2014:281 - Rathgarrett, Toar Bog, Westmeath

Toar Bog was initially surveyed by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit during the 2000 Archaeological Survey of Ireland Peatland Survey. In 2005 and 2006 33 sites were excavated under 25 licences by the author. A re-assessment survey of Toar Bog was carried out in 2013 and subsequently a further 19 sites were proposed for excavation in 2014 as part of the Bord na Móna Mitigation Project in the townlands of Killavally, Pallasboy, Montrath and Rathgarrett.

WM-TOR064a-f is a substantial plank and gravel road and was oriented north-north-west/south-south-east and located in the drain face at six sightings across ten production fields dated to 1004–845BC. It was cut by the drains at a very acute angle and the sightings varied in composition and had a width of up to 17m which means that the true width of the site was hard to discern during the 2013 survey.

Cutting 1 WM-TOR064F
This cutting measured 2m in width (east-west) and 14m in length along the drain edge. Up to 0.7m of peat overburden was removed by hand. This was moderately to well decomposed sphagnum peat with frequent small patches of eriophorum, occasional phragmities and small tree roots with an amount of fine woody detritus. The upper surface of the togher at this location was composed of a mixture of longitudinal split timbers, transverse brushwood, pegs and fine sandy gravel. The planks were a maximum of 0.25m in width, 0.12m in depth and 2.19m in length. All were oak and were a mixture of half, inner tangential and radial splits, several with rectangular cut mortice holes that measured 0.05m x 0.05m–0.05m x 0.09m in size. The brushwood averaged 16mm in diameter and had a maximum length of 1.38m. Removal of this upper surface revealed a more ordered construction of east-west oriented split oak timbers, brushwood, roundwood, small stones and some natural rooty wood. The timbers were mainly inner tangential splits although other split types were noted. They were a maximum of 0.13m in width, 0.09m in depth and 2.07m in length while the brushwood had a maximum length of 0.81m. Several timbers contained mortice holes with intact in situ pegs. Removal of the lower construction layer revealed over fifty pegs. These were mainly split oak although some roundwood pegs were also noted ranging in length from 0.24–1.18m in length and 0.04m x 0.05m in depth and had a variety of flat faceted point types. A stone-filled pit measuring 0.9m in diameter and 0.4–0.7m in depth had been truncated by the drain edge. The stones were densely packed, dessicated and ranged in size from 0.01–0.02m x 0.08–0.13m x 0.05m x 0.12m. The peat underlying the site was moderately well-humified sphagnum peat with moderate small patches of eriophorum and occasional menanythes and calluna inclusions.

Cutting 2 WM-TOR064a

A 2m x 5.8m cutting was excavated perpendicular to the drain edge to establish the orientation and width of the site at this location. The peat overlying Cutting 2 ranged in depth from 0.25-0.41m and was composed of moderate to well-humified sphagnum peat with occasional phragmities inclusions immediately above the surface of the togher with calluna inclusions nearer the bog surface. The upper surface of the togher at this location was 2.84–3.46m in width and was composed of a peaty gravel mixture and large stones overlying and interspersed with north-south oriented roundwood with three north–south oriented timbers visible. Removal of this layer exposed a more clearly defined surface 2.77–3.3m in width which was composed of north-south oriented, closely-placed roundwood elements, three north–south oriented timbers and pegs delineating the eastern extent. Immediately underneath was a distinct layer of large stones and gravel that measured 2.77–3.3m in width and 0.11–0.24m in depth with two substantial east–west oriented oak planks and a third north-south oriented plank along the western extent while the eastern extent was delineated by pegs and a large north–south oriented roundwood. Beneath the large stones and gravel was a pale grey, compact, gritty sand layer 0.01–0.05m in depth that in turn immediately overlay and interspersed substantial transverse oak timbers. The transverse timbers included two primary roundwood, radial and tangential splits and formed a surface 1.83–2.68m in width. The timbers ranged in width from 0.12–0.34m, 0.05–0.1m in depth and 1.04–2.62m in length. There were ten mortice holes that were sub-rectangular to oval in shape while four contained in situ pegs. The final, substructural layer was 1.8–2.75m in width and was composed of a sparse arrangement of longitudinal (north–south) and transverse split oak timbers with a line of split oak and roundwood pegs along the eastern extent. Three of the transverse timbers contained mortice holes with two in situ pegs noted. The timbers measured 0.1–0.21m in width, 0.06–0.08m in depth and had a maximum length of 1.48m. The pegs were mainly split oak pegs 0.39–0.65m in length with multiple flat to concave facets. The underlying peat was poorly humified sphagnum pool peat with occasional patches of eriophorum and menyanthes inclusions.

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