2012:304 - Caher, Kerry

NMI Burial Excavation Records

County: Kerry Site name: Caher

Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: 11E0257

Author: Niamh O’Callaghan

Site type: Fulacht fiadh

Period/Dating:

ITM: E 494523m, N 592908m

Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 52.078048, -9.538820

Following the submission of an AIA with pre-development testing (Excavations 2011, No. 301), developers were required to excavate all features found during testing at Caher, Aghadoe, Killarney and to monitor removal of all topsoil associated with the development of three playing pitches and all associated site works. This summary deals with monitoring which took place over 8 days in September 2012. During monitoring 3 pits and a fulacht fiadh were recorded, covered and fenced off. Full excavation was recommended.

A pit filled with fulacht fiadh-type material was recorded 25m south-south-west of the pit recorded in this area during testing. It measured 1m in diameter and is filled with black silt and heat-shattered stones. A second similar pit was revealed 4m to the west. It measured 1.1m east-west by 1m and was also full of heat-shattered stones and blackened soil.

A third feature with grey, charcoal-flecked clay over black charcoal-rich silt, c. 2m in diameter, was revealed 2m south of the two fulacht fiadh-filled pits.

The partially levelled remains of a fulacht fiadh were recorded directly beneath the sod 18m east of the cluster of 3 features described above. It was partially exposed and the remainder is preserved under the topsoil. The exposed remains measure 12m north-south by 5m; it is estimated that the remains are c. 12m in diameter. The feature is composed of a low mound of heat-shattered stones in blackened silt, c. 0.3m deep, with darker patches of blackened silt visible on the surface.

Finally, one potential archaeological feature was also revealed, an oval, shallow pit with in situ burning. The feature was half-sectioned to determine its nature and extent; it was 1.08m x 0.86m x 0.1m deep. It was composed of three layers, 50mm of grey clay with ash over 40mm of charcoal-filled silty clay with 10mm of in situ scorched subsoil, bright orange from burning. The fills were in a shallow oval depression; charcoal was abundant but fragmentary and unidentifiable. The feature was deemed of no archaeological significance.

Barrow Archaeological Services, Sandy Lane, Barrow, Ardfert, Tralee, Co. Kerry