Souterrain in Lurgan (roscommon By.)

Discovered through archaeological test excavation in association with the ‘N5 Ballaghaderreen-Scramoge Road Project’ (Ministerial Direction No. A077; Registration No. E5131). In the S sector of a ringfort (RO022-173----). A subterranean, sub-rectangular, stone-lined structure (L 4.12m E-W; Wth 2.66m; D 0.91m) whose construction was interpreted as likely to be contemporary with the early construction phase of the ringfort. The souterrain consisted of an earth-cut chamber lined with well-built dry-stone walling, a compacted-clay floor and a stepped entrance to the SE. The roof was no longer extant and of unknown form and material, though possibly timber. The entrance, on the SE side of the chamber, comprised a small sub-rectangular opening (L 1.2m E-W; Wth 1.4m; D 0.8m) with rounded corners, with three large stone steps leading down from the ground surface. The chamber walls were constructed of large boulders placed directly on and brought to between four and six courses of mostly limestone, with some sandstone inclusions. The lower courses comprised very large stones with horizontally coursed flat slabs above. The primary floor level, was a deposit that filled voids and stone sockets created by the initial excavation for the souterrain to provide a level surface for the chamber and consisted of a compacted mottled brown-grey sandy silt containing some charcoal, small stones and occasional shell. A secondary floor level consisted of a heavily compacted light-brownish grey clay and gravel and was interpreted as a working surface. This in turn was overlain by a tertiary (modified floor) level that consisted of loose reddish brown silty clay containing occasional flecks of charcoal. Artefacts retrieved from this earliest phase of the souterrain were undiagnostic of date and included a flint flake and an unidentified iron fragment. In addition, samples of charcoal and burnt bone were also recovered. The souterrain later underwent significant modification which included blocking the original entrance, breaking a new ramped entrance to the NW and repairing and rebuilding the dry-stone walls to the SE. These works, which were of a lower quality and standard, also reduced the size of the chamber (L 1.4–2.2m E-W; Wth 0.6-2.2m) by almost one-third. The final phase of the souterrain was marked by the deposition of a demolition rubble layer including a mid-greyish brown silty clay containing a moderate amount of charcoal. Artefacts from this phase included an iron blade, an iron strap, flint, animal bone and a fragment of fired clay—interpreted a possibly daub from the roof or walling . This was sealed by a levelled and trampled fill (D 0.15m) of compacted mid-brown silty clay containing flecks of charcoal; removing all surface trace of the feature. Subsequently, the southwest corner of the back-filled souterrain was reused as the location of a canine burial, deliberately interred in a shallow (D 0.15m) sub-rectangular (L 1m E-W; Wth 0.5m) stone-lined ‘cist’, reusing stone from the souterrain’s S and W walls. The articulated remains of a complete adult canine skeleton was deliberately placed with the animal positioned on its right side, with the head lying on a horizontal slab and facing E. Its front and hind legs were folded in under the body. The skeleton was in a good state of preservation with most if not all bones present. Many disarticulated bones of smaller animals were found within the burial and may the remains of burrowing animals. The burial was backfilled by deep, loosely compacted, dark-grey sandy silt containing moderate amounts of charcoal, (redeposited) clay and burnt clay. No dating evidence was recovered and radiocarbon dating of the remains would greatly inform an interpretation. See attached image: RO022-173001-_01 Snip of Plate 9 in Post-Excavation Assessment Report: looking NE over excavated souterrain. Reference: Joe Nunan, Saoirse Bailey and Dr Paul Stevens, ‘Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge Road Project Stage (iii) Post-Excavation Assessment Report: Lurgan 3’ (Unpublished, 2022) Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy based on information provided by Deirdre McCarthy. Date of upload: 11 August 2023