Structure — peatland in Knockersally or Colehill

This site is located in the industrial peatlands of Kinnegad Bog. It was recorded in the 2013 Peatland Survey as a brushwood structure, a possible hurdle, exposed in section in the drain face. The structure was three to four layers deep and comprised a compact and dense horizon of brushwood and heavy roundwoods. It may have been aligned N–S. The monument had an undulating profile. The monument was present in the opposing drain face (Bermingham 2014). A single cutting was opened and excavated in 2015 (licence 15E0174). The togher was laid in poorly decomposed and humified Sphagnum peat. It was dated cal. 1281-1048 BC (UBA 31807). Three distinct archaeological deposits were revealed within the cutting. The S extent of the cutting contained a small possible platform that measured 0.25m x 1.54m in size. It was composed of four SW–NE orientated heavy hazel brushwoods with two supporting transverse light brushwood underneath. A layer of peat lay beneath the structure. The brushwood below was a haphazard arrangement of holly, alder and hazel elements contained within an area measuring 1m x 1.95m. The heavier elements were oriented roughly NW–SE and overlaid the lighter elements that were oriented roughly E-W. Several chisel point toolmarked ends were noted within this material. The facets were flat. Located 0.14m to the N was part of a small brushwood hurdle panel composed entirely of hazel. It was truncated by the drain. It measured a maximum of 1.42m x 1.87m and was composed of three sails and 62 light brushwood rods. Eleven elements had chisel point toolmarked ends. A possibly contemporary, E-W orientated arrangement of parallel brushwood two to three elements deep was located 0.54m to the north of the hurdle. It measured 0.96m x 1.66m in size and was composed of closely placed alder, birch, hazel and pomoideae brushwood elements. Several elements had toolmarked ends with flat to slightly concave facets. Compiled by: Jane Whitaker/Femke Vleeshouwer Date of upload: 27/02/2020