Midden in Iorras Beag Thiar

An extensive midden complex has been recorded in the sand dunes between the two crescentic beaches of Cuan an Mhada/Dogs Bay and Gorteen Bay/Port na Feadóige. Writing in the early 1830s, Petrie (1972, 253) noted the chance discovery here a ‘few years since ... of a cluster of nine oval houses', which had been exposed and subsequently reburied by the shifting of the sands. In 1944, O'Rourke (1945) opened a trial trench near N end of the dunes, revealing a composition mainly of shells including limpet, periwinkle and whelk, all grouped in separate deposits. Also present were small quantities of animal bones: horse, cow and sheep, scraps of charcoal and a few bronze objects. Following the severe winter storms in late 2013/early 2014 midden material and palaeosoil were exposed in the dunes along the strand on the W shore of Dogs Bay (pers. comm. K. Taylor 2014). On inspection profiles were recorded at three sections along the beach: two at the NE end and one at the SW end. In the most N section (exposed L 25m; H 1.78m) at the NE end of the beach a band of palaeosoil (D 0.28m) was interspersed with limpet shells. In the section (L 21m; H 3.4m) to the S of this two bands were visible: a dark layer (D 0.2m) with limpet shells and some periwinkles and a lighter layer (D 0.3m) with limpet shells. Towards the S end of this section, peat and clay were visible in the darker layer and fewer shells were noted in this area. Only a band of palaeosoil (D 0.17m) was evident in the exposed SW section (L 8m; H 1.47m). Above the midden material the overlying sand beneath the sod cover varied in depth from 1.8m to 0.75m at the NE end of the beach, while at the SW end it was 0.6m in depth. (Bigger 1895, 727-32; Praeger 1980, 167; Brunicardi 1914, 198-9; pers. comm. D. Rotman 2014) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. I - West Galway'. Compiled by Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1993). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Updated by: Olive Alcock Date of revised upload: 13 November 2014 The following images have been uploaded: GA063-002----_01 Profile 1 from NW.jpg GA063-002----_05 Profile 2 from W, detail of midden material.jpg GA063-002----_12 Profile 2 from W, detail of midden material.jpg GA063-002----_14 Profile 3 courtesy of K. Taylor, NUIG.jpg GA063-002----_15 Profile 3 courtesy of K. Taylor, NUIG.jpg