MAY 2007

Ancient Ringforts and Bronze Age rock art found

Two ancient ringforts and Bronze Age rock art have been discovered by Archaeologists on an Inishowen hillside, near Bawnloge Hill at Tullydush outside Buncrana. One of the ringforts is medieval dating from between the sixth and tenth centuries.

Archaeologist., Paddy O'Donovan, with the Archaeological Survey of the Dept. of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, said, "These sites are of considerable archaeological interest. The rock art is the most important find. "It's a rare monument type comprising a profusion of shallow 'cup' marks and linear grooves on the exposed upper face of the flat-topped erratic. "This type of rock art is quite rare and is likely to date to the Bronze Age from 2000BC to 500BC. This monument is unusual in that unlike most of the known examples all, except one, of the cup' marks are oval-shaped rather than circular. The 'cups' and groves are likely to have been formed by picking with a stone or metal implement. Their function is unknown although they without doubt served as the focus of some form of ritual. We can only guess at the nature of that ritual."

The first ringfort is 25 meters in diameter, has two small huts inside and a low circular mound in the centre. Paddy O'Donovan said: "The mound is possibly a third hut site. This is almost certainly a ringfort or fairy fort'. a defended farmstead dating from the medieval period. "Its location, in mountainous terrain, is very unusual." It is on a plateau on the northwest slope of the hill with commanding views of Lough Swilly. It is 378 metres above sea level and on land owned by farmer Joseph Dixon. Paddy O'Donovan said: "The people who built it have used the natural lie of the land and existing erratic stones." The second structure is a D-shaped enclosure to the south of the hilltop which is "almost certainly a ringfort". Mr. O'Donovan said I believe that this, like the vast majority of ringforts, was originally circular but that one half was destroyed as a consequence of the construction of a roadway."

Paula Harvey, Donegal County Council field monument adviser said: "These are significant sites. It is almost impossible to put an exact date on them or be precise about how big the population using these sites was."

Also found on land belonging to John McCarron, a farmer, are a number of booley huts. These were constructed by impoverished farmers, who during the summer months took their cattle to graze on mountains or boglands which had no claimants.

In some instances they were used to house a single member of the family; in others an entire family. The size of the hut reflects how many people it was to house. In many instances the builders chose a different location to construct their huts, usually constructed of sods and turf, each year. Others were more permanent structures

At one location in Tullydush are the substantial remains of the walls of a large rectangular house with rounded corners. Mr. O'Donovan said: "Adjacent are the stone foundations of a rectangular house or similar size. It is tempting to interpret these are housing an extended family. The first reference to booley huts is at the end the 16th century although their origins almost certainly date back much further than this. They continue in use until the 19th century.

Mr.Dxion said: "Our family has walked by the site hundreds of times on our way to cut turf further up the hill and we never realized it was special. It's amazing to think that people lived here hundreds of years ago."

Ancient burial site discovered

Two weeks later human bones and an early Bronze Age bowl have been discovered at Gransha, near Buncrana town.

Archaeologists John Cronin & Associates were called in when the bones were discovered by Property developer Ronald McGrory's workmen when clearing a site for houses.

The site is about 50 metres from standing stones which date from the Bronze Age (c.1500BC - 3,500 years ago). The archaeologists are undertaking an archaeological monitoring programme of all the topsoil at the site.

Senior archaeologist Kate Robb said: "We found a burnt spread of charcoal-rich material. Preliminary investigation of the feature revealed an overall area measuring approximately six metres by 4.5 metres. "Upon removing about 2cm of the charcoal layer in a portion of this area, a total of six fragments of what appears to be an early Bronze Age food bowl or vessel were retrieved, together with six fragments of cremated bone and three flakes of unworked quartz.

"Based on the evidence the burnt spread of material seems to be associated with an Early Bronze Age cremation burial location at the break of slope at the eastern site boundary. It is likely to date to 2500BC - 1500BC, approximately 4,000 years ago. Cremation was a common form of burial rite during the Bronze Age in Ireland and often individuals were buried in small pits with an associated pottery vessel and artefacts such as flint tools."

The site is currently protected from weather and human interference and a ten-metre radius buffer zone has been set out around the site and agreed with Mr. McGrory. There are no plans for houses at the exact area of the find. A full excavation of the cremation burial site will be undertaken in advance of any further ground works.

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