2013:471 - SOLLUS (Sollus A), Tyrone

Archaeological excavation was undertaken at Sollus A, Sollus, Co. Tyrone, on behalf of The Department for Regional Development, Roads Service. The works were undertaken as part of Phase 2 of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the proposed A5 road. The site is located along Section 1 of the proposed road route. Section 1 straddles two counties, Londonderry and Tyrone, but was primarily contained within County Tyrone. It extends from New Buildings in the north to Strabane in the south. Section 1 was the northernmost segment of the proposed development site which consists of 37km of new road in total.

Sollus A was a previously unknown site which was identified during Phase 1 archaeological work on the scheme. Phase 1 was carried out following an environmental impact statement on the proposed route which included a chapter on cultural Heritage (Mouchel 2012), and geophysical survey of the route (Durham 2012). The results of this survey subsequently formed the basis of an evaluation strategy which involved trial trenching and/or strip and map of selected areas of high archaeological potential. The evaluation trench layout was designed by project managers Mouchel in consultation with the Historic Monuments Unit of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). On Section 1 a total of 7,391m of trial trench was excavated and 8,707m² of strip and map was carried out. Further works are proposed but could not be carried out before work on the scheme was suspended in June 2013.

An area of 500 m² was excavated at Sollus A during Phase 1 archaeological works, revealing a large burnt mound which corresponded with the geophysical anomaly identified at this location. The total area was increased to c. 1943m² during Phase 2 archaeological works between 15 April and 7 June 2013 due to the presence of further archaeology encompassing the burnt mound site.

Full excavation was undertaken at Sollus A. Archaeological features were identified which were indicative of at least three phases of activity. The preliminary assessment of the findings of the excavation suggests that 20 archaeological features were present with the earlier phases of activity identified at the site related to the prehistoric period.  For clarity and ease of discussion the main features at the site are identified as follows: Henge A – northern ditch (Ditch 1) and southern ditch (Ditch 2), Burnt Mound B, Burnt Spread C, Burnt Spread D and Burnt Spread E and Post-Medieval Trackway (Ditch 3).

The first phase at Sollus A was represented by a possible embanked enclosure/ditched enclosure/henge monument (Henge A) with a northern and southern curvilinear ditch (Ditches 1 and 2). The enclosure also comprised an east and west entrance and (by spatial association) a number of stake-holes/post-holes, one of which contained the remains of a substantial worked timber post. Late Neolithic, as well as later pottery was recorded in the northern and southern ditch fills of the enclosure. A second phase of activity was represented by a fulacht fiadh (Burnt Mound B) which was located within the confines of and post-dated Henge A. Burnt Mound B contained two types of wood-lined troughs, and other spreads of burnt material were located in the south-east (Burnt Spread C and D) and south-west (Burnt Spread E) of the site. Ceramic evidence associated with this phase of activity encompasses possible Middle and mainly Late Bronze Age material from Burnt Mound B and spreads.

Waterlogged and peat deposits were present in parts of the site, including two phases of peat formation within Burnt Mound B and a considerable assemblage of palaeo-environmental material was recovered including waterlogged worked wood. Located to the south-west of Burnt Mound B was a linear alignment of worked stakes and brushwood, possibly utilised as a platform. A much later phase of activity comprising a post-medieval trackway (Ditch 3) and an extensive land drainage system was also in evidence at the site.

Further analysis of the results of the excavation is required to refine the interpretation of the site. Proposals are set forth for further work in relation to this site.

Reference
Durham 2012, Section 3 A5 Western Transport Corridor Northern Ireland geophysical survey.
Mouchel 2012 http://www.a5wtc.com/Environmental_Statement.aspx, Chapter 9.