Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

One of a cluster of five fulachta fia (see also KK008-165----, KK008-167----, KK008-188----, KK008-189----) and three burnt mounds (KK008-190----, KK008-191----, KK008-192----) excavated in 2006 in advance of construction of the M8/N8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Improvement Scheme (Excavation licence no. E2391). An irregularly shaped mound (L 23m N-S; 27m E-W; D 0.2-0.3m) composed of compact black silt with frequent burnt stone and charcoal inclusions truncated across the centre by later activity. A rectangular trough at the centre (L 3.3m; Wth 2.3m; D 0.56m) had steep vertical sides and a flat base. It had a single fill of black sandy silt with peat, stones, charcoal and burnt bone. A charcoal sample from this fill returned a date of 970-810 cal BC (Poz-26542). A circular pit (L 4.7m, Wth 4.6m; D 1.62m) was adjacent to the trough (0.5m to the E). It contained 8 fills and returned a radiocarbon date of 1210-970 cal BC (Poz-26678). A second pit (L 0.87m; Wth 0.52m D 0.29m) was also excavated as well as a post-hole in the NE quadrant. (Phelan 2008, 193, no. 790; Hardy 2009, 261-2, no. 1023; Hardy and Green 2009, Site C)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 8 October 2013

References

Hardy, C. and Green, B. 2009 M8/N8 Cullahill to Cashel Road Improvement Scheme: Archaeological Resolution. Final report. Ministerial Direction: A027/000 Registration No.: E2391 Site AR 49, Foulkscourt Townland, Co Kilkenny. Unpublished excavation report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.

Hardy, C. 2009 AR49, Foulkscourt. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2006: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 261-2, no. 1023. Dublin. Wordwell.

Phelan, S. 2008 Various. Foulkscourt. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2005: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 193, no. 790. Dublin. Wordwell.