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 Excavations
Introduction to the work
Site and artefacts
A wide range of archaeological sites and artefacts survive within and under
Irish peatlands. The trackway or togher, as it is commonly called, is the most
frequent class of site encountered. These aided the safe crossing of an
otherwise treacherous bog. They were constructed using a variety of materials
such as oak planks, hazel/alder/birch/willow rods, gravel or flagstones and
were in use from over 5000 years ago up to relatively recent times.
Download PDF of Excavations in Corhill Bog, Straduff/Lisdermot. It is
clear that bogs were not only seen as obstacles to cross but their natural
flora and fauna were almost certainly exploited particularly in the Medieval
period. Increasing evidence for this comes in the form of small wooden
platforms, possible hunting blinds, which were constructed, in the raised
bogs. Download
PDF of Excavations in Corhill Bog, Lisdermot.
Farming reached Ireland in the Neolitic period around 3500 BC and with it came forest clearance, cereal crops, large stone monuments dedicated to the dead and a specialisation in the production of tools such as stone axe heads. A polished stone axehead of fine green-grey stone, assigned to this phase, was unearthered by Joe Egan, a BnM worker, at the north west end of the Lemanaghan bogs. Close by, in the same bog, a hollow flint scraper was uncovered during survey work carried out by the Irish Archaeological Wetland Unit in Corhill bog, Co. Offaly. Further milling and excavations in the lower peat levels of the bogs is likely to uncover more early stone age artefacts and associated archaeological trackways and sites. This text was prepared by Ms Ellen O‘Carroll of ADS |
Bord
na Móna peat bogs in Counties Offaly and Longford. Bord na Móna has supported
and funded this series of excavations as part of the Principles and Agreements
reached between the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands,
The National Museum, Bord na Móna and the Department of Public Enterprise
where it was agreed that an appropriate level of professional excavation of
archaeological sites and objects will be undertaken on milled peat bogs. This
project began over two years ago and since then over 60 separate excavations
have taken place. In conjunction with these excavations some of the previously
identified wooden archaeological sites have been set aside in areas which will
not be milled thereby leaving some of the archaeological sites and artefacts
for future generations to study. These excavations and associated research
will continue over the next few years and will be carried out on previously
recorded sites in Bord na Móna bogs.
constructed
these sites can also be seen through some of the artefacts unearthed during
these excavations.
