Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo: Report 2011

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that it may originally have linked with the system on the Southwest slope. The gap in the distribution here is c. 680m. Two court tombs, M5 and M6, and one portal tomb, Ma19, demonstrate prehistoric activity within the area of modern settlement along the S slope of the hill at an altitude of 100 to 300 ft OD. The gaps in the distribution of prehistoric field boundaries on Dooncarton hill appear to be purely a function of the modern settlement pattern. If this is the case, and the megalithic tombs are reflecting areas where field boundaries once existed, then the extent of prehistoric settlement on the hillside may be postulated. This area is in the form of a band, 5kms long, located between 100 and 600 ft OD, which stretches from the court tomb, site Ma1, along the North, West and S slopes of the hill to the Southeast shoulder. Faulagh, Knocknalower and Gortmelia hills The short stretch of boundary, between 300 and 400 ft OD, on the West slope of Faulagh hill is probably an extension of the upper boundary feature further to the E. However, uncut bog lies between and an extensive probing operation needs to be undertaken to confirm whether or not this is the case. If this proved positive, then the complex on the South slope of Faulagh hill would be separated by a gap of only 400m from the pre-bog boundaries on the South slope of Knocknalower hill. Two long intersecting field walls are evident on the top of Gortmelia hill, along with numerous shorter stretches and a settlement complex on the Southwest slope. However, the overall pre-bog field system in this area is likely to be much more extensive. More recently, field walls were noted extending over the hilltop in the direction of Knocknalower hill. These latter boundaries reduce the gap between the field systems on Gortmelia hill and those on the S slope of Knocknalower hill to a distance of c. 650m. Almost completely cut-away bogland is present on the lower Southwest slope of Gortmelia hill. As was already noted in the case of Graghil townland, there is again no evidence of the field boundaries extending to the coast or even below the 100 ft contour. 138
The 2 court tombs, Ma38 and Ma23, lie in an area of uncut bog on the Southeast slope of Faulagh hill. This is the only region within the study area where extensive field systems may be present, but have not been recorded due to the unbroken nature of the bog surface. In contrast to the observations made regarding Dooncarton hill, the gaps in the distribution of the prehistoric field systems on Faulagh, Knocknalower and Gortmelia hills are probably due to the limitations imposed on the survey by time and manpower constraints and the presence of tracts of uncut blanket bog. The total extent of prehistoric field boundaries may also be postulated for the aforementioned hills. This is also in the form of a band, 6kms long and located between the 100 and 570 ft OD, that stretches from the court tombs, Ma38 and Ma23, along the S slopes of Faulagh and Knocknalower hills, over Gortmelia hilltop to the Southwest slope of that hill. Overall prehistoric settlement areas and voids The latter area is separated from the previous settlement zone postulated for Dooncarton hill by the North slope of Knocknalower hill and the saddle between it and Dooncarton hill. Bog cuttings bottoming to the mineral soil are present within this area and show no evidence of field boundaries, therefore, the gap is likely to be genuine. However, if megalithic tombs are regarded as an indicator of the original presence of field systems, then the siting of the portal tomb, Ma20, within this postulated void poses a problem. The possibility that this megalith was located outside the general settlement area may be enhanced by evidence gleaned from 2 of the unclassified tombs, sites M3 and Ma21. If the main boundary features noted on the S slope of Faulagh hill represent the true upper limit of settlement, and this seems likely both from their length and from comparison with the upper boundaries noted on Dooncarton hill, then M3 was located uphill of the settlement. Ma21, sited on the North slope of the same hill is in an area of uncut bog. However, as numerous stream erosion gullies section both the 139
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Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes
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Table of Contents Introduction ....
Page 5 and 6:
Scientific Research associated with
Page 7 and 8:
Introduction This report reviews th
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- A summary of the radiocarbon dati
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Creating Digital Archaeological Lan
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Figure 2: Data Model for NBNM GIS R
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Figure 4: example of outputs at Cé
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Rathlackan As a result of a lack of
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Radiocarbon Dating A further tranch
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RATHLACKAN Lab Number F no S. No Co
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GLENULRA ENCLOSURE Notes Cal BC (95
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Lab Code Cutting Sample Material AR
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Charcoal analysis from Neolithic an
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Results Overall charcoal 83 samples
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Glenulra Scatter 92E140 Middle Neol
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Oak and birch were recorded from Cu
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35 30 no of samples 25 20 15 10 5 0
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Area A A long length of Neolithic f
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piece was 17 years old when cut, ba
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elating to midden B2P and from five
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1% 6% Corylus 1% 14% 25% 0% 2% 4% 4
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posts burnt in situ. Rather the pos
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When the charcoal is examined throu
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at Glenulra scatter. Alder was iden
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een freely available in the area. T
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References Byrne, G., Warren, G., W
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Verrill, L. and Tipping, R. 2010. U
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Table 3 Charcoal identifications fr
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Sample Date Ctg Context Description
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Sample Date Ctg Context Description
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Sample Trench Time period Descripti
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Table 7 Wood identification details
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Table 8 Charcoal identifications fr
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Cutting Sample Date Feature Descrip
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Table 8 Sample assessment Rathlacka
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Phase F. S. Trench Deposit type Loc
Page 93 and 94: Behy-Glenulra: Céide Fields visito
Page 95 and 96: A possible midden (B2P) contained a
Page 97 and 98: Wild remains Hazelnut shell fragmen
Page 99 and 100: References Beijerinck, W. 1947. Zad
Page 101 and 102: Verrill, L. and Tipping, R. 2010. A
Page 103 and 104: Soils and Geology Graeme Warren Thi
Page 105 and 106: Figure 3: overview of geological fe
Page 107 and 108: distinctive deposits and landscape
Page 109 and 110: Figure 4: major landuse categories.
Page 111 and 112: References ?? Soil Map of West Mayo
Page 113 and 114: The first scientific paper on late
Page 115 and 116: Also in the summer of 1963, fifty k
Page 117 and 118: the earth for the bank coming from
Page 119 and 120: dates from the macrofossil remains
Page 121 and 122: New Research and Researchers Over t
Page 123 and 124: Probed Surveys: Erris, Céide Field
Page 125 and 126: Iron probes of varying lengths had
Page 127 and 128: Céide hill twenty five years earli
Page 129 and 130: Survey on the Glenamoy - Bartnatra
Page 131 and 132: Bungurra River drains the Knocknalo
Page 133 and 134: The elevation of the tombs, all sit
Page 135 and 136: In 1936, 2 sub-rectangular cists, C
Page 137 and 138: Dooncarton Southwest slope 3.15 km
Page 139 and 140: The cross-section area occupied by
Page 141 and 142: No upper boundary was located on Kn
Page 143: The third house site, H3, on Gortme
Page 147 and 148: This void is substantiated by exami
Page 149 and 150: Survey from Ballinglen to Rathfran
Page 151 and 152: Lissadrone basin. The peat cover is
Page 153 and 154: Two similar large round cairns are
Page 155 and 156: Wall Gaps Because of concealment an
Page 157 and 158: supported by an orthostat visible u
Page 159 and 160: and with different building techniq
Page 161 and 162: Survey Illustrations: Figure 1: Ove
Page 163 and 164: Figure 4: Seefin walls with associa
Page 165 and 166: Figure 7: Walls from the study area
Page 167 and 168: Figure 8: Cabintown Site A. 161
Page 169 and 170: Figure 11: Rathlackan sites H12 Fig
Page 171 and 172: Figure 15: Creevagh H5, Figure 16:
Page 173: Figure 19: Carrowkibbock Upper H20.
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Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo: Report 2011

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