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The two cut features excavated at Dungeer were small pits that were used for metalworking. Both pits demonstrated evidence of oxidisation and had fills which contained slag. The analysis of industrial residues confirmed that these were bowl furnaces used for smelting ore. The only metal type worked at the site was iron, with bog ore almost certainly the main raw material.
Citation preview
Issue 4 [ISSN 2009-2237]
Archaeological Excavation ReportE0475 - Dungeer, Co. Wexford
Metalworking pits
Eachtra Journal
The Forge,Innishannon, Co. Cork.Tel.: 021 470 16 16Fax: 021 470 16 28E-mail: [email protected] Site: www.eachtra.ie
Contact details:
December 2009
Written by:
Client:
Final Excavation Report,Dungeer,N25 Harristown to Rathsillagh,Co. Wexford
Wexford County Councilc/o Tramore House Road Design Office,Tramore,Co. Wexford
00E0475
Daniel Noonan
Daniel Noonan & Penny Johnston
Licence No.:
Licensee:
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Table of Contents
i Acknowledgements ........................................................................................ iv
1 Summary ............................................................................................................1
2 Introduction .......................................................................................................1
3 Methodology ......................................................................................................1
4 Description of Development ...............................................................................1
5 Background to the excavation area ......................................................................1
6 Archaeological & Historical Background ............................................................2
6.1 Mesolithic 7000-4000 BC...........................................................................2
6.2 Neolithic 4000-2500 BC ........................................................................ 2
6.3 Bronze Age 2500-500 BC ....................................................................... 3
6.4 Iron Age 500 BC-500 AD ....................................................................... 3
6.5 Early Medieval 500 AD-1169 AD ........................................................... 4
6.6 Later Medieval 1169 AD-1600 AD ......................................................... 4
6.7 Post-Medieval (after 1600 AD) ............................................................... 5
7 Site Location and Topography ............................................................................5
8 Results ................................................................................................................5
9 Artefacts .............................................................................................................6
10 Industrial Residues .............................................................................................6
11 Conclusion ..........................................................................................................6
12 Bibliography .......................................................................................................7
13 Figures .............................................................................................................9
14 Plates ...............................................................................................................14
13 Appendices ........................................................................................................ 15
13.1 Appendix 1 Context Register .......................................................................15
13.2 Appendix 2 Stratigraphic Matrix .................................................................16
13.3 Appendix 3 Industrial Residues............................................................ 17
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List of Figures
Figure 1: Discovery map showing the route of the N25 Rathsillagh-Harristown roadFigure 2: Ordnance Survey 1st edition showing the route of the N25 Rathsillagh-Harristown road Figure 3: RMP (Map sheet 36) showing the route of the N25 Rathsillagh-Harristown road Figure 4: Route of new road with all excavated sites displayedFigure 5: Plan of the excavated area at Dungeer, Co. Wexford (00E0475) showing the two metalwoing pits
List of Plates
Plate 1: Post-excavation of two metalworking pits (cuts C.3 and C.4) Plate 2: Pre-excavation of two metalworking pits (deposits C.1 and C.2)
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i Acknowledgements
Project Manager: Michael TierneyLicensee: Daniel NoonanField staff: Karen Ward, Tommy DesmondText: Daniel Noonan, Tina Murphy, Antonia Doolan, Penny JohnstonPhotography: Karen WardIllustrations: Bernice Kelly, Enda O’ Mahony, Robin Turk
This project was entirely funded by Wexford County Council, under the National Development Plan.
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1 SummaryCounty WexfordTownland DungeerParish TaghmonCivil Parish KilgarvanBarony Shelmaliere westNational Grid Co-ordinates 290367 123176Chainage 5575Site type Metalworking pitsExcavation Licence Number 00E0475
2 IntroductionThe Rathsillagh to Harristown Little realignment scheme in Co. Wexford resulted in the discovery of several new archaeological sites including two pits found during the topsoil stripping phase of the project (State monitoring licence 00E379). The features were subsequently excavated under excavation licence number 00E0475. The presence of slag in both fills indicated that they were used for metal-working and the absence of any evidence for re-cutting or cleaning out of the pits suggested that use of the site was relatively short-lived.
