Neolithic and Bronze Age Landscapes of North Mayo: Report 2011

Area B
Area B is located at the north east corner of the site and included the remains of a
substantial roundhouse (Caulfield et al 2009b, 10). The house may have three phases,
although clearly identifying which structural features date to which phase is problematic.
A variety of wood taxa including birch, hazel, ash, holly, pomaceous fruitwood, oak and
willow were identified from S. 200, taken from a pit under flat stones. Alder, birch, hazel and
willow were all noted from S. 205, which was sampled under small stones around the sill
stone. Alder, hazel, oak and willow were identified from a sample amongst stones (S234). A
charcoal spread in trench B2A contained alder, birch, hazel, oak and willow (S.253).
100%
fragment count
80%
60%
40%
20%
Salix
Quercus
Maloideae
Ilex
Corylus
Betula
Alnus
0%
201 213 226 238 241 242 255 254
Figure 11 Charcoal samples from constructional elements at E109 : N=457
Charcoal was identified from seven samples taken from the wall trench (Figure 11). Hazel is
the principal species in four of the samples (238, 241, 242, 254) indicating that it may be the
remains of wattle burnt in situ. In contrast, other samples from the wall trench (S201 and
S213) are composed of a mixture of pomaceous fruitwood and willow which could also
represent in situ wattle burning. A sample from a further foundation trench (S226) is also
dominated by hazel, while alder only was identified from posthole S255. This may be the
remains of an alder post burnt in situ.
In comparison to S255, a sample of burnt timbers (S236) was identified as alder only,
suggesting it may have been used in construction also.
Well preserved roundwoods were observed in S242. It was possible in one instance to
measure the ring widths on a hazel roundwood which is 22mm in diameter (Plate 2). This
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