County: Kerry Site name: THE PADDOCK, LIXNAW
Sites and Monuments Record No.: SMR 16:12 Licence number: 03E1643 EXT.
Author: Linda G. Lynch, Aegis Archaeology Ltd, 16 Avondale Court, Corbally, Limerick.
Site type: Possible kiln and charcoal-making pit
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 489949m, N 629334m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.404454, -9.617365
Monitoring of Phase 2 of a housing development was carried out in March 2005 under an extension of the licence used by Frank Coyne for the monitoring of Phase 1 of the development (Excavations 2003, No. 827). The development area is near the zone of archaeological potential for a ringfort. Two archaeological features in the form of pits were uncovered during the monitoring and were excavated under the same licence.
Pit 1 comprised a leaf-shaped cut measuring 1.7m east–west by 1.15m and was 0.25m deep. The basal fill was a brown/black stony fill with frequent inclusions of burnt sandstones and charcoal. This was overlain by a layer of medium-sized stones up to 0.2m in length. This feature has tentatively been identified as a kiln. Archaeobotanical and radiocarbon assessments are currently being carried out.
Pit 2 comprised a subrectangular pit measuring 1.42m east–west by 0.85m and was 0.3m deep. It was lined at the base and sides by burnt planks of timber, filled with a blackened charcoal-rich deposit and capped with grey clay. The planks varied in size, with the largest measuring 1m. It is possible that this is a charcoal-making pit. Further analysis of the charcoal is proposed.