3 MethodologyThe features were excavated by hand, utilising the single context recording system. Slag was collected from both contexts for the analysis of industrial waste.
4 Description of DevelopmentThe N25 is the main southern east to west route, traversing the counties of Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny and Wexford. It links the port of Rosslare Harbour with Cork City, via New Ross, Waterford City, Dungarvan and Youghal. A section of the N25 route between the townlands of Rathsillagh and Har-ristown Little was selected for upgrading, as the old road comprised a single carriageway in either direction, with several ‘blind’ junctions, and in many cases only a hedge separating farmland from the road. The new route sought to straighten and level out the N25 and to provide a wider single car-riageway with hard shoulder in either direction, in keeping with the Barntown scheme completed in 1998 (Fig. 1).
5 Background to the excavation areaThe 8.5 km route of the new road crosses a series of low, undulating hills, to the south of the old N25 route, and is situated at a height of between 45 m and 80 m above sea level. The landscape here is characterised by small hills, interspersed with many small streams; these eventually flow into the River Corock to the southwest, into the Slaney to the northwest, as well as feeding into Ballyteige Bay to the south. From its western beginning in Rathsillagh townland the routeway climbs gently, running parallel and to the south of the old N25. It then continues through Assagart, Ballyvergin, Shanowle, Camaross, Carrowreagh, Dungeer, Bricketstown and through into Harristown Little, eventually exit-
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ing in Harristown Big townland and tying into the Barntown improvement which opened in 1998.The higher ground was lush pasture, well drained, and gave spectacular views all around. Sites on this part of the route included prehistoric settlement activity and a series of medieval kilns. Conversely, the lower ground in Camaross, Carrowreagh and Dungeer was quite marshy and prone to growth of gorse. Sites traditionally associated with low-lying ground were found in these townlands, for example a burnt mound at Dungeer and a moated site at Carrowreagh.
6 Archaeological & Historical BackgroundThere are thirteen recorded archaeological monument sites within 1 km either side of the development; one is a church and graveyard site, nine are listed as enclosure sites of between 30 m and 60 m in di-ameter and three are moated sites (two of which are destroyed). The ecclesiastical site apparently dates to the medieval period as there is a fragment of a medieval grave cover in the graveyard and the site was originally surrounded by a circular bank (Moore 1996, 129). The enclosures most likely represent the raths and ringforts of the early medieval period (Moore 1996, 28). Prior to these excavations, the known archaeological remains in the locality were all medieval and post-medieval but several prehis-toric sites were identified during the course of this programme of excavation along the N25 route-way, including Neolithic material at Harristown Big, Bronze Age sites at Dungeer, Ballyvergin and Har-ristown Big and Iron Age activity at two sites in Bricketstown.
6.1 Mesolithic 7000-4000 BCThe earliest known human occupation of Ireland dates to the Mesolithic period (c. 7000-4000 BC). Lithic scatters from the period have been found along the banks of the Barrow river in counties Wex-ford and Waterford (Green and Zvelebil 1990). Some diagnostic Mesolithic stone artefacts were also found in Camolin, in north Wexford, and along the eastern coastline between Carnsore and Kilm-ichael point (Stout 1987, 3). However, most activity is identified in resource-rich locations by riversides and coastlines and there is no known evidence for Mesolithic activity within the area affected by the roadtake.
