County: Cork Site name: BALLYNACARRIGA (2)
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 01E0751
Author: Daniel Noonan for Archaeological Consultancy Services Ltd.
Site type: Kiln - corn-drying
Period/Dating: Early Medieval (AD 400-AD 1099)
ITM: E 608077m, N 579198m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.964800, -7.882470
A poorly preserved oval corn-drying kiln was uncovered in the townland of Ballynacarriga during monitoring of groundworks for the ‘Ballynacarriga Access Road’, at chainage 427 of that line. A large oval area of oxidisation measuring 4.1m north–south by 2m was uncovered during topsoil-stripping. A linear flue-like cut in poor condition, with mixed fills of moderately charcoal-flecked, stony silty clay, was located almost centrally in the area of oxidisation. A number of post-holes bounded the oxidised area and may have been part of a timber-supported superstructure to the kiln.
Although no ‘ecofacts’ were recovered during excavation, the structure did not have evidence for ceramic production or metallurgy in the form of pottery or metal artefacts and was interpreted as a corn-drying kiln. Dating of a carbon sample from the fill of the flue produced a 2-sigma calibration date of cal. AD 650–890 (cal. BP 1300–1060).
A north-west to south-east-running ditch truncates the southern end of the site. It was initially thought during excavation that the ditch pre-dated the kiln, but during analysis this proved to be very tentative. No finds were recovered during excavation. It was located approximately 30m to the west of a large Early Christian period enclosure excavated as part of the scheme (see Excavations 2001, No. 115). This monument extends beyond the CPO line to the west.
Unit 21, Boyne Business Park, Greenhills, Drogheda, Co. Louth
