2008:1088 - BallyBeg Bog, Ballybeg, Tipperary

The site excavated under this licence was initially identified as a togher composed of longitudinal and transverse roundwood and brushwood elements during the Peatland Survey 2006 (TN-BLG0016a–d). It was subsequently dated to 1880 to 1620 bc and was recorded at four sightings, which were visible on the field surface at that time. They were located within a natural wood horizon in proximity to the dry land at the northern edge of the centre of Ballybeg Bog. The sites included two platforms and a sighting of archaeological wood.
Cutting 1
Cutting 1 was orientated west-north-west/east-south-east and was excavated over TN-BLG016b, which was identified close to the southern limit of what was previously believed to be a togher. The cutting excavated at this sighting measured 4m by 3m and revealed a platform. A deposit of randomly laid brushwoods and roundwoods associated with the platform were located in the eastern half of the cutting. A total of ten worked ends were recorded from this context.
The platform was orientated north–south and was in a moderate state of preservation. It was composed of regularly and densely laid roundwood transverses underlain by longitudinal brushwood and roundwood elements. The eastern side of the platform was flanked by longitudinally laid brushwoods. The roundwood transverse elements measured 0.27–1.12m in length and 0.06–0.16m in diameter. The longitudinal brushwoods measured 0.08–2.43m in length and 0.03–0.05m in diameter. The platform measured 2.5m in width, along the southern side of the cutting, narrowing to 1m where it continued beyond the northern corner of the cutting. In total, 3.9m of the platform’s length was exposed within the cutting. The densely laid roundwood transverse elements would have provided a stable surface with sides that were clearly defined by the longitudinal brushwoods. The peat was composed of moderately humified sphagnum-rich peat with moderate phragmites inclusions. The presences of the phragmites suggest that the platform was constructed in a wet area.
A deposit of archaeological wood was located on the eastern side of the platform and was randomly laid and widely dispersed throughout the rest of the cutting. It was composed of roundwood and brushwood elements with a small number of roots displaying toolmarks. The roundwoods measured 0.46–1.58m in length and 0.08–0.12m in diameter. The brushwoods measured 0.08–1.8m in length and 0.02–0.05m in diameter. One brushwood element that forked into two worked ends and the inclusion of worked root in the deposit suggest that the site was constructed with whatever material was close at hand. The peat was composed of moderately humified sphagnum-rich peat with occasional calluna and eriophorum inclusions.
Cutting 2
Cutting 2 was orientated north-north-east/south-south-west and was excavated over TN-BLG016c, which at the time of survey was visible on the field surface 15m north-east of TN-BLG016b. The cutting measured 3m by 4m and contained a platform in the south-east corner of the cutting. Randomly laid roundwood and brushwood elements were found throughout the cutting with a small concentration in the north-east corner. The platform abutted a tree stump and natural wood and roots were found throughout the cutting indicating that the platform and archaeological wood were laid within an area of natural woodland. The excavation of the section from which the palaeo-environmental samples were taken indicated that the base of the bog was located 0.8m below the field surface and 0.5m below the platform.
The platform was orientated north-east/south-west and was composed of regularly laid roundwood and brushwood longitudinals occasionally underlain and overlain with roundwood transverse elements. Twig packing was also evident from the significant number of twigs found throughout the platform. The north-east side of the platform was truncated by a large modern pit that extended c. 4m beyond the east of the cutting. The platform measured 2m in length, 0.3m in depth while the minimum width measured 2.2m. The roundwood elements within the platform measured 0.32–1.98m in length and 0.06–0.1m in diameter. The brushwood measured 0.1–1m in length and 0.03–0.05m in diameter. The regular manner in which the elements were laid would have provided a relatively stable surface. The wood was in a poor to moderate state of preservation. The northern corner of the platform lay over an in situ tree stump. The peat was composed of well-humified sphagnum-rich peat with occasional eriophorum inclusions.
The remaining archaeological wood (also Context 2) was located north of the platform and was generally randomly laid and widely dispersed throughout the rest of the cutting. The wood within the cutting was composed of roundwood and brushwood elements that measured 0.02–1.38m in length and 0.02–0.24m in diameter, respectively. This randomly laid deposit of wood was probably associated with the platform.
Cutting 3
Cutting 3 was orientated west-north-west/east-south-east and was excavated over TN-BLG016d, which at the time of survey the site was visible on the field surface 15m north-east of TN-BLG016c. The cutting measured 4m by 3m and contained randomly laid brushwood elements in the eastern side of the cutting. The remaining wood within the cutting was composed of in situ root and natural wood that belonged to the same wood horizon uncovered within Cutting 2. The elements were widely dispersed, with three worked ends recorded within the context. The brushwood measured 0.04–0.24m in length and 0.02–0.04m in diameter. The wood was located 0–0.1m below the field surface and probably represents all that remains of a more substantial site. The peat was composed of well-humified Sphagnum cuspidatum with frequent Menyanthes trifoliate and phragmites inclusions.