6.2 Neolithic 4000-2500 BCThere is piecemeal evidence for Neolithic occupation in County Wexford. Stout’s (1987) distribution map of Neolithic remains includes evidence for one single burial site, fifteen find spots for flint and stone atefacts, two portal tombs and seven other possible megalithic tombs. Work on the Archaeologi-cal Survey of Ireland reduced the number of other possible megaliths from seven to five (Moore 1996). Subsequent excavation work has increased the extent of knowledge concerning Neolithic settlement in the county. Early Neolithic pottery was found by McLoughlin (2004) at Kerlogue (02E0606) and at a pit and a hearth excavated under licence 00E0630 at Courtlands East (Purcell 2001). Later Neolithic activity in the county is indicated by Sandhills ware, discovered during an excavation (02E0434) in a pit at St. Vogues (Purcell 2004). An undated excavation at MacMurroughs (1985:59) also uncovered a number of flints and a ground stone axe, associated with a hearth and pit may also be Neolithic in date (Cotter 1986). Some evidence for Neolithic activity was found as part of this project at Harristown
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Big (00E0424) where Neolithic pottery was discovered at a site where various pits and stakeholes were excavated. Early Neolithic and possible Middle Neolithic wares were found.
6.3 Bronze Age 2500-500 BCSome of the earliest Bronze Age finds from Co. Wexford are three chance finds of Beaker gold discs (only one with a provenance). Other Bronze Age metal finds from the county includes hoards of both Early and Late Bronze Age artefacts, e.g. at Cahore Point, a cave at Nash, Ballyvadden, Enniscorthy, Forth Commons and New Ross (Stout 1987, 9-10, 22). At Ballyvadden the Late Bronze Age metal ob-jects were found within a ceramic container, a unique feature in Irish hoards, but apparently common on the continent during the period (Stout 1987, 22). Burnt mounds are the most common Bronze Age site-types found in Ireland and sixty-three such sites were identified in the Archaeological Inventory for the county (Moore 1996) and since the survey work several have been excavated in the county; examples were found at Strandfield (McCarthy 2004) and along the routes of the N30 (Enniscorthy to Clonroche) and the N11 (Arklow to Gorey) roads (www.nra.ie). Only one burnt mound was excavated during works on the Rathsillagh-Harristown realign-ment of the N25; this was found at Dungeer 00E0474. Much of our evidence for Bronze Age activity in Wexford to date has come from burials. There is a recognised concentration of cist-type burials in Co. Wexford; these are commonly thought to date to the Early Bronze Age. Stout (1987) identified more than thirty-seven identified but many were not well documented and Moore (1996) could only pinpoint the locations of only twenty-five cist and pit burials in total. Several other burials with diagnostic Bronze Age pottery have since been found during excavation: there was a cordoned urn burial at Ballintubbrid, vase urn burials at Coolnaboy, Gorey Corporation Lands and Kilmurry, a cist with a tripartite bowl at Knockbrack and a ring ditch with cremation burials at Ferns Lower (Bennett 2004-5). Another ring-ditch was found at Kerlogue Sites 4 and 5 and a large round house excavated at Kerlogue Site 2 was probably also of Bronze Age date (McLoughlin 2004). The excavations from the Rathsillagh-Harristown road scheme included one Early-Middle Bronze Age site at Ballyvergin where hot-stone technology was used in association with metalworking. Another metalworking site was found at Harristown Big (00E0425) where a series of Late Bronze Age metalworking pits and crucibles were found and the Late Bronze Age burnt mound site at Dungeer (00E0474).
6.4 Iron Age 500 BC-500 ADIn common with much of Ireland there is very little evidence for Iron Age activity in Co. Wexford. Hillforts and promontory forts have possible construction dates in the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age and there are two hillforts and five promontory forts in the county (Moore 1996). The artefactual evidence for this period in Wexford includes two pins that are of probable Iron Age date and two pos-sible Iron Age stone heads recovered from Duncormick (Stout 1987, 29-30). Two of the sites excavated along the route of the Rathsillagh-Harristown road produced Iron Age radiocarbon dates, both were from Bricketstown and one was a small cremation cemetery (00E0623), the second was a small hearth (00E0624).
