County: Mayo Site name: GLENBAUN
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 92E0120
Author: Christine Grant and Amanda Loughran
Site type: Metalworking site
Period/Dating: Undetermined
ITM: E 487475m, N 778218m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.741442, -9.705780
The second season of excavation took place between 6th September and 1st October. The work was funded by the OPW on the recommendation of the National Committee for Archaeology of the RIA.
The 1992 cutting (Excavations 1992, 47-8) was re-opened and extended. In addition, three new cuttings were opened, in the north-east quadrant, the south-west quadrant and one immediately outside the bank to the south-east of the site. The suggestion of what appeared to be a low outer bank during last season's work proved to be negative.
Several features were investigated, consisting mainly of pits of various sizes. One pit had a particularly high concentration of charcoal and yielded a small quantity of iron slag. In another, two distinct layers of charcoal correspond to two different cuts within the pit, indicating separate phases of activity. A small amount of iron slag was also recovered from this feature.
A stone-lined feature partly revealed in 1992 was more fully exposed. This consists of a long stone-based trench running for some 8m from the eastern interior of the site though a small gap in the northern part of the bank and turning sharply to run westward along the exterior of the bank. Its precise function has not yet been determined.
With the exception of this feature, all activity appears to have been concentrated in the central interior of the enclosure. All of the features revealed were found within the same level on site, a gritty orange layer c. 0.3m to 0.4m below the ground surface.
As in the previous season, a quantity of iron slag was recovered from all parts of the site. However, the highest concentration was recovered from a charcoal-darkened deposit which was spread across the south-eastern interior of the enclosure. The slag varies considerably in size, density and composition, and while recovery of furnace bottoms indicates the presence of a furnace on site, no definite evidence of this structure has yet come to light.
52 Brookwood Cres., Artane, Dublin 5 and 1 Meany Ave., Dalkey, Co. Dublin
