2007:206 - Ballyadam, Cork

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Cork Site name: Ballyadam

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 06E0612

Author: Rose M. Cleary, Department of Archaeology, University College, Cork.

Site type: Fulachta fiadh and pits

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 584668m, N 573679m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 51.915039, -8.222858

Ballyadam 1 – pits and post-hole
Five pits were recorded in close proximity to each other and a post-hole was recorded 0.15m to the east. Two pits (C3A and B) had lenses of charcoal-enriched soil and oxidised clay in the fills and the general impression was that the material was dumped into the pits from activity elsewhere rather than in situ burning. Burnt animal bone, a stone axehead fragment and a shaped stone were recovered from C3A. The overall length of C3A–B was 1.6m and the long axis was north–south. The pits were conjoined and probably dug at the same time. A thin layer of sandy clay extended across both pits and covered the charcoal-enriched clay in C3A and abutted the oxidised clay in C3B. Blackthorn/cherry (Prunus spp) charcoal from the basal fill of C3B returned a 14C determination of 94–231 cal ad; 1847645 (uba 8450). A 0.05–0.08m thick layer of oxidised clay and charcoal occurred on the southern lip of C3B and is interpreted as in situ burning. Hazel (corylus avellana) charcoal from C11 yielded a 14C determination of 88–178 cal ad; 1862629 bp (uba-8448).
Three other pits were excavated in close proximity. One pit measured 0.62m wide (maximum) by 0.2m deep and the fill was charcoal-enriched soil with minute burnt-bone fragments. Two other pits were of similar size (0.6m diameter) and had charcoal-enriched stony soil fill. The post-hole was circular in plan: diameter 0.12m, depth 0.08m.
Ballyadam 2 – fulacht fiadh
The shattered stone spread was dispersed over an area measuring 20m east–west by 15m. A mixture of alder (Alnus glutinosa), hazel and apple-type (Pomoideae) returned a 14C determination of 2283–2146 cal bc; 3788630 bp (uba 8449). The maximum extant height towards the north end was 0.4m and the stone tailed off towards the south. The stone was predominately sandstone that was sourced at some distance from the site. The southern area of the stone spread overlay charcoal-rich peaty clay that extended into a pond. This clay appeared natural in origin and may reflect localised wet ground conditions when the site was in use. This low-lying area is interpreted as a natural pond and this was probably the water source for the activity on site. The pond was 10m east–west by 8m and was infilled with peat lenses and heat-shattered stone. The maximum depth was 0.9m and this was due to the natural topography of the landscape rather than an artificially enhanced feature. The stone infilling may be a post-use phase when the mound material was dispersed.
Twelve pits were recorded on the site and three were outside the limit of the stone spread. Two large pits are interpreted as the locations of troughs. The pits were in two main clusters to the north of the pond; two pits were to the east and a single pit lay to the west. It is possible that each concentration of pit activity is related to discrete use of the troughs.
Ballyadam 3 – fulacht fiadh
This site was 250m to the south-east of Ballyadam 2 (fulacht fiadh 1) and was similarly located in low-lying wet ground. Ballyadam 3 comprised a dispersed spread of heat-shattered stones over a series of pits, including a trough, to the south of a naturally occurring pond. The pond had been infilled in modern times with gravel. Three post-holes were recorded to the north-west of the trough and ten stake-holes were to the south of a pit. The trough was due south of the pond at a distance of c. 4m. The pit was the largest on site, irregular in plan, and the edges sloped into a second steep-sided pit that probably housed the trough lining. The fill comprised layers of heat-shattered stones and charcoal-rich silt and charcoal. Alder charcoal from the basal layer yielded a 14C determination of 996–920 cal bc; 2804631 (uba 8452).
Ballyadam 4 – burnt-stone spread
This site was located 50m to the south of a fulacht fiadh (Ballyadam 5) and comprised a spread of heat-shattered stone and three pits. The site was relatively small-scale in comparison to the fulachta fiadh at Ballyadam 2, 3 and 5 and, although heating of stones and other activity took place, the site did not have a feature that can be identified as a trough. The stone spread was irregular in plan and measured 6.8m east–west by 6.3m with a maximum central thickness of 0.25m. The spread tailed off around the edges. The basal layer comprised a charcoal-enriched soil with some heat-shattered stones; this was overlain by a thin (0.05m thick) layer of charcoal-enriched silt. Two pits were recorded under the stone spread. One was oval in plan, 1.1m east–west by 1.6m by 0.5m deep. The basal fill was a 0.1m-thick layer of charcoal-enriched silt with infrequent heat-shattered stones. This layer may have accumulated naturally when the pit was open. Hazel charcoal returned a 14C date of 2197–2042 cal bc; 3726633 bp (uba 8453). The upper layers appeared to be deliberate infill of heat-shattered stones with variations in the amount of charcoal and stones between the layers. The other pits were in a figure-of-eight plan with the northern section being wider. The overall length was 2m and the maximum width was 1.1m. The pit was 0.15m deep but was shallower in the central section. There was a single fill of heat-shattered stones.
Ballyadam 5 – fulacht fiadh 3
Similar to the other fulachta fiadh at Ballyadam, this was located in low-lying ground and comprised a spread of heat-shattered stones over a trough and eight pits. The pits were located to the north and south of the trough.
The trough was the largest on site, was roughly oval in plan and the edges were irregular on the north side. The overall length was 2.65m (east–west) and the width varied from 1.6m to 2.2m. The depth was at maximum 0.45m and the sides were vertical down to a flat base. The trough fill comprised a layer of heat-shattered stones and charcoal that represented a single infill. This may be mound slippage rather than the final cooking activity at the site, where it is unlikely that the amount of stones used filled the trough in entirety. Six stake-holes were recorded at the base of the trough. Three occurred on the north and south sides and one stake-hole was recorded adjacent to the southern trough pit edge. The stake-holes were all V-shaped in profile, with diameters of 0.08–0.11m and driven to depths of 0.08–0.13m. The stake-hole at the edge was 0.08m in diameter and 0.09m deep. The fills were stony charcoal-flecked silt. It is probable that the stake-holes within the trough pit functioned as pegs to secure the trough lining in place. A post-hole was located 0.3m from the north-western edge of the trough pit (C3) and may have held a post related to trough use. The post-hole was oval in plan, 0.3m north–south by 0.5m by 0.31m deep, U-shaped in profile with a silt fill. Two large packing stones remained in situ on the north side and a series of smaller stones along the remaining edges may also have held the post in place. A second post-hole was located 0.45m from the trough edge. This was oval in plan, 0.26m east–west by 0.31m by 0.21m deep, U-shaped in profile and had charcoal-enriched clay fills. A mixture of hazel, apple-type and birch (Betula spp) charcoal returned a 14C determination of 2192–2938 cal bc; 3714634 bp (uba 8454).