Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

A kiln was identified during archaeological test-trenching (Licence no. 01E0377). It was bowl-shaped, with its long axis orientated E-W (dims. L 2m E-W; Wth 0.48m). The stratified deposits within the kiln consisted of two thin lenses of charcoal. The upper lens extended along the length of the bowl and into the flue of the kiln, while the lower contained small pieces of burnt wood in situ. The lenses of charcoal were separated by and overlay a greyish brown sandy clay containing ash, flecks of charcoal and small inclusions of burnt clay. This deposit was similar to the clay which directly overlay the fire-reddened basal cut of the bowl of the kiln.
Three deposits sampled in the drying kiln contained the remains of poorly preserved carbonised grains of barley. The stratified sequence within the kiln and the information gained from analysis of the charred seed remains indicate mechanical processes associated with the reworking of the kiln. [Note. The precise location of the monument has to be determined: the published NGR (139054 100683) is incorrect and does not even locate to Co. Kildare.[ (www.excavations.ie)

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy

Date of upload: 10 June 2011