ISSN 2009-2237
This report constitutes the final excavation report of a burnt mound in the townland of Caherweelder, Co. Galway. The site was excavated as part of the archaeological excavation programme in advance of construction for N18 Gort to Oranmore Road scheme. The site was found within the lands acquired for the scheme during Phase 1 archaeological testing. The site consisted of a small burnt mound, a large central trough and a smaller secondary trough.
This was a small disturbed burnt mound located in reclaimed ground on the western edge of an area of rough pasture located to the south of the turlough in Caherweelder townland. A large irregular central trough was located below the undisturbed lower burnt mound deposit. A smaller sub-circular trough was located to the south of the main trough and the burnt mound deposits.
The burnt mound site known as Caherweelder 3 is located on low ground on the western edge of an area of reclaimed rough pasture. The surrounding area is prone to flooding and a turlough lies just to the north-east. The excavations revealed that the burnt mound was located on the interface of the between good and wet land. A preference for wetland margins has been consistently noted by other commentators (Gowen et al. 2005 and Grogan 2007). Grogan (2007) states that in the ‘Mooghaun area of south-east Clare the majority of fulachta fiadh occur along the margins of turloughs, bogs and marshy areas’. The burnt mound sites at Moyveela (to the north) which were excavated as part of the same programme of excavations had a similar location on slightly raised ground on the edge of a turlough.
Authors: Enda O’Mahony & Finn Delaney
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