County: Kildare Site name: Moone
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: E002984
Author: Emer Dennehy, for Headland Archaeology Ltd, Unit 1, Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork.
Site type: Enclosure, kiln, posts, pits
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 676715m, N 694823m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.998637, -6.857147
This site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme, Phase 3: Kilcullen to Carlow. An area of 475m2 was stripped of topsoil for archaeological investigation and a further six trenches where later stripped to establish the extent of an enclosure ditch identified during investigation. Topsoil clearance and excavation work took place from 29 March 2007 to 28 May 2007.
During the excavation the remains of a small enclosure, a kiln and a number of pits, posts and stakes were identified. The west side of the enclosure was not identified during excavation works, but the enclosure would appear originally to have been rectangular in plan (19m east–west by 15m externally). The entrance to the enclosure was identified as a causeway in the southern ditch, measuring 1.9m in width, and had a centrally placed post-hole 0.31m in diameter.
The enclosure ditch was discontinuous and two separate cuts were recorded. The first defines the east and north side of the enclosure and was predominantly rock cut. The southern enclosing ditch was cut into the underlying sandy subsoil. The ditch has an average depth of 0.45m and width of 1.5m. No evidence of the western enclosure ditch was identified but it is reasonable to assume that it follows the line of the present-day field boundary and likewise the northern return follows the line of the townland boundary. Slippage layers within the ditch suggest that the enclosure would have had an external bank.
The keyhole-shaped kiln was located adjacent to the enclosure entrance; it is unlikely to be associated with the enclosure, as its proximity would place it beneath the enclosure bank. The kiln had a total length of 2.12m and width of 1.01m; a distinct flue and fire bowl where identified. There was no visible evidence for macro-floral remains; however, environmental analysis is pending.
E2984 contained a further 36 features, 21 of which are an external complex of post- and stake-holes possibly representing a structure relating to the kiln.
Pits excavated within the enclosure contained charcoal and burnt stones and may represent cooking pits. A piece of pottery and two pieces of flint debitage were retrieved.
