2014:103 - Fota Wildlife Park, Foaty, Cork

The ongoing development at Fota Wildlife Park consists of an extension measuring 34.1ha, to the north-east of the existing park. Following on from the excavation of the enclosure completed in March 2014 (http://excavations.ie/report/2012/Cork/0022933/), monitoring of topsoil removal for new buildings and infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and associated ground works for services trenches, continued between January and November 2014. During the course of the monitoring archaeological remains were uncovered in two locations.

During monitoring of a service trench (578662, 571463 ITM) which extended past the previously detected fulacht fiadh (CO075-092, detected during archaeological testing 2012) and adjacent to the recently excavated enclosure (CO075-093), a number of linear features and pits were uncovered and were subsequently fully excavated. Towards the north-east end of the service trench, four linear features and three pits were uncovered while further to south-west, two additional pits were uncovered. One of the linear features excavated was noted to be a continuation of feature adjacent to the enclosure which was partially excavated during the main season of excavation. No artefacts were recovered from the pits and linear feature, however, due to the proximity to the aforementioned enclosure, it is possible that they may be of similar date.

A large sub-rectangular pit south-west of the linear features was filled with burnt mound material and consequently may be associated with the adjacent unexcavated fulacht fiadh discovered during testing in 2012. Similarly, the two pits uncovered towards the south-west end of the service trench contained burnt mound material, and are also likely to be related to the unexcavated monument.

Subsequent monitoring of topsoil removal in August 2014 uncovered a burnt spread (578711, 571392 ITM) within the proposed swamp area, south-east of the aforementioned unexcavated fulacht fiadh. This burnt spread, measuring 14m west-north-west/east-south-east by 10m by 0.3m in thickness, was subsequently fully excavated over a period of three weeks. Upon excavated, it was found that this spread overlay a number of cut features including three troughs, one of which had ten stake-holes cut into its base.

Testing was also undertaken in 2014 within the area of the proposed pond/marsh on the west side of the main development. Four trenches (1-4) were excavated. No features or deposits of archaeological significance was noted within the trenches.

Tobar Archaeological Services, Saleen, Midleton, Cork