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6.5 Early Medieval 500 AD-1169 ADThe beginnings of Christianity are evident in the remains of seventeen early ecclesiastical sites in Co. Wexford (Moore 1996). One of the earliest excavated examples from Co. Wexford was at St. Vogues, at Carnsore, where a wooden church preceded a stone building (O’Kelly 1975). One of the closest known early church sites to the roadtake is located approximately 2 km to the south at the church of Poulmarl/Taghmon, the monastery founded by St. Munna in the seventh century. The list of abbots from this site continues to the end of the tenth century and there is a record of a Viking raid in 917 AD (Moore 1996, 160). By this time the Norse town of Weisford, later to become Wexford, was already established, having been established by the end of the ninth century (Colfer 1990-1991).Evidence for settlement in the county during the early medieval period comes from ringforts, typical monuments of the period. These were circular or subcircular enclosures made from earthen banks that surrounded areas roughly between 25 and 40 metres in diameter. Excavated examples have demon-strated that they generally surrounded single farmstead-type settlement sites. One hundred and fifty-three examples are known from the county (Moore 1996). Of these only two were located within close proximity to the area of the new Rathsillagh-Harristown road (at Haystown, c. 3 km to the north of the new road and at Cullenstown c. 2 km to the south). There are also numerous circular enclosure sites that probably represent ringforts; thirteen of them appear on the RMP Sheet 36 (covering the area of the new road-take) for Co. Wexford.
6.6 Later Medieval 1169 AD-1600 ADThe Anglo-Normans first landed in Ireland in Co. Wexford in 1169. The county was within their initial land-grab zone between AD 1169 and AD 1190 (Mitchell & Ryan 1997, 305) and was sub-infeudated in the early stages of Anglo-Norman activity in Ireland (Colfer 1987). Wexford county was one of the first twelve counties created by the English Kings in the 12th to 13th centuries, from the original Prov-inces and lesser Territories of the Irish Tuatha (Howarth 1911, 161). By the thirteenth century much of the area covered by the Rathsillagh-Harristown road-take was a frontier zone and the archaeological landscape of these areas is characterised by moated sites: there are ten known sites on RMP Sheet 36 for Co. Wexford, the area covered by the new road, and one moated site at Carrowreagh was found along the line of the new road. Moated sites were distributed at the peripheries of the colonial organi-sation centres and probably represent an attempt at secondary colonisation (O’Keeffe 2000, 73-75). There are almost 130 moated sites known in County Wexford (Moore 1996, 95). However, by the end of the fourteenth century, much of the Anglo-Norman settlement in Co. Wexford had retreated to a southeastern stronghold in the baronies of Forth and Bargy, a pattern that Colfer (1987) suggests was reminiscent of the “Pale of county Wexford”. Excavations of medieval sites in the county include the remains of a medieval house were excavated at Ballyanne (Moran 2000), with pottery indicative of oc-cupation in the 12th to 14th centuries, and excavations at Ferns, Hook Head, Newtown, Tintern, Tagh-mon, New Ross and Wexford town all produced medieval archaeological remains (Bennett 2004-5). Along the route of the Rathsillagh-Harristown road the moated site at Carrowreagh (excavated under licence no. 00E0476) was the largest medieval site excavated. A spread of medieval occupation material was also excavated at Bricketwtown (00E0476) and this was rich in the remains of medieval pottery.
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It is also possible that the limekilns at Bricketstown (00E0476) and Harristown Little (00E0417) were in use at the very end of the medieval period.
6.7 Post-Medieval (after 1600 AD)A few excavations of post-medieval archaeological sites have been carried out in Wexford county, in-cluding Brideswell Big, Duncannon Fort, and excavations in Wexford and Ennisorthy town (Bennett 2004-5). Some of the excavations from the Rathsillagh to Harristown road scheme were probably used during this time, in particular the limekilns at Bricketstown (00E0476, 00E0626) and Harristown Little (00E0417) were probably in use at this period. There is Jacobean house site in Dungeer, one of the townlands affected by the roadtake. References to the house/castle date to the early seventeenth century (Moore 1996).
7 Site Location and TopographyThis site was located at the top of a moderately west to east inclined hill and the surrounding land was used as grazing.
8 ResultsThe site comprised two small pits of similar form that were located in close proximity to each other (Fig. 5). There was evidence for oxidisation within the cuts of both pits, suggesting in situ burning or exposure to extreme heat. Both were filled with charcoal rich deposits with stone and slag inclusions. The similarities between the cuts and fills of both pits, and their proximity to each other, indicates that they were related.
