2013:538 - Killamonan, Dublin

Excavation was carried out at a site in Killamonan, North County Dublin between 29 April and the 17 May 2013. The excavation followed a series of archaeological interventions including an initial geophysical survey and subsequent targeted testing that identified four areas of archaeological potential. Two of these areas, Areas 2 and 3, were subsequently discounted as having no significance. Areas 1 and 4 however contained features that warranted further investigation.

Area 1 was located to the north of Field 2 and measured approximately 25m east-west by 10m. Excavation uncovered the remains of two corn-drying kilns, three sub-rectangular pits and a small hearth site (Features 1-7).

Area 1 

Features 1 and 2, on excavation, merged into a single, sub-rectangular, linear pit measuring 6.4m east-west by 0.85m with an average depth of 0.1m. This shallow pit had a gradual break of slope on the top and its slightly concave sides broke to a relatively even base. The single fill was a dark, grey-brown, silty clay with charcoal flecks, ash and patches of fire-reddened clay. No finds were retrieved from this fill, however 2 pieces of iron slag had been recovered from Feature 2 during the earlier testing phase.

Feature 3 was originally exposed as a sub-circular, fire-reddened spread measuring 1.2m east-west by 0.7m. A 50mm slot trench through its width identified a layer of oxidised clay containing occasional fragments of heat-fractured stone. On excavation this very compact layer had a depth of 70mm. This feature was interpreted as a hearth site. No finds were found within this deposit.

Feature 4  was a sub-rectangular pit orientated east-west measuring 2.7m in length by 0.9m wide. The depth of the pit varied from 0.15m at its western extent falling gradually to 0.3m at its eastern side. The fill was a charcoal-enriched, silty clay with a small amount of burnt bone fragments at its base. No finds were recovered from this deposit.

Feature 5 comprised the remains of a cereal-drying kiln.  The cut for the flue measured 3.35m in length by 0.87m in width and had relatively vertical sides breaking sharply to a base, giving a general U-shaped profile. The average depth of the flue was 0.29m descending very gradually to a depth of 0.32m. At its western terminal the flue opened out to the circular drying chamber. The chamber was unlined and measured 2m east-west by 1.85m. It was bowl-shaped in profile with gradually sloping edges breaking to a concave base. The maximum depth at the centre of the chamber was 0.45m. The edges of both the flue and the drying chamber were ringed with a layer of fire-reddened clay 0.22m thick. This oxidisation extended into the base of the bowl. The primary fill material was a black-grey, charcoal-enriched silt. Radiocarbon samples of the fill of this site returned a date of 874 ± 26 BP (95.4, 2 sigma cal 1045-1093 AD).

Feature 6 was located to the immediate east of Feature 3 and comprised a sub-oval cut measuring 2.8m east-west by 1.2m and dug to a depth of 0.4m. This cut contained three fills. The uppermost was a mid-brown, silty clay with a moderate amount of charcoal flecking. Beneath this was a charcoal-enriched, darker-brown silty clay with a moderate amount of small stones. At the base was a thin lens of charcoal with pebbles 50mm thick. The cut for Feature 6 had irregular edges with a sharp break of slope at the top and breaking to an even base. No finds were retrieved from this feature. F6 was interpreted as a dump pit.

Feature 7, a cereal-drying kiln, was found to the north-east corner of Area 1 and comprised the remains of a well-defined fire pit to the east, an angled flue and a rectangular drying chamber to the west. In plan the kiln was roughly ‘L’ shaped. The fire pit or hearth measured 0.8m east-west by 1.2m and was 0.18m deep. The flue was set at an 80 degree angle from the fire pit and measured a relatively short 1.2m long by 0.4m wide. It varied in depth from 0.1m at the fire pit end descending to a maximum depth of 0.26m near the drying chamber. The flue had a U-shaped profile, wider at the top. It was filled with a charcoal-enriched silty clay. The western end of the flue broke sharply to a sub-oval drying chamber.

Area 4 (Features 1-5)

Feature 1 comprised an irregular-shaped cut, containing an open ended rectangular pit to the east separated from a wider, tapering lower pit to the west. Both pits were dug into a hard natural yellow brown clay. A secondary rectangular trough, Feature 5 was found to the immediate north-east.

Feature 2 consisted of an amorphous spread of fire-cracked stone in a charcoal-enriched silty clay fanning to the north-east of the rectangular trough, Feature 5. Feature 2 measured approximately 8m east-west by 4m and varied in depth from a maximum depth of 0.17m decreasing to 30mm around its outer edges. No finds were retrieved from this deposit.

Feature 3 was a hearth defined by a circular area of fire-reddened clay measuring 1m in diameter. No finds in association.

Feature 4 was a sub-rectangular pit originally thought to have been the remains of a trough but on excavation was found to be shallow with a maximum depth of 0.1m. This ancillary feature may have been a natural pit that was in-filled with burnt stone during later ploughing activity.

Feature 5 was a well-defined, roughly square pit with rounded corners and vertical sides breaking to an even base. This trough measured 0.9m in length by 0.5m in depth. The pit was filled with dark charcoal-rich silt with a high frequency of fire-shattered stone, red and grey in colour. The base of this feature had small chunks of charcoal but there was no evidence of lining, wooden or otherwise. No finds were retrieved from the fill. Radiocarbon samples for the fill of this site returned a date of 3666±33 BP (95.4, 2 sigma cal BC 2139-1984).

3 Gort na Ri, Athenry, Co. Galway for Moore Group, Corporate House, Ballybrit Business Park, Galway.