Metalworking site

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture overlooked by Tory Hill to the northeast and sloping gradually downwards toward a stream 200m to the SE. Excavated in 2006 in advance of the N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Road Improvement Scheme. Excavation license number: E2499, Area 4. The smelting furnace here was located within a circular building (int. diam. 5.9m; entrances at NW and SE) and there was also some evidence that smithing was carried out nearby. The foundations of the walls of the building consisted of a combination of continuous slot-trenching and post-holes at SE and post-holes set at intervals to the NW. Outside the northern entrance there was a hearth and a figure-of-eight drying kiln. Samples from the smelting furnace, the building and the drying kilns produced calibrated radio-carbon dates ranging from AD 550 to AD 940. (Wren 2009, 255, no. 1001; Wren 2010)

Compiled by: Mary Tunney

Date of upload: 18 September 2013

References

Wren, J. 2009 Ballynamorahan. Settlement. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2006: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 255, no. 1001. Bray. Wordwell.

Wren, J. 2010 N9/N10 Kilcullen to Waterford Scheme: Waterford to Knocktopher – Phase 2 Archaeological Resolution. Dunkitt to Sheepstown, Co. Kilkenny. Final report. Ministerial Direction: A032/000. Registration Number: E2499 Site AR03-5, Milltown Townland, Co Kilkenny. Unpublished excavation report submitted to the National Monuments Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin.