Fulacht fia

The National Monuments Service's description

At the edge of the SW flood-plain of the River Nore, on a small ridge of natural boulder clay, enhanced to produce a flat platform. Two conjoined fulachta fia (KK019-109---- and KK019-110) were uncovered during archaeological monitoring for the Kilkenny Flood-Relief Scheme (Phelan licence no. 01E0821) and subsequently excavated by Stevens (licence no. 02E1237) in 2002 (Stevens 2004, 273-4). The following description is based on Stevens published summary and unpublished excavation report.
The fulachta fiadh, where were dated to the Middle and Late Bronze Age, consisted of a single, irregular, sprawling, denuded burnt mound (L 20m N-S; Wth 12.5m; min. 0.42m), with four circular or ovoid troughs and a number of other, smaller, ephemeral features. Three lithic artefacts were also recovered, including a broken plano-convex knife of Antrim flint and two chert cores from the southern periphery of the burnt mound.
Trough A (diam. 2.3m; D 0.75m), to the S, was a backfilled oval pit, partially lined with clay, at the SE end of the mound. It was circular with a U-shaped profile and straight or slightly concave slides and a concave base. Trough B1 (min. L 0.9m N-S; Wth 1.59m; D 0.35m) was a shallow ovoid or rectangular pit at the N end, possibly originally lined with wicker, as evidenced by an arc of stake-holes. This was cut and truncated to the S by Trough B2 (L 1.6m N-S; Wth 1.5m; D 0.95m), a larger, deeper, oval, flat-bottomed trough containing residues of partially shattered stone and charcoal. The trough was obviously open for some time and contained roots and straw from pondweed. Trough C (L 1.6m E-W; Wth 1.2m; D 0.56m) was S of the mound, close to Trough A. It consisted of an irregular oval-shaped pit, with U-shaped profile, steep straight sides and a flat base. It has a sandy silt deposit at the base, indicating that the trough was open for a time before being backfilled. Trough D (diam. 1.7m; D 0.39m) was a very shallow circular pit adjacent to Trough A and may have been a firing pit rather a trough.
Analysis of the charcoal revealed that eight species, of largely young branches, were used across the site: alder, birch, hazel, ash, apple-type, elm, oak and yew. Two radiocarbon samples were submitted to Glasgow University. A 2-sigma date of cal. 1390-1010 BC (GU-10559) was produced from Trough A, and a 2-sigma date of cal. 1920-1630 BC (GU-10560) was obtained from Trough B1. These suggested that there were in fact two fulacht fia, one with an incutting trough complex that was left open for some time. Several hundred years later, a second fulacht fia immediately to the S was built, with two or three troughs.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 20 October 2020

References

Stevens, P. 2004 1007 Dukesmeadows, Kilkenny: fulachta fiadh 02E1237. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2002: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 273-4. Bray. Wordwell.