Excavations in 2011
In 2011, excavations were undertaken at a number of Bronze Age field walls, that appear to be associated with the previously excavated Middle Bronze Age Round Houses. Excavations were also undertaken of two hut sites, situated on a level platform some 500 metres downslope from the round houses, on the southern slope of Slievemore Mountain. Artefacts recovered from the latter excavations indicate a date in the early medieval period.
Hut Site 1 and Hut Site 2 are located on the southern slope of Slievemore, Achill, Co Mayo. They are part of a dense archaeological landscape concealed by blanket bog. Other nearby monuments include Neolithic tombs, Bronze Age Roundhouses and pre-bog field walls. An early medieval ecclesiastical site is located at the foot of Slievemore Mountain, now mostly concealed by an early medieval graveyard, and a cashel (stone fort) was located a little to the west of the ecclesiastical site, but this was destroyed for building materials in the early 20th century.
The hut sites consist of a pair of small circular foundations that are located on an artificial terrace 110m south west of Roundhouse 1. Hut Site 1 is sub-circular in plan and measured 4.6m west-northwest to east-southeast and the wall survived to a maximum height of 1.2m. The internal area was small, with a maximum length of 2.6m from west-northwest to east-southeast, and was devoid of postholes or any features indicative of a timber superstructure. A small hearth and a small pit were identified near the southwest and northeast perimeter respectively. No break in the wall of the structure was identified but towards the end of the excavation a path was discovered leading to the north west corner of the building and it is suspected that a blocked entrance is located in this area. An external hearth and two large deposits of ash and hearth debris were found outside the structure. A large assemblage of possible worked quartz pieces were recovered from the excavation but only a very small number of pieces of flint and chert were recovered. No other types of artefact were recovered.
Hut Site 2 consists of a substantial structure which was sub-circular in plan and whcih measured 5m long (northwest to southeast) and 3.5m wide. The internal area was small with a maximum length of 2.1m (northwest to southeast) and a maximum width of 1.6m. The interior area was filled by a large rectangular box formed of thin upright stone slabs. This box was filled by heavily burnt soil and connected to a narrow passage running through the south east portion of the wall. The building is therefore interpreted as being the remains of a furnace or kiln of some description. A rather flimsy sub-rectangular foundation had been tagged onto the southern side of the circular building. This measured 3.5m long (northeast to southwest) and 2.5m wide and was defined by a simple wall made of two or three crudely courses of field stones. A possible entrance was located on its south-eastern side and a shallow hearth was found in the centre of the building. A large assemblage of possible worked quartz pieces were recovered from the excavation and a smallnumber of pieces of flint and chert were recovered. However three broken glass beads were found during the excavation and these are thought to be of early medieval date.
Extensive environmental samples were taken from deposits in both of these structures and these are currently being processed. Some of these samples have been sent for C14 dating and should be of great use in establishing the chronology of this complex and fascinating site, beyond the vague early medieval date provided by the glass beads.