2010:186 - Inishtrahull, Donegal

Site 1
This flint scatter was recognized in the mid-2000s and recorded as part of the National Monuments Register in August 2010. It was apparent that the material was being brought to the surface as a result of burrowing activities, associated with a rabbit warren. The material was scattered across an area less than 5m across. This lay immediately adjacent on the western side of a small deserted cottage. As much of this material was extremely fresh, it was felt that the remnants of a relatively intact occupation layer associated with the flint artifacts might still survive.
The purpose of the excavation was to establish whether the layer associated with the earlier Mesolithic still survived, to establish the extent of the damage caused by rabbits and to establish the lateral extent of the flint scatter and potential settlement site.
Two 1m-square test-pits were excavated at 8m (Test-pit 2) and 15m (Test-pit 1) from the south-west corner of the cottage. Both pits bottomed out, at 0.6m depth, on a very compact iron pan. The upper 0.4m could be described as agricultural soil and contained a number of slightly weathered flint flakes. Below the soil became darker and was often more disturbed by rabbit burrows. Relatively few artifacts in a fresh condition were found and no traces of an in situ occupation layer were uncovered.
Smaller test-pits, i.e. 3 and 4, were placed against the south-west corner of the house. These showed the foundations of the house had been placed on the compact iron pan. No traces of an in situ occupation layer were noted.
It is possible that some in situ deposits might survive in a small area abutting a rock face that lies to the north of the house. This is an area where there may be a much thicker layer of soil which may have protected the original occupation layer. The only other area where the occupation deposits may survive would be below the floor of the house.
Site 2, flint scatter
Early in the summer of 2010 a rabbit warren that lay nearby and to the east of Site 1 collapsed and exposed a cliff face of almost 15m in length. Within this cliff face and at its southern end there was an area of 2m in length where it was noted that a layer of flint flakes still survived in situ. A 2m x 2m test-pit was placed 1m behind the cliff face and, on excavation, was shown to be relatively sterile. Indeed, when the intervening baulk was removed, the only artifacts recovered were found just behind the cliff face.
It was apparent that, when the area containing the warren had collapsed, a very significant concentration of flint artifacts had moved out of context downslope. An area of talus c. 1m x 2m in size that lay just below the cliff face was then explored and several hundred flint artifacts were recovered. These would appear to be Mesolithic in date.