2007:835 - Moone, Kildare

This site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme, Phase 3: Kilcullen to Carlow. The site was identified during testing as a spread of fire-cracked stones and charcoal and was interpreted as ‘the remnants of a burnt mound from a fulacht fiadh’. Four pits were also identified to the south-west of the spread during the course of centre-line testing. The site was located in the south-west corner of a large field, the western boundary of which defined the limits of the adjoining site E2982 (see No. 836 below). Topsoil clearance/excavation work on this site commenced in March 2007 and was completed in May 2007.
During the course of excavation an area measuring 35m east–west by 35m was opened and excavated in tandem with the adjoining site E2982. Burnt-mound material and several roasting pits were also identified within the limits of E2982, illustrating that the extent of the mound was much larger than identified within the original testing programme. The pits identified in the testing programme to the south-west of the burnt-mound deposits were not identified during the course of excavation works.
The burnt mound was primarily located within the remains of a natural shallow pond (22m by 15.5m by 0.4m) and was truncated in the 20th century by the construction of a pump-house, a well and by the insertion of several water pipes and drains. The majority of burnt-mound material was confined to the western half of the site. The troughs and pits excavated within the eastern half of the site were filled with grey gravel and clay deposits with no evidence of burning identified. In total 156 contexts were recorded on site with twelve troughs, one well and seventeen pits, in addition to several posts and stake-holes excavated. At least three phases of use appear to be represented on site.
Due to the waterlogged nature of the pond, the organic preservation on site was quite good with a relatively large amount of wood and animal bone retrieved. Iron slag was also retrieved from trough 038 (3.86m by 2.98m by 1.86m). A series of pits located to the north of the burnt mound and outside of the natural limits of the pond appear to be charcoal-production pits and may relate to the ironworking activities in the area, the primary evidence for which was identified within site E2982 on the western bank of the pond.
Upon abandonment of the site, the pond was gradually filled with alternating deposits of peat and clay.
Additional features such as roasting pits and troughs, which were clearly associated with this burnt mound but located outside the limits of E2981 as established by the NRA, will be discussed under site E2982.