Corlea Trackway

Peat, partially decomposed organic matter used as a power source in some parts of the world, originates from bog wetlands like those in Ireland. What in the 20th century was mined for fuel was in ancient times a desolate swamp that proved largely uncrossable. It was in this context that a huge maze of over 100 toghers (wooden trackways) was discovered at Corlea Bog in the Irish Midlands.

The most impressive of these were corduroy roads, consisting of oak planks on raised birch rails, fastened like an upside-down railroad track. They were able to carry wheeled carts. Dendrochronology dates the wood precisely to 148 or 147 BCE. It is unknown for what purpose the tracks were built. However, constructing such a vast complex in a single year would have required significant labor, leading many to suggest they served a ritual purpose. As such, the tracks would not have been a conventional transportation network across the bog, but rather serving to access the bog itself.

More evidence that the tracks served a ritual purpose is that they would have sunk under their own weight within a few years, being lost to the bog. Ironically, the peat ended up preserving them for over 2,000 years until they were rediscovered. Although most of the tracks were then removed to make way for peat harvesting, a portion has been reconstructed outside the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre. A portion of the original trackway can be seen inside the visitor centre.