Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

Four kilns were excavated within Area B, three of which were in the S interior of the rath, Enclosure 1, although from different phases. One from the interior is a key-hole kiln (dims 2.2m x 1.7m; max. D 0.9m) with a flue (L 2.1m) extending S. Seven deposits survived including a clay lining which may have collapsed prematurely at its last firing. It contained burnt animal bone and only two barley grains were recovered, but a piece of charred Maloideae provided a C14 date of 687-937 (BETA 246966). A figure-of-eight kiln (dims 2.6m x 1m; D 0.5m) kiln was also in the SE internal area of Enclosure 1. It was oriented E-W with oxidised bases in both chambers as well as baffle stones to direct the heat. It had deposits with charred oats and barley and a sample provided a C14 date of 573-688 cal. AD (BETA 246968), indicating that cereal drying was conducted in Phase 1. Another figure-of-eight kiln (dims 2.5m x 0.4-0.75m; D 0.26m) was in the SE canton of Enclosure 1 and retained four deposits but only a small quantity of charred oats and barley was recorded. The final kiln was of figure-of-eight form (dims 2.51m x 1.58m; S 0.2-0.4m) and was located outside Enclosure 1 at S. It contained three deposits including one with charred oats and barley grains over a partially oxidised base. A sample returned a C14 date of 546-656 cal. AD (BETA 246967) and it can be equated with Phase 1 of the rath. (O’Hara 2009, 31-33; 2009a)

See the attached images from O'Hara (2009, figs 7, 44)
_2 Site plan;
_3 Phase 1;

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 25 April, 2022

O’Hara, R. 2009 M3 Clonee - North of Kells, Contract 2 Dunshaughlin - Navan. Final Report on the Archaeological Excavation of Roestown 2, Co. Meath. Licence: E003055. Unpublished report, Archaeological Consultancy Services

O’Hara, R. 2009a Early Medieval Settlement at Roestown 2. In Deevy, M. and Donald Murphy 2009 Places Along the Way, 57-82. NRA Scheme Monographs: 5.