Hearth

The National Monuments Service's description

Excavated by Kate Taylor (02E0847) as part of Bord Gáis Éireann’s Pipeline to the West. 'An isolated pit or hearth was excavated. It was oval, measuring 1.3m by 1.1m, and was 0.29m deep, with steeply concave sides and a flat base. The pit was lined with red, oxidised, silty clay, probably partly a result of in situ burning. Three other fills were recorded. The primary fill was a black, charcoal-rich deposit; the secondary fill was a light brown, silty clay, perhaps natural silting in the western side of the feature; and the upper fill was a dark brown, charcoal-rich silt. No artefacts were retrieved during excavation, but charcoal recovered from sieved samples may be suitable for obtaining a radiocarbon determination. This isolated and undated pit appears to have been the site of some deliberate burning activity and indeed may have been a hearth. A silty deposit covered the charcoal in the base, suggesting that the feature had been abandoned after a short period and left to silt naturally. The final fill was moderately rich in charcoal, although whether this burnt material derived from the same source as the primary fill is unknown.' This description is posted on the web at the following internet address (accessed 3 August 2012): http://www.excavations.ie/

Compiled by: Denis Power
Date of Upload: 8 August 2012.