House — Neolithic in Loughgur

In rocky pasture on the S-facing slope of the Knockadoon Peninsula, 100m N and overlooking Lough Gur. The Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement site (Site H) was discovered during a campaign of archaeological excavation over 18 seasons led by Professor Seán P. Ó Ríordáin at Lough Gur (1954, 429-35). The site is located within an area of dense archaeological activity dating principally from the Neolithic and Bronze Age up to the present day around the lake (Cleary 2018). Archaeological excavations by Ó Ríordáin at Site B (LI032-022009-) are located c. 35m to SE. Archaeological excavations by Ó Ríordáin at Site 10 (LI032-022003-) are located c. 45m to SW. Archaeological excavations by Ó Ríordáin at Site A (LI032-022010-) are located c. 65m to ESE. Many other archaeological sites are located on the peninsula, including Circle K (LI032-022028-) located 135m to NE. The settlement remains (LI032-022006- Site H) are not depicted on historic OSi maps. The site of the excavation is not visible on OSi orthoimages taken 2005-12 nor on the Digital Globe orthoimages taken 2011-2013. Ó Ríordáin (1954, 429-35) described the site as follows: ‘Site H was situated on the S slope of Knockadoon to the W of Site A (LI032-022010-) where the ground levelled out. The hill sloped gradually upwards to the N of the site. Before excavation the tops of some stones showed and seemed to indicate the N wall and short portions of the E and W walls of a small hut. No stones appeared at the S. The excavation proved rather unsatisfactory due to the jumbled mass of walls, paving and fallen stone, which are common features in the upper levels of the Knockadoon sites and amongst which it is frequently impossible to distinguish satisfactory house plans. In the case of Site H the evidence was particularly confusing. In the NE quadrant on removal of the turf a mass of stones was revealed. It was impossible to determine the line of the wall in this quadrant and the suggestion given on the plan is only tentative. The wall of the hut was recognisable on the W and NW and a portion remained in the SE quadrant. Various post-holes were revealed, two of these (in the NW quadrant) were associated with this latest structure; others underlay wall-stones and clearly belonged to the early phase. A section of paving was noted outside and under the wall-stones at the NW. Some pottery of Class II (Late Bronze Age) type came from above this paving and amongst the paving stones. A few sherds of Beaker (Early Bronze Age) also came from a high level. These sections of wall and paving rested on an accumulation of clay containing pottery, bones and other signs of habitation - denoting the earliest period of occupation on the site. At this first stage habitation took place on a fairly level surface, provided in part by the exposed rock and in part by the hard trampled yellow clay. A hearth containing much charcoal and burnt material was found in a natural hollow in the rock and also belongs to this first phase. As already stated most of the post holes must have held posts to support a building at this period and walls of stone may also have existed, but would have been destroyed by subsequent building. Other post-holes which appear in the plan could not definitely be assigned to any particular period and no final house plan was forthcoming. A considerable amount of pottery type- mainly heavy dark Class II, but also some ware of Class I type (Neolithic) was found on the rock surface and was obviously related to the first phase in the habitation. A fragment of human skull was found at this level with pottery in the NW quadrant. Owing to labour scarcity and to other difficulties which prevailed at the time of the excavation it was impracticable to uncover a larger area of ground in the hope of more complete house-plans. In view of the small area excavated all that can be stated about Site H is that here we have signs of habitation beginning at a stage when Class I pottery was already rare and when Class II was abundant, associated with timber buildings, and continuing at least until the introduction of Beaker (Early Bronze Age). The final occupation of the site that associated with the upper stone walls was probably not later than Beaker times, since the only later objects found on the site were three fragments of iron which came from a high level in the humus and are obviously intrusive.’ The site was reassessed by Rose Cleary (Cleary 2018, 187) where she identified the ‘difficulties when drawing interpretative plans, as the site was multi-period and included Neolithic, Grooved Ware, Beaker and sherds of pygmy cups, which are more usually associated with early Bronze Age burials’. She further identified ‘Class II pottery’ which she dated to the Late Bronze Age. An extensive collection of Neolithic and Bronze Age pottery was recovered from the site including flint and bone artefacts, these were found with post-holes and wall foundations. It is clear that the excavator felt that additional archaeological excavation was required at the site before committing to a definitive interpretation on the excavated remains, however the discoveries are consistent with Late Neolithic / Bronze Age domestic settlement (c. 2500-1000 BC). The site is not visible on Google Earth orthoimage taken 28/06/2018. The exact location of the site has been estimated on the basis of reconciling the original site location drawing (Ó Ríordáin 1954, Plate XII) with modern aerial photographs and is not considered highly accurate. See attached Google Earth orthoimage Compiled by: Edmond O’Donovan Date of upload: 9 November 2020