2002:1534 - TOBERTYNAN (BGE 1a/35/2), Meath

This site at Tobertynan, Rathmoylon, was discovered during monitoring of topsoil-stripping between Road-crossings 135 and 136. It was identified by the presence of a spread of heat-affected material, rich in charcoal and burnt stone, of a type often associated with fulachta fiadh, on the south side of the wayleave.

On further inspection, the site was found to extend to the north, across the wayleave. This took the form of slot-trenches indicating two structures, one on top of the other, with two cereal-drying kilns to the west of the buildings.

The site was at the southern end of a natural ridge that ran to the north, curving to the west. To the south of the site the ground level dropped into an area of marshier ground. At the time of excavation this area was relatively well drained by two large drainage ditches to the east and west; at the time of use the water table was probably higher.

The site can be divided into three separate, yet stratigraphically related, phases. The first consisted of the heat-affected material to the south. At the start of excavation it became evident that burnt material had been spread around the south side of the site and that the ground was heavily disturbed. The full extent of this phase was not established as the features continued beyond the southern limit of the site. The features exposed were six spreads of heat-affected material, three earth-cut features and one small post-hole. Four of the burnt spreads were roughly oval in plan, all with two distinct fills. The primary fills were grey ashy silt, and the secondary fills were charcoal-rich silt with varying concentrations of heat-shattered sandstone. There were four earth-cut features in Phase 1: two were large; the third was much smaller; and the fourth was an isolated post-hole.

Phase 2 was dominated by a curvilinear slot-trench forming an incomplete circle with an opening on the western side. This contained structural evidence indicative of a round building. This phase had a stratigraphic relationship to the Phase 1 features. Two features cut through a burnt spread, the most obvious being a ditch, which cut through the centre of the northernmost of the oval burnt spreads. It was also evident that the curvilinear slot-trench also cut the burnt spread. This phase may represent a change in function from Phase 1. Initially Phase 2 was thought to represent an occupation site, but the discovery of the cereal-drying kilns and the lack of occupation debris suggest a more agri-industrial function. Both this structure and the Phase 3 structure related to the kilns in the west rather than to the heat-affected material to the south.

The two kilns were similar in size and construction and may have been contemporaneous. Only the northern kiln bore any direct relationship to the structures. The southern kiln was situated to the west of the first structure. It consisted of a bowl on the western side, a central fire-pit and a possible rake-out area to the east. It was evident from the fills of the bowl and the fire-pit that this may not have seen as much use as its northern counterpart. There were only two charcoal-rich fills, in comparison with five from the northern kiln. The northern kiln was directly associated with the buildings to the east. A long clay-lined flue exited the fire-pit, leading to a clay floor in the confines of the structure.

Phase 3 consisted of another structure, roughly horseshoe shaped, built on the site of the circular building. There was evidence of preparation of the ground surface after the first structure had collapsed/burnt down, in the form of sandy clay fills capping features and used to level the ground. This clay was similar to that used on the platforms at the end of the flue of the northern kiln and above the eastern side of the fire-pit and was probably imported to the site. Further, specialist analysis of this material may establish whether it was some kind of mortar, as it may have some lime content.

Evidence from this site seems to suggest that the structures are related to the industrial activity on the site. If this is the case, the structures may represent kilns where the drying process was carried out in a fully enclosed environment, with the heat source operating from a remote location. This arrangement would reduce the possibility of destruction through fire.

Samples from most of the charcoal-rich fills were taken for wood and seed identification. It is hoped that these will shed light on the use of the drying kilns and the structures and provide radiocarbon dates.

There were very few finds from the site, none that could provide any conclusive dates at this stage; the artefacts found included burnt flint, worked chert and burnt bone.

2 Killiney View, Albert Road Lower, Glenageary, Co. Dublin