The first pit (C.3) was circular in plan with a diameter of 0.27 m and a depth of 0.07 m (Plate 1). It contained one fill (C.1), a dark black silty clay with occasional small sub-angular stones, iron slag (177 g) and charcoal (Plate 2). Specialist analysis suggested that this was a smelting slag, with indications that it cooled slowly in the furnace (Appendix 3).
The second pit (C.4) was located just 0.12 m to the south of C.3. It was sub-circular in plan, measur-ing 0.20 m from north to south by 0.25m east to west, and it was 0.08 m in depth (Plate 1). It also contained only one fill (C.2), a dark black silty clay with many angular and sub-angular pebbles and stones, frequent charcoal flecks and 178 g of slag (Plate 2). The slag in this context also formed as a result of smelting (Appendix 3).
The presence of slag in both pits indicates that they were used for metalworking and they have been identified as bowl furnaces on the basis of specialist analysis (Appendix 3). Some above ground struc-tures would have been necessary to create a reducing atmosphere for this process and while there were no archaeological indications of above ground structures around these pits, it is possible that a clay dome or low wall was used. This would not have survived at a disturbed site, particularly as these fur-naces were so shallow (0.07-0.08 m deep) and were clearly truncated.
The main activity at the site was first the digging of the pits (and perhaps the construction of a dome
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or wall over the pit), and secondly the use of the features for roasting and smelting. It seems likely that these two activities occurred in quick succession as there is no evidence for repeated use of the pits, for cleaned out and scattered waste, or for any other structural remains.
The location of metalworking sites is crucial as they need to be close to resources and raw materials, such as clay for furnace lining, charcoal (i.e. plenty of wood) and, most importantly in the case of smelting, an ore source. A major prehistoric and early historic source of ore for ironworking was bog ore (limonite) which was probably easily accessible in Ireland, given the expanse of both blanket and raised bogs in the country, although the issue of ore supply from this source has not been studied in detail. The ore source at Dungeer appears to be from bog ore (Appendix 3).
This site is the only recorded evidence for bowl furnaces in Co. Wexford to date, based on a survey of the database of Irish excavations (www.excavations.ie) and in reference to more recently published summary excavations (Bennett 2004 and Bennett 2006).
9 ArtefactsThere were no artefacts recovered during excavation at this site.
10 Industrial ResiduesIndustrial residues from two samples were examined by Dr. Effy Photos-Jones and Dr. Lyn Wilson of Scottish Analytical Services for Art and Archaeology (Appendix 3). Their analysis concludes that these pits were used as bowl furnaces and that smelting occurred at the site. The raw material was probably bog ore and iron was the metal that was worked at the site, with no evidence for copper use.
11 ConclusionThe two cut features excavated at Dungeer under excavation licence no. 00E0475 were small pits that were used for metalworking. Both pits demonstrated evidence of oxidisation and had fills which contained slag. The analysis of industrial residues confirmed that these were bowl furnaces used for smelting ore. The only metal type worked at the site was iron, with bog ore almost certainly the main raw material.
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12 BibliographyBennett,I. (ed.) 2006. Excavations 2003. Bray, Wordwell.
Bennett,I. (ed.) 2004. Excavations 2002. Bray, Wordwell.
Bennett, I. 2004-5. ‘Archaeological Excavations in Co. Wexford’, Journal of the Wexford Historical Society 20, 184-196.
Colfer, B. 1987. ‘Anglo-Norman Settlement in County Wexford’, pp. 65-101 in Whelan, K. (ed.) Wexford History and Society. Interdisciplinary essays on the history of an Irish county. Dublin, Geography Publications.
Colfer, B. 1990-1991. ‘Medieval Wexford’, Journal of the Wexford Historical Society 13, 4-29.
Cotter, C. 1986. ‘MacMurroughs, Co. Wexford’, in Cotter, C. (ed.) Excavations 1985. Dublin, Irish Academic Publication for Organisation of Irish Archaeologists.
