2001:796 - RATHBANE SOUTH, Limerick

This field (field 22) was investigated as part of pre-development testing in advance of the Limerick Southern Ring-Road Project. A number of isolated features as well as a larger feature were identified during the test-trenching stage. The excavation of these features was subsequently undertaken in February 2001 under the same licence.

A ‘token’ cremation deposit was recovered from one of the isolated pits. The pit measured 0.35m in diameter and was 0.4m in depth. This adult cremation consisted of long bone fragments with some skull vault fragments and one finger bone fragment.

Excavation of the larger feature revealed it to be curvilinear, 10m long, 1.1m wide and 0.07m deep. Only the north and east portion survived, but it seemed to enclose a drying kiln to the south and west. The drying kiln was orientated north–south with the drying pit at north. The kiln was 5m long and varied in width from the burning-pit, 1.5m, to the flue, 0.75m. The cut of the kiln was filled with charcoal, and with ash in the flue and the burning-pit. A greyish brown silt filled the drying-pit. Roughly hewn limestones lined the sides of the kiln but they were present only in patches. The lining was heavily disturbed. The curvilinear feature has been interpreted as a possible barn enclosing the kiln.

A number of other features were located to the south and west of the kiln. The first was a possible rectangular structure aligned north–south, evidenced by a linear arrangement of large post-holes running parallel to a possible slot-trench 4m to the west of the post-holes. The second feature was a large oval pit, 2m by 1.4m, located 2.5m west of the drying kiln. A small amount of iron slag was recovered from the bottom of the pit, which may suggest that it was a metalworking pit.

16 Avondale Court, Corbally, Limerick