Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

The later part of the Iron Age (800 BC- 500 AD) and the early part of Early Medieval Period (500-1100 AD) are represented by a rectangular enclosure, two inhumations, and some of the cereal drying kilns. Thirteen cereal-drying kilns were dispersed about the excavated area, and while three of them proved to be Iron Age in date most had a confined period of use at the start of the early medieval period, although one was thirteenth century in date. The presence of so many cereal-drying kilns at this and adjacent excavated areas suggests that a watermill would be close by but no evidence of one has come to light. Four of the kilns are situated on top of the ridge, but there was a group of five placed relatively close together on the low ground at the E side of the spur. They are usually of the figure-of-eight form aligned N-S or NNW-SSE with the firing chamber at the N end but one keyhole kiln (dims 1.3m x 0.8m; D 0.41m), positioned just N of Ditch A was aligned WSW-ENE parallel with the Iron Age ditch. It had an oxidized base and charcoal-rich lenses from its use, but very little cereal was recovered. However, a charred barley grain provided a C14 date of 27-127 cal. AD (UBA 12927). A figure-of-eight kiln (dims 1.75m x 0.8m; D 0.28m) isolated at the N tip of the spur had plentiful evidence of working with barley, oats and wheat in that descending order, and returned a C14 date of 269-432 cal. AD (UBA 12926) from a charred barley grain. (Walsh 2011, vol. 1, 123-5)

Another kiln (dims 2.35m x 1.25m; D 0.6m), the first of five in a concentrated area (dims c. 15m E-W; c. 10m N-S) on the low ground on the E side of the spur, had stone from the superstructure in its fill, and was used for barley, wheat, and oats. Its firing chamber was at S, and a charred barley grain returned a date of 235-376 cal. AD (UBA 12929). The other four kilns were similar in dimension (dims 2.15m x 0.95m; D 0.25m to 2.4m x 1.2m; D 0.36m) and cereal grains were recovered from them in the descending frequency of barley, oats and wheat. They also returned similar C14 dates within the range 422-542 cal. AD, and burnt animal bone, of which sheep / goat is generally the only species recognized, is present in these and the remainder of the kilns. (Walsh 2011, vol. 1, 124-31)

A kiln (dims 2.49m x 1.14m; D 0.83m) with the fire-bowl at the S end was located at the crest of the W-facing slope at the S end of the spur. It was only used once and provided only small amounts of barley and wheat, but the burnt bones of sheep/goat and other unidentified species were also present. A barley grain yielded a radiocarbon determination of 412-535 cal. AD (UBA 12931). Another kiln (dims (2.17m x 1.3m; D 0.4m) was at the crest of the E-facing slope of the spur at the S end. Cereal grains were scarce but some burnt bone was also present, and a barley grain returned a date of 542-637 cal. AD (UBA 15485). A kiln (dims 2.35m x 1.04m; D 0.3m) on the ridge between the pond and the Early Bronze Age platform (ME017-087012-) returned a date of 427-538 cal. AD (UBA 12930) while another (dims 2.22m x 1.16m; D 0.56m), just 8m to the N yielded a date of 425-562 cal. AD (UBA 15486). Two pits (dims 0.85m x 0.8m; D 0.1: 1.15m x 0.6m; D 0.1m), just off the W-facing crest of the W knoll, connected by a channel and with charcoal-rich fills although without evidence of in situ burning probably constitute a kiln as it had a large quantity of barley and small quantities of oats and wheat. It also had burnt bone, and a charred barley grain provided a date of 425-537 cal. AD (UBA 12910). The final kiln (dims 5.2m ENW-WSW; 1.4m N-S; D 0.45m) was cut into a hollow on the line of the Iron Age ditch (A). It had a stone lining and its usage was dominated by rye and oats with very little wheat. A rye grain provided a C14 date of 1208-1271 cal. AD (UBA 15467) and this proved to be the last use of a cereal-drying kiln within the excavated area. (Walsh 2011, vol. 1, 126, 129, 132-3, 143, 147-8; Walsh 2012 304-05)

See the attached adapted plans from Walsh 2011 (figs 6, 7)
ME017-087_1 Site plan;
ME017-087_2 Contour plan;
ME017-087_7 Locations;

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 22 March 2022

References

Walsh, F. 2011 M3 Clonee – North of Kells, Contract 4, Navan to Kells and Kells Bypass. Final Report on Kilmainham 1C, Co. Meath. Licence: E003140. Unpublished report, 2 vols, Irish Archaeological Consultancy

Walsh, F. 2012 23. Iron Age sanctuary enclosure, boundary ditch and kilns at Kilmainham, Co. Meath. in Corlett, C. and M. Potterton (eds) Life and Death in Iron Age Ireland in the light of recent archaeological excavations. 23, 303-12. Dublin, Wordwell