2014:351 - CLS103, Caul, Cloonshannagh Bog, Roscommon

Cloonshannagh Bog is located 3km north-west of Termonbarry and 2.5km west of Lough Forbes. The bog is part of the Bord na Móna Mountdillon Group and has a total area of 331 hectares. A survey by ADS in 2008 under licence 08E0645 identified a total of 88 sites. Upon re-assessment by ADS in 2013 under licence 13E0221 89 sites were recorded. Of the 89 sightings, 60 were platform sightings, 18 sightings were of archaeological wood and 11 were trackway sightings, all of varying lengths and widths. Of these 35 sites were listed for excavation as part of the current contract. A 4m x 14m cutting was established along the eastern drain edge above sites CLS103 and CLS105 to establish the relationship if any between the two sites. Excavation and subsequent dating of the Re-Assessment Survey samples proved that they were two distinct and separate sites. The peat overlying the upper layer of wood was poorly humified sphagnum peat with frequent inclusions of eriophorum, calluna and menyanthes with occasional phragmities and patches of sedge throughout that ranged from 0.01–0.4m in depth. A layer of brushwood and heavy roundwood formed the uppermost surface of the site. It was composed of mainly north-north-east/south-south-west-oriented elements that were contained within an area measuring 4m x 4m. The elements were in a moderate condition and ranged in diameter from 0.04–0.17m with a maximum length of 3.2m. A layer of peat, 0.09–0.18m in depth, separated the upper and second layers of wood. The second wood layer was composed of mainly north-east/south-west oriented brushwood, roundwood and two timber fragments contained within an area measuring 0.95–2.42m in width (east-west) and a maximum of 8.4m in length. The wood was more densely laid at the southern extent (2–4 elements deep) petering out somewhat at the northern extent where the structure contained a more haphazard arrangement of irregularly laid elements. The elements ranged in diameter from 5–75mm and 0.04–2.71m in length and many were irregularly shaped and branch-like. Some possible coppiced heels were noted and sampled for further analysis. Several worked ends were noted which were mainly chisel and wedge points with flat faceted toolmarks that ranged in size from 8–63mm in width and 6–64mm in length with a variety of cutting angles from 5° - 50°. The peat between and around the wood was moderately humified sphagnum peat with occasional eriophorum and calluna inclusions. The third wood layer excavated was composed of light and heavy brushwood that had been placed over and between the heavier roundwood basal elements of the site. The layer measured a maximum of 2.2m in width and 7.8m in length and the elements were densely packed one to two deep. Several pieces had toolmarks while others showed signs of having been roughly torn branches. The worked ends were a combination of chisel and wedge points with facets ranging in width from 9–40mm and 0.02–0.06m in length with cutting angles ranging from 25° - 45°. The basal layer of wood was composed of a densely packed roundwoods oriented mainly north-east/south-west with some brushwood packing and occasional split timber fragments. The wood was well preserved with bark present on several elements. The wood was contained within an area measuring 2.2–7.3m in size and was a maximum of 0.3m deep. A single peg 0.06m in diameter and 0.48m in length was located at the south-eastern extent of the site. While placed vertically into the peat there was no evidence for toolmarks on its tip. The peat below the site was poorly humified (H2+) sphagnum-rich peat with frequent calluna inclusions. A fragment of ash, 12 yrs, was chosen for AMS dating from samples taken from the 2013 ADS survey returned a result of 388–207. Interpretation / discussion A substantial roundwood platform truncated by a Bord na Móna production drain, the remains of which measured a maximum of 2.42m east-west and 8.4m north-south and 0.9m deep within the excavated cutting. The full extent of the site to the west remains unknown as some wood was noted in section in the opposing unexcavated drain face. It was composed mainly of north-east/south-west oriented roundwoods with brushwood packing and was several layers deep. The site was located within an area of several platforms close to the dryland which is c. 70m to the west. During the original Peatland Survey carried out in 2008 by ADS Ltd (Rohan 2009) a cluster of sites within this area were identified as RO-CLS015, 76, 77 & 78. Sites CLS76 & 77 were originally identified in both drain faces and subsequently excavated during the 2010 ADS excavations in a single cutting (10E0272) on the western drain face immediately south-east of RO-CLS103 and were dated to 340–60 BC and 170–50 BC (Rohan & Whitaker 2013). CLS077 was similar in construction and date to that of RO-CLS103 and it is possible that they form part of the same site. While the NGRs recorded in 2008 for RO-CLS015 match that of the site recorded in 2013 as RO-CLS103 it was noted as being 1m below the field surface and was dated after the 2008 survey to 840–790 BC (RO-CLS103 was 0.3m below the field surface). There had been some infilling of the drain in the interim, possibly due to the stockpile on the adjacent field, and it is likely that RO-CLS015 remains below the current base of the drain.

References:

Rohan, N. 2009 Peatland Survey 2007 and 2008: Blackwater, Derryfadda, Coolnagun, Mountdillon Bog Groups. Unpublished report for DoEHLG and Bord na Móna.

Rohan, N and Whitaker, J. 2013. Preliminary Report on Excavations in Caul, Cloonmore and Cloonshannagh townlands, Cloonshannagh Bog, Co. Roscommon. ADS Unpublished Report submitted to DOE H&LG.

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