Charcoal-making site

The National Monuments Service's description

One of 86 charcoal production sites recorded by Healy in 1972. A section of this one, which Healy referred to as platform '78' (Healy 1972, 146), was excavated by him in two L-shaped trenches. Further excavation was carried out here in 2009 by UCD School of Archaeology as part of its training fieldwork programme (Warren and McDermott 2012, 228; Warren et al. 2013, 85-112). They described it as being sub-rectangular in shape and measuring 8m E-W by 5m N-S with a drystone wall of up to four courses revetting the base of the slope. Following excavation they concluded that it is 'a charcoal production site characterised by an artificial platform ....... and the use of a mound rather than a pit kiln' (Warren et al. 2013, 88-9). A charcoal sample produced radiocarbon dates of AD 1730-1810 and 1930-1960 (Warren et al. 2013, 92).

Compiled by: Claire Breen

Date of upload: 22 November 2013

References

Healy, P. 1972 Supplementary survey of ancient monuments at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. Unpublished OPW report.

Warren, G., McDermott, C., O'Donnell, L. and Sands, R. 2013 Recent excavations of charcoal production platforms in the Glendalough valley, Co. Wicklow. Journal of Irish Archaeology XXI, 85-112. Dublin. Wordwell.

Warren, G. and McDermott, C. 2012 Lugduff. In Excavations 2009: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland 228 (865). Dublin. Wordwell.