2009:774 - TEMPLETOUHY BOG, TEMPLETOUHY, Tipperary

This site comprised a plank trackway that was the eastern side of a site that was excavated under two licences (see also No. 775 below) in Templetouhy Bog as part of the 2009 Bord na M)na archaeological mitigation programme. The eastern end of the plank trackway is recorded in the Record of Monuments and Places as LA033–015. The site was discovered during turf-cutting in 1958 and was subsequently excavated by Etienne Rynne. It was described, at that time, as being constructed of roughly parallel, heavy longitudinal timbers laid 2m apart with overlying transverse planks that were held in place by pegs or stakes (IA/51/1958). The trackway was re-identified during the Peatland Survey 2006, carried out by ADS Ltd, and was subsequently dated 1190–820 BC. It was orientated north-north-east to south-south-west and was constructed to traverse the northern end of Templetouhy Bog.
A single cutting, orientated east to west and measuring 4m in width by 6m in length, was excavated over the site. Excavation revealed that, at this location, the site was composed of well-preserved regularly laid transverse oak planks supported by underlying roundwood and plank longitudinal runners. On the north side of the cutting there was a single row of pegs with occasional additional pegs located between the transverse timbers. On the southern side of the trackway there was a double row of pegs, some of which were laid at the ends of the transverse timbers. At this location the trackway measured 0.29m in depth and 3.21–3.71m in width.
In the western half of the cutting, the upper walking surface of the trackway was composed of 27 tightly packed parallel transverse planks. All of the timbers used in the trackway, at this location, were identifiable in the field as oak. The average dimensions of the longitudinal planks measured 2.43m in length, 0.26m in width and 0.09m in depth. A total of 63% of the longitudinal timbers were radially split, 25% were tangentially split and the remaining 12% were half-split roundwoods. At the centre of the cutting, there was a gap in the transverse planks, which was filled with a deposit of densely laid brushwood elements and plank fragments that were predominantly transversely laid between the longitudinal supports. The peat in this part of the cutting was composed of poorly humified Sphagumrich peat, which indicates that this area was particularly wet when the trackway was in use. On the southern side of the gap in the transverse planks there were densely laid parallel longitudinal timbers that would have provided a more stable walking surface than the brushwood deposit. This arrangement measured 1.2m in width and was probably created as a more stable route around the uneven deposit of brushwood. The peat surrounding the wood (Context 1) was composed of poorly humified Sphagnum-rich peat with occasional Eriophorum and Calluna inclusions.
Post-excavation work is ongoing at the time of writing. Specialist analysis of palaeoenvironmental samples, wood species samples and woodworking will provide a greater insight into the environmental conditions contemporary with the site, the species selected for use in the construction of the site and the type of tools used to fell the trees used within the structure.