2011:291 - BALLINORIG WEST 4, Kerry

Excavations at Ballinorig West 4 were undertaken on behalf of Kerry County Council as part of Stage (iii) of the Archaeological Services Contract prior to the commencement of construction of the N22 Tralee Bypass/Tralee to Bealagrellagh, which extends from Lissatanvally townland to Flemby townland.
Excavation revealed a ring-ditch and cremation pit burials, and numerous features related to iron-working: charcoal production pits, waste pits and hearths. A probable cereal-drying kiln and possible light structure were also recorded. In addition, pits, post-holes, stake-holes, spreads, a limekiln and plough furrows were identified.
Post-excavation work on this site is at an early stage and all phasing and interpretation given here are preliminary.

Area A
Area A was located in the north-western corner of the site. Activity here was characterised by three metal-working pits, four hearths (one of which was Iron Age— 202–2 cal. BC (2σ); SUERC-37243), an early medieval metal-working feature (cal. AD 410–559 (2σ); SUERC-37252), a possible figure-of-eight-shaped cereal-drying kiln, two waste pits and two possible structures.
One of the metal-working features consisted of three intercutting pits: a waste pit, a rake-out pit (early medieval period—cal. AD 396–547 (2σ); SUERC-37249) and a figure-of-eight smelting pit/possible shaft furnace, which measured 0.43m in length by 0.38m in width by 0.42m in depth.
A post-medieval (cal. AD 1667–1950 (2σ); SUERC-37244) limekiln (793) in the south-west corner of Area A was keyhole-shaped in plan, consisting of a subrectangular drystone-walled chamber, flue and rake-out pit. It measured 7m in length east–west by 6.5m in width by 0.85m in depth and had eleven fills. The superstructure of the kiln had been removed and there was no indication of its presence prior to excavation.
A large number of pits, post-holes, stake-holes and hearths throughout this area are currently unphased pending further post-excavation analysis. It is likely that many are related to the metal-working activity that took place during the Iron Age and early medieval period.

Area B
Area B was located in the north-east corner of the site and contained three possible hearths, seventeen pits, a spread and 27 stake-holes which formed no obvious patterns.

Area C
Area C was located in the south-west corner of the site. Identified in this area were three metal-working pits, two Iron Age (397–207 cal. BC (2σ); SUERC-37251) charcoal production pits, three waste pits, two spreads, fifteen pits and 38 stake-holes, from which three possible light rectilinear structures (Structures 3–5) associated with windbreaks or racks were identified.

Area D
Area D was located in the south-east corner of the site. The earliest activity identified here was characterised by an Iron Age ring-ditch. The penannular ring-ditch had an east-facing causeway. It measured 4.3m in diameter internally and 6.34m north–south by 6.05m externally and ranged in depth from 0.17m to 0.41m. It had six distinct fills.
The ditch fills were found to contain cremated human bone (2,453.8g). In addition, five cremation pit burials were identified within the enclosed area (total bone 576.8g) and four satellite cremation pit/deposit burials (total bone 424.1g) were also found to be present. A further four spreads, three post-holes, fourteen pits and sixteen stake-holes were also identified in the area.
A series of post-medieval plough furrows were found to be truncating the ring-ditch.

Area E
Area E was located in the south-west corner of the site. It contained one post-hole, nine pits and seven stake-holes.

Area F
Area F was located in the south-west corner of the site and contained one pit.

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