Kiln - corn-drying, Magheracar, Co. Donegal
Co. Donegal |
Kilns
At Magheracar, near Bundoran on the Leitrim/Donegal border, archaeologists uncovered a fascinating glimpse into Ireland's ancient past during excavations ahead of a housing development in 2001.
The site sits within a remarkable archaeological landscape that includes a passage tomb, a wedge tomb and two standing stones, all of which remain protected and undisturbed. Initial geophysical surveys had detected intriguing anomalies beneath the surface, prompting Christopher Read and his team from North West Archaeological Services to investigate further through careful excavation.
The most substantial discovery was a large stone-lined corn-drying kiln, complete with two extensive flues; one stretching nearly 13 metres southward. The kiln showed clear evidence of intensive burning, suggesting sustained agricultural use, though its exact age remains uncertain pending radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples. Beneath the southern flue, excavators found a small pit containing decorated Neolithic pottery fragments from at least four different vessels, hinting at even earlier activity on the site. The decoration on these sherds, though simple, provides valuable evidence of the area's prehistoric inhabitants.
Perhaps the most poignant find was an intact collared urn, discovered upright and filled with cremated remains, which the machine operator narrowly avoided during topsoil stripping. Nearby, the team uncovered a mysterious semicircular stone platform, approximately 6 metres wide, consisting of three concentric rings of flat stone slabs set within a low mound. The northern half had been removed in antiquity, leaving only half the original structure. Blue glass beads and struck chert found within suggest a Bronze or Iron Age date, though its exact purpose remains enigmatic. Scattered across the site, the team also recovered various prehistoric tools including a hollow-based limestone arrowhead, a stone axe, and numerous pieces of worked flint and chert, testament to thousands of years of human activity at this evocative borderland site.