Kiln - corn-drying

The National Monuments Service's description

Excavated (E3490) during 2005 by T. Breen as part of Site 26 at Raheenagurren West, which was one of the excavations undertaken in advance of the construction of the N11 Arklow-Gorey link-road. Situated in a low-lying, flood-prone area which had an ancient NW-SE water course (Wth c. 5.5m; D 0.6m) running through it. Three kilns were uncovered in a concentrated group. One (diam. 1.75m x 1.6m; D 0.52m) with a flue (Wth 0.52m) extending S from it produced evidence of cereals and partially cut the bowl of a second kiln to the E, which was more amorphous. A third kiln was partly stone-lined and had been re-constructed during its lifetime. The kilns are containted within a C-shaped enclosure (C c. 7m) defined by a fosse or gully (Wth 0.7m; D 0.33-0.5m) S-W-NE which produced 18 pieces of debitatge. The fulachta fia (WX012-034004-; WX012-034005-) are c. 15m to the S and the excavated features (WX012-034007-) are c. 30m to the N. (Breen 2008a, 2008, 7-10)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 13 April, 2012

References

Breen, T. C. 2008 N11 Gorey to Arklow link: Preliminary Report E3490 A003/044 Site 26, Raheenagurren West, Co. Wexford. Unpublished report: V. J. Keeley Ltd.

Breen, T. C. 2008a Site 26, Raheenagurren West. Burnt mounds, corn-drying kilns. in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 2005: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 409, No. 1669. Wordwell, Dublin.