County: Kerry Site name: BALLYMACTHOMAS
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 00E0203
Author: Tracy Collins, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, 16 Avondale Court, Corbally, Limerick.
Site type: Linear pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 489174m, N 613853m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.265202, -9.623659
The two linear features were situated to the south of a removed field boundary. Both features contained iron slag-like material. These features were identified during the monitoring of the N21 Road Improvement Scheme (see above No. 409).
The first was filled with a reddish-purple, compact, silty clay, with occasional charcoal flecking. Its cut was shallow, with a U-shaped base, and was crescent-shaped. It measured 1.3m north–south x 2.5m and was 0.15m deep.
The second was filled with similar material to the first. It measured 0.57m north–south by 2.1m and was 0.1m deep. Again it was U-shaped. No in situ burning was apparent in either feature.
Owing to the predominance of iron panning in the immediate area, it is likely that these features are associated with the production of iron raw material. A large complex of similar features was excavated nearby by Frank Coyne, at Cloghermore (Excavations 1999, 112–13, 99E0130).
