County: Tyrone Site name: Aghnahoe – areas 32 and 33
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: AE/08/93
Author: Kara Ward, for ADS Ltd, Unit 6, 21 Old Channel Road, Belfast, BT3 9DE.
Site type: Kiln, pits and post-holes
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 668276m, N 858825m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 54.473313, -6.946618
Areas 32 and 33 were investigated as part of the proposed corridor improvements of the line of the A4 between Dungannon and Ballygawley where 15km of new road will be constructed. Situated in an area of archaeological sensitivity, there are several sites of archaeological interest in the environs, the closest of which are five sites of industrial archaeology. Prehistoric activity, both settlement and ritual, is very poorly represented.
Area 32 was located on a steep north-west-facing slope. There was evidence that the area had been subject to clearance, carried out by felling and burning out the stumps and roots of trees.
Apart from two post-holes and two pits, much of the activity on Area 32 consisted of burnt-out tree roots and natural deposits. The burnt tree roots may be suggestive of an episode of deliberate clearance and it is hoped radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples may provide a date for this activity. No diagnostic or datable finds were recovered from this site.
Area 33 was split into two distinct parts (a and b) and separated by the public road. Area 33a was located on the western side of the road and was on a moderate north-facing slope while Area 33b was on the eastern side of the road and on a steep west-facing slope. Area 33a was located immediately adjacent to a field boundary hedge which was only recently removed; this was the source of much of the activity on this site
A typical example of a keyhole-shaped kiln was excavated on Area 33a. It was aligned north–south, utilising the natural slope of the ground with the small flue located at its southern end rising up the slope. It measured 1.73m long and 0.92m wide and had a surviving maximum depth of 0.32m. The fills of the kiln consisted of mixed burnt deposits used to backfill the fire-bowl, flue and drying chamber when it went out of use.
Area 33b appears to have been subject to an episode of clearance resulting in burnt-out tree roots and disturbance of natural subsoil. Many of these features contained charcoal. Samples were taken for radiocarbon dating. This may indicate whether the clearance was related to that on Area 32.
A number of modern features were investigated including six plough furrows, a drain and a shallow ditch thought to be a field boundary related to the existing one along the road edge.
