2007:845 - MULLAMAST, Kildare

This site was excavated as part of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford scheme, Phase 3: Kilcullen to Carlow. E2973 was located on the east summit of Mullamast hill, south-west of Ballitore village, overlooking a river valley with extensive views of the foothill of the Wicklow Mountains to the east.

The subcircular annular ring-ditch had a 9.75m external diameter and measured between 6.5m and 7.25m internally. Its ditch was 1.5–1.9m wide and 0.8m deep with gradual sides to a depth of 0.2m, where they turned sharp, and a predominately flat base. Excavation of its basal layers yielded unburnt animal bone and struck flint and chert with its upper layers containing an amount of charcoal and scattered burnt-bone fragments. No evidence survived to suggest the presence of an external bank or an internal mound.

The corn-drying kiln was located north of the ring-ditch. It was figure-of-eight in plan measuring 2.3m in length along a north–south axis. Its subcircular fire bowl located to the north had a 1.2m diameter and was 0.65m deep with gradual sides to a depth of 0.3m, where they turned sharp, and a flat base. Where the fire bowl cut through a natural gravel horizon it was lined by clay that was heavily oxidised. A thin charcoal layer overlay the scorched clay. A 0.3m-long flue with sharp sides extended upwards towards the drying chamber at the south. The drying chamber was oval in plan measuring 0.9m (east–west) by 0.8m and 0.4m deep with gradual sides and a concave base. Animal bone and shell were retrieved from backfill in the upper portions of the kiln.

A prehistoric flat cemetery, penannular enclosure ditch and medieval kilns (E2980, No. 834, Excavations 2007) were excavated to the east of this site as part of the same scheme, and may be associated.

Unit 1 Wallingstown Business Park, Little Island, Cork