Lough Lugh, Uisneach: From natural lake to archaeological monument?

Recent studies have enhanced our understanding of the archaeological complex on the Hill of Uisneach, Co. Westmeath. However, the present palaeoenvironmental investigations represent the first detailed study of Lough Lugh, a small lake at the centre of the monument complex and ostensible site of the god Lughs demise. This lake history study is a continuation and expansion of the multi-proxy research undertaken as part of the Discovery Programmes Late Iron Age and Roman Ireland (LIARI) project, published in 2014. The study presents higher-resolution chironomid (nonbiting midge fly) sub-fossil sampling and a re-evaluation of the pollen data to include aquatic pollen types. Geochemical indicators (C:N ratios, d15N and d13C isotopes) were also added to the suite of proxies for this paper. Further fieldwork included stratigraphical investigations of trial cores along two transects across the lake to gain a more holistic representation of the lakebed stratigraphy. Chironomid and pollen evidence shows that the lake was an open water system in the Late-glacial Early Holocene. A subsequent increase in macrophytes (aquatic plants) and macrophyte-dwelling chironomids indicates that the lake had begun to close in the Early Holocene. The dominance of terrestrial semi-terrestrial chironomid taxa, the spike in C:N values and the near absence of lake aquatic plants and algae demonstrate that a marshland had formed by 83508240 cal. BC. The changes in chironomid and pollen taxa, in addition to abrupt changes in C:N ratios, d15N and LOI values, and lake sediment characteristics show that lake sediment was likely removed by human endeavour to re-initiate open water conditions. The results of this more exhaustive investigation, in conjunction with archaeological, mythological, folk history and place-name evidence, suggest that the lake may have been dug out in medieval times. This, however, may have been only one in a series of dig-outs in the lakes history. When people first encountered this site it was probably a marshland. It is suggested here that the existing lake is probably anthropogenic in origin and is likely to have had a symbolic or ritual significance. Lough Lugh can potentially be considered an archaeological site or monument.