2016:260 - AN BHÁNÓG THEAS 4 (BANOGUE SOUTH 4), Kerry

Stage (iii) archaeological excavation at An Bhánóg Theas 1 (Ministerial Direction No.: A070) was undertaken in advance of the N86 Lispole to Ballynasare Lower & Ballygarret to Camp Road Improvement Scheme in County Kerry. All works were funded by Transport Infractructure Ireland (TII).

An Bhánóg Theas 4 consisted of a horseshoe-shaped burnt mound and associated timber-lined trough. A group of stake-holes located in a line beside the trough may have defined a small stake-built structure—a windbreak or drying racks. Phase 1 comprised the initial trough excavation and use. During the first phase of use a gritty clay accumulated in the base of the trough, with the grit likely being very small pieces of heat-shattered stone, almost like a coarse sand.

Phase 2 involved the construction of a roundwood timber lining within the trough. A layer of large charcoal pieces, grit and moss appeared to be an accumulation of material purposefully laid down prior to constructing the timber lining, and material filtering down between the timbers during subsequent use. Once the bed of moss had been laid into the trough a timber lining was constructed. Surviving timbers were generally in good condition and all the timbers were primary roundwoods. Many had worked ends, including wedge, chisel and pencil points, with up to 7 facets recorded on some examples. Surviving elements of the Phase 2 trough include the base, side and south-west end timbers and corner stakes. Base timbers were laid across a horizontal tangential timber. It would appear that the Phase 2 timber lining originally filled the entire length of the trough with the north-east end planks appearing to represent a 3rd phase of use, rather than being part of Phase 2. While stakes were visible in the north, east and south corners the west corner contained no supporting stake. This corner was constructed 'log cabin style', with alternating side and end timbers intersecting.

The 3rd phase (Phase 3) of use of the trough comprised the shortening of the trough to its final form. This included removing the Phase 2 north-east end timbers and erecting a new north-east end, made of planks. The end planks used for the new north-east end were different to those used in the Phase 2 lining. Rather than intact primary roundwoods they were split timbers. Once the trough was shortened, burnt mound material was backfilled into the north-east end of the trough, over the ends of the Phase 2 base and side planks.

Above the timber lining was a layer of black charcoal and sand, which likely represents the 3rd phase of trough use, with charcoal and heat-shattered stone accumulating at the base of the trough. At the end of this 3rd phase the trough was backfilled.

The final phase (Phase 4) of activity in the trough consisted of sterile deposits naturally accumulating across the southern half of the trough.

A copy of the final excavation report has been published in the TII Digital Heritage Collections on the Digital Repository of Ireland. It can be accessed with this link https://doi.org/10.7486/DRI.j673dr87k.

A report on the excavations undertaken on this road scheme has been published: Sutton, B. (2020) ‘Transience and Permanency – Four Thousand years of settlement on the Dingle Peninsula: Archaeological Excavations near Lispole and Camp in advance of the N86 Road Scheme (2015-2016)’. Journal of the Kerry Archaeological and Historical Society, Series 2, Vol 19 (2019), pg. 35–62 (https://www.kerryhistory.ie/product/series-2-vol-19-2019/).

Unit G1, Network Enterprise Park, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow