2008:1220 - Tullyvar – Area 3, Tyrone

Area 3 was investigated during the construction of the A5 road realignment scheme running south from the current A4 to the immediate south-west of Ballygawley for 2.7km towards Aughnacloy. Whilst no officially recorded site lay along the actual corridor of the proposed alignment, NIEA felt that there was potential for unexpected archaeological deposits and features to be identified during the topsoil-strip and therefore a programme of monitoring was required.
Area 3 was located between Chainages 1730 and 1750. The site measured 40m north–south by 35m and consisted of a ditch enclosing an area 24m north–south by 20m. The ditch measured 1–1.5m wide along its northern half, but increased to over 2.5m in width along the southern half, suggesting that there was a second enclosing ditch (a recut?) along here, which closely followed the line of the original ditch. A ring-headed pin, dating to the 9th century, has been uncovered from one of the lower fills of the ditch. A number of pits within the ditch interior were first identified as possible cremations; however, after consulting with an osteoarchaeologist, the cremated bone has been identified as being animal, suggesting that these pits are rubbish pits. A number of linear features, running in general north-east/south-west, cut across the site. Some of these are likely to be cultivation furrows, although the three larger linear features may also be archaeological in origin and represent another phase of activity on the site.
Although the enclosure uncovered at Area 3 is on the small side for a rath, it is indicative of an Early Christian enclosed settlement and may well have served a small kinship. It may be associated with enclosure TYR059–065, which lies adjacent to Chainage 650.