Green, S. W. and Zvelebil, M. 1990. “The Mesolithic colonisation and agricultural transition of south-east Ireland”, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 56, 57-88.
Howarth, O.J.R. 1911. A Geography of Ireland. Oxford Geographies, London
McCarthy, M. 2004. ‘Strandfield, Co. Wexford’, pp. 520-521 in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 2002. Bray, Wordwell.
McLoughlin, C. 2004. ‘Kerlogue’, pp.517-518 in Bennet, I. (ed.) Excavations 2002. Bray, Wordwell.
Mitchell, F. & Ryan, M. 1997. Reading the Irish Landscape, Town House, Dublin
Moore, M.J. 1996. Archaeological Inventory of County Wexford, Government Publications, Dublin.
Moran, J. 2000 ‘Ballyanne, Co. Wexford’. in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 1998. Bray, Wordwell. Mullins, C. 2003 Rathaspick in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 2001. Bray, Wordwell.
O’Keeffe, T. 2000. Medieval Ireland, An Archaeology. Tempus Publishing, England.
O’Kelly, M.J. 1975. ‘Archaeological Survey and Excavation of St. Vogue’s Church, Enclosure and Other Monuments st Carnsore, Co. Wexford’. Unpublished excavation report for the Electricity Supply Board.
Purcell, J. 2004. ‘St. Vogue’s’, p.520 in Bennet, I. (ed.) Excavations 2002. Bray, Wordwell.
Purcell, A. 2002. ‘Courtlands East, Co. Wexford’, in Bennett, I. (ed.) Excavations 2000. Bray, Wordwell.
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Stout, G. 1987. ‘Wexford in Prehistory 5000 B.C. to 300 A.D.’, pp.1-39 in Whelan, K. (ed.) Wexford History and Society. Interdisciplinary essays on the history of an Irish county. Dublin, Geography Publications.
Websites
www.excavations.ie
www.nra.ie/Archaeology/LeafletandPosterSeries
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Figu
re 1
: Disc
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Figure 1: Discovery map showing the route of the N25 Rathsillagh-Harristown road.
13 Figures
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02 k
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y:
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Figure 2: Ordnance Survey 1st edition showing the route of the N25 Rathsillagh-Harristown road
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02 k
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Figure 3: RMP (Map sheet 36) showing the route of the N25 Rathsillagh-Harristown road
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0m50
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Figure 5: Plan of the excavated area at Dungeer, Co. Wexford (00E0475) showing the two metalworking pits
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Plate 1: Post-excavation of two metalworking pits (cuts C.3 and C.4)
Plate 2: Pre-excavation of two metalworking pits (deposits C.1 and C.2)
14 Plates
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13 Appendices
13.1 Appendix 1 Context Register
Context No.
Dimensions Description
1 0.27 m N-S x 0.27 m E-W x 0.7 m depth.
Soft dark black silty clay with occasional small sub-angular stones, iron slag and charcoal. It is the fill of a pit (C.3) and was formed during some stage of metalworking.
2 0.28 m N-S x 0.25 m E-W x 0.08 m depth
Soft dark black silty clay containing fine, medium, and coarse angular and sub-angular pebbles and small angular and sub-angular stones. Frequent flecks, small and medium pieces of charcoal. Contained slag. This is the fill of a small pit (C.4) associated with metalworking.
3 0.27 m N-S x 0.27 m E-W x 0.07 m depth
Cut of small pit. Circular in plan with rounded corners. Grad-ual break of slope top and base. All sides have a gentle slope and are smooth in shape. The shape of the base is circular in plan and concave in profile. C 3 is filled by C.1. This context is the cut of a small pit associated with metalworking.
4 0.20 m N-S x 0.25m E-W x 0.08 m depth
Cut of small pit. This context is circular to sub-circular in plan with rounded corners. Gradual break of slope top and base. All sides have a gentle slope and are smooth in shape. The shape of the base is sub-circular in plan and concave in profile. C 4 is filled by context 2. This context is the cut of a pit (filled by C.2). As in the case of C 3, the cut itself is very shallow but from the fill, its inclusions and finds there is little doubt that both cuts were made solely for the purpose metal processing.
16
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e0475-dungeer-co-wexford/
13.2 Appendix 2 Stratigraphic MatrixAppendix 2: Stratigraphic Matrix
Topsoil
Natural
1 2
3 4
17
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e0475-dungeer-co-wexford/
13.3 Appendix 3 Industrial Residues
1
Q
SASA
A 2
45a
and
245b
O
ctob
er 2
006
-R
AF
AN
AL
YSI
S
SASA
A 2
45a:
Dun
geer
Indu
stri
al W
aste
Exa
min
atio
n &
Ana
lysi
s SA
SAA
245
b: B
rick
etst
own
Indu
stri
al W
aste
Exa
min
atio
n &
Ana
lysi
s
Intr
oduc
tion
SASA
A r
ecei
ved
four
sam
ples
of
slag
fro
m E
acht
ra A
rcha
eolo
gica
l Pr
ojec
ts f
or a
naly
tical
ass
essm
ent.
The
sam
ples
wer
e ex
cava
ted
from
Dun
geer
, Co.
W
exfo
rd (L
icen
ce N
o. 0
0E04
75) a
nd B
ricke
tsto
wn,
Co,
Wex
ford
– N
25 R
ealig
nmen
t (R
aths
illag
h-H
arris
tow
n) (L
icen
ce N
o. 0
0E04
76).
Thre
e of
thes
e fo
ur
wer
e ch
osen
for e
xam
inat
ion
(Tab
le 1
).
Tabl
e 1.
Indu
stria
l was
te s
ampl
es.
SASA
A N
o.
Con
text
Pi
t No.
Si
te
Site
Cod
e D
escr
iptio
n A
naly
sis
245.
0192
1
Dun
geer
, Co.
Wex
ford
00
E04
75
Sla
g S
EM
-ED
AX
24
5.02
4 n/
a B
ricke
tsto
wn,
Co.
Wex
ford
00
E04
76
Sla
g S
EM
-ED
AX
24
5.03
3 2
Dun
geer
, Co.
Wex
ford
00
E04
75
Sla
g S
EM
-ED
AX
Dun
geer
(Co.
Wex
ford
) Th
e si
te c
ompr
ised
two
smal
l met
alw
orki
ng p
its, l
ocat
ed c
lose
to e
ach
othe
r (Fi
gure
3 -
left)
. The
re w
as e
vide
nce
for o
xidi
satio
n w
ithin
the
cuts
of b
oth
pits
, su
gges
ting
in s
itu b
urni
ng o
r exp
osur
e to
ext
rem
e he
at. B
oth
wer
e fil
led
with
cha
rcoa
l ric
h de
posit
s w
ith s
tone
and
sla
g in
clus
ions
. The
sim
ilarit
ies
betw
een
the
cuts
and
the
fills
of b
oth
pits
, and
thei
r pro
xim
ity to
eac
h ot
her,
indi
cate
s th
at th
ey w
ere
rela
ted
and
it se
ems
likel
y th
ey s
erve
d a
sing
le fu
nctio
n (E
acht
ra
2006
). N
o da
tes h
ave
been
repo
rted
for t
his s
ite.
•Pi
t C3:
circ
ular
in p
lan.
Dia
met
er =
0.2
7m. D
epth
= 0
.07m
. One
fill
= da
rk b
lack
silty
cla
y w
ith o
ccas
iona
l sm
all s
ub-a
ngul
ar st
ones
, iro
n sl
ag (1
77g)
and
ch
arco
al.
•Pi
t C
4: 0
.12m
S o
f C
3. S
ub-c
ircul
ar in
pla
n. 0
.2m
x 0
.25m
dim
ensi
ons.
Dep
th =
0.0
8m. O
ne f
ill =
dar
k bl
ack
silty
cla
y w
ith m
any
angu
lar
and
sub-
angu
lar p
ebbl
e an
d st
one,
freq
uent
cha
rcoa
l fle
cks a
nd sl
ag (1
78g)
.
18
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e0475-dungeer-co-wexford/
2
