Hearth

The National Monuments Service's description

In 2002, archaeological excavation (Licence No. 02E1088) was carried out on behalf of Westmeath County Council at Moyvalley 1, Co. Kildare, before the construction of the M4 Kinnegad-Enfield- Kilcock Motorway Scheme. One hearth and four oxidised features, possibly hearths, were excavated. The largest was an oval cut, measuring 1.5m east-west by 0.7m by 0.25m deep. Its sides were almost vertical, with a gradual break of slope at the base, leading to a generally flat base, which sloped from east to west. Both sides and base were noticeably oxidised. The fill was moderately compact, mid-brown, clayey silt. It contained only occasional stone (around 10% of the deposit; mostly sub-angular pebbles) and occasional to moderate amounts of charcoal (mostly flecking but with a number of larger pieces). No finds or faunal remains were recovered, but the charcoal returned a radiocarbon date of cal. 360 BC to AD 70. The remaining features survived only as oxidised patches of clay, without charcoal or cultural material, and were 0.2-0.5m in diameter. (www.excavations.ie)

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011