County: Mayo Site name: ELMHALL
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 04E0453
Author: Bernard Guinan
Site type: Fulacht fia
Period/Dating: Prehistoric (12700 BC-AD 400)
ITM: E 519425m, N 785097m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.809162, -9.223384
Two spreads of burnt stone c. 5m apart were discovered in Elmhall, Belcarra, during monitoring of topsoil removal on the Lough Mask regional water supply scheme, Stage 1, Contract 6, extension from Ballyhean to Balla (No. 1152, Excavations 2004, 03E1208). These sites are referred to as Elmhall I and II and were excavated in the summer of 2004.
Elmhall I consisted of an irregular spread of compact, heat-fractured limestone in a charcoal matrix. It measured 5m (north-south) by 9.5m. The site was bounded to the south by a field drain, field boundary and the Castlebar-Belcarra road. The construction of these probably removed the southern portion of the site. The remainder of the site had been subjected to severe agricultural disturbance. Only the very basal level (c. 0.21m deep) of the original mound survived. The central part of the deposit had been completely removed. Stratigraphically, the heat-shattered limestone rested directly on fragmented limestone gravel and bedrock. The western part of the site rested on a thin deposit of peat and soil 0.01–0.05m deep. In addition to some modern finds, four lithic artefacts were unearthed, including a concave scraper and three tertiary flakes.
Elmhall II situated c. 5m east was located underneath a thin topsoil and a mixed, redeposited layer of limestone gravel and soil. This site consisted of an irregular spread of compact, heat-fractured limestone stone in a charcoal matrix. It was smaller than Site I, measuring 2.2m (north-south) by 4m. The site was also bounded to the south by a field drain, field boundary and the Castlebar–Belcarra road. As with Site I, the construction of these probably removed the southern portion of the site. The surviving part of the site had been subjected to severe agricultural disturbance, with only the very basal level (c. 0.27m deep) of the original mound surviving. Stratigraphically, the heat-shattered limestone and charcoal rested directly on fragmented limestone bedrock. No finds were recovered from Elmhall II.
No boiling pits or troughs were found during excavation. Such features may have been destroyed by the drain and road construction to the south of the sites.
Coosan, Athlone, Co. Westmeath
