2017:569 - Slievereagh 1, Cork

Excavation by Rubicon Heritage Ltd at Slievereagh 1 was undertaken as part of the N22 Baile Bhuirne–Macroom Road Scheme (Lot 1) Archaeological Consultancy Services Contract. The excavation was carried out on behalf of Cork County Council and funded by Transport Infrastructure Ireland.

The excavation recorded the remains of three overlapping burnt mounds across three phases, with associated features that included two troughs, one of which contained a degraded in-situ timber lining a possible third trough, two post-holes, three stake-holes and two stake-hole that contained degraded in-situ stakes.

Phase I Mound C consisted of an irregular oblong spread of mound material. The typical horseshoe shape or U-shape often identified with burnt mounds was evident here, with different and deeper deposits in the two arms and a shallower centre. The mound extended over an area of c. 14 m east to west by 7.1 m north to south and was up to 0.5 m deep. This central area was waterlogged and appeared to be the location of a natural spring. Water accumulated swiftly and as such it was difficult to accurately record the lower archaeological deposits due to the constant influx of water. This was also the most likely location for a trough (050) associated with Mound C. Very little evidence of a cut trough remained, other than the southern end of a roughly rectangular cut.

Two radiocarbon dates were returned for Mound C activity, which represents the Phase I activities. Maloidae charcoal from context (033) produced the earliest date range of 2467-2235 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-85856) indicating that onsite activity possibly began in the years straddling the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods. A sample of maloidae charcoal from context (37), the earliest deposit in the eastern arm of Mound C, returned a date range of 1607-1426 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-85863) showing that activity continued through to the Middle Bronze Age.

Phase II Mound A was located to the southeast of the site, mostly on the ridge of higher dry ground, but also on the peaty down slope to the west. It extended over parts of Mound C but did not cover trough (50). This irregularly shaped mound extended over an area c. 14 m north to south by 13 m east to west. All three cut features associated with this mound cut through natural subsoil (02) and were covered by mound material (03). The trough (19), which measured 1.84 m long, 1.7 m wide and 0.6 m deep was sub-rectangular and stone lined. Two post-holes (17) and (15) were uncovered to the southeast and east of the trough.

The three dates returned for Mound A activity fell within a broadly similar date range in the Middle Bronze Age. A sample of maloidae charcoal from the basal mound deposit (03) returned a date range of 1397-1215 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-85855). A sample of holly charcoal from stake-hole (16) returned a date range of 1391-1131 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-85860). A sample of maloidae charcoal from the upper Mound A contexts (34) returned a date range of 1385-1128 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-86513).

Phase III Mound B was located to the west of Mounds A and C, with eastern Mound B layers lying stratigraphically over layers of mound material from both earlier mounds. It lay partially on the ridge of higher ground but also on the downward slope to the west and north. Material from the mound was spread across an area approximately 14 m north to south by 11.5 m east to west and was up to 0.62 m deep. A sub-rectangular timber lined trough (09) was uncovered on the western side of Mound B. The trough was cut through the layer of peat (07) and lower burnt mound deposit (24). It measured up to 2.04 m long (from southeast to northwest), was 1.2 m wide at the southeast end, narrowing to 0.94 m wide at the northwest end. The cut was deeper at the southeast end (0.28 m) than the northwest end (0.20 m), which is to be expected as it was cut into a downward slope.

The trough was lined by a series of worked oak planks (10), held in place with vertical oak stakes in the corners. Five timber planks were placed on edge along the sides, one along each long side, one at the northwest end and two at the deeper southeast end. Two large stones were placed at the southeast end of the trough and these appear to have been intentionally placed to form part of the trough’s base along with eight horizontal planks. This left gaps in the lining of the base and, other than between Wood No’s 7, 21 and 8, there was no evidence for any additional organic material such as moss or clay having been used.

Three radiocarbon dates were returned for Mound B; one from mound material, one from a fill of trough (09) and one from the timbers of the trough. The earliest date was from a sample of alder/buckthorn charcoal taken from mound material (06), which returned a date range of 1209-1015 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-85862). Radiocarbon dating of oak wood from Timber 18 from the oak lining (10) of trough (09) returned a date range of 1122-931 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-86514). Dendrochronological dating evidence, from a different timber (Timber 5) from the trough, indicated that the measured tree-ring series dates from 1083 BC to 985 BC, which falls within the same period as the radiocarbon date range. The best estimated felling date range for the tree, from which this timber came from, is post 953 BC. Finally, maloidae charcoal from mound material (38) returned a date range of 1002-843 cal BC (2σ) (SUERC-85861).

Specialist analysis

The wooden-lined trough at Slievereagh 1 was constructed of oak planks and included a series of oak stakes found close to the trough itself. The material was largely in a poor state of preservation and white rot had developed. Where axe marks and facet impressions could be analysed, they revealed that basic small metal hand axes (c.30mm wide) were used to cut and shape the wood. The use of oak as the primary wood implies that a wood selection bias was at play at Slievereagh 1, whether this was influenced by local availability or functionality however is uncertain.

The charcoal assemblage compliments the worked wood collection, where the offcuts and debris of oak timbers served as a readily available source of firewood for fulacht fiadh activity from the Early to Late Bronze Age. As the pollen analysis reveals that oak was growing close by during this time this resource need not have been transported from too far a distance. Wood acquisition strategies at Slievereagh 1 appear to favour oak throughout each phase of use, with hazel and pomaceous woods featuring in Middle Bronze Age activity and willow in the Late Bronze Age. This largely follows the pollen profile, mirroring the change in the local woodland during this time. The general absence of pine from the charcoal record, but which was a significant feature of the pollen index, provides interesting insights into the wood collection approach at the site, showing that other taxa were favoured above pine for construction of the troughs and for fuelling these features.

Pollen, micro-charcoal and non–pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) were analysed from two short core monoliths to gain an understanding of local vegetation history in the Slievereagh area from approximately 2380 cal BC to 350 cal AD, a period covering the lifespan and use phase of the excavated burnt mounds. During the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age periods the landscape around Slievereagh appears to have been densely wooded with a low human presence. There was a significant change around c.1800 cal BC with a large drop and eventual disappearance of Pinus. Human activity was at its greatest during the periods of 1300 – 800 cal BC, 800 – 530 cal BC and 260 cal BC – 10 cal AD, which coincided with the reductions in the Quercus-Fraxinus-Corylus woodland. Herbaceous pollen also increases, providing evidence for human activity close to the sampling site. The profile closes during the Late Iron Age c.350 cal AD, with evidence for considerable woodland regeneration during the ‘Late Iron Age Lull’.

While insect remains were recovered, they are not especially informative. The lowermost sample from Core 2 is of some interest in that it clearly derives from wetter conditions than those above it. The general indications are of open, stagnant water with some waterside vegetation and a little dung, which supports the theory that this was the location of a natural spring accessible during the site’s occupation. There is no hint as to the function of the site within the small insect assemblages recovered.

Dating

A total of eight radiocarbon dates were obtained for the three mounds, two troughs and one post-hole excavated at Slievereagh 1. These indicated that the burnt mound activity recorded at the site was intermittent from the Late Neolithic through to the Late Bronze Age. Four other radiocarbon dates were obtained from core samples through the natural peat. These returned a date range that covered the period from the Chalcolithic to the late Iron Age.

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