It had slightly convex sides that thickened towards the base. There were two handles projecting from the sides that had vertical sides and smoothly curved tops. Both had circular holes and one of the handles had been broken. The base was 6mm thick and 235mm in diameter. It rested on a ledge cut around the inner circumference of the lower edge of the body. It was secured in place with small hazel rods that were used as packing. The lid was also a single piece, 7mm thick and 195mm in diameter, which had opposing notches that would have accommodated the upright handles on the body of the vessel and allowed it to rest on the top of the vessel. There was also a groove across the surface of the lid, which may have been secured in place by passing a rod or withy through the holes in the handles. There is evidence that the lid of this vessel was held in place with a withy as the remains of a badly degraded withy were still attached to one of the handles. The wood species has been identified as Alnus sp. (alder) for the lid, body and base, while the small securing rods around the base were Corylus sp. (hazel). The withy has yet to be identified as it is very fragmentary.

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