Midden

The National Monuments Service's description

The following account relates to the excavation of two middens (KE004-059----, KE004-065----) in the Ballybunion sandhills (Windle, 1902). The location of the middens is not currently known; 'We excavated the sites of the two kitchen middens, and found several stone flakes and cores. These sites were about six feet [1.8m] in diameter and presented the appearance of small mounds, the black layer lying at a depth of about three inches [7.6cm] under the surface; one of them which the author measured gave the following succession of layers: - superficial sand, one to three inches [2.5 - 7.6cm]; black layer, one inch [2.5cm]; brown clayey band, with particles of charcoal, bones, etc., two inches [5cm]; grey ash, two and a half inches [6.35cm]; brown ash, two and a half inches [6.35cm], succeeded by the ordinary yellow sand. Most of the stones in and adjacent to the action of fire, and the charcoal looked as if it had boiled the tea kettle of a picnic party but a few days previously - the very grain of the wood being still visible - but it crumbled into black paste at the touch, and left our hands in a condition that would have done credit to a christy minstrel troupe. The bones also crumbled the moment we attempted to remove them from their clayey envelope. We found some hammer-stones here, and a broken anvil-stone.'

Compiled by: Matt Kelleher

Date of upload: 19 November 2013

References

Windle, J. 1902 Ballybunion Sand-Hills Co. Kerry, Journal of the Limerick Field Club Vol. 2, 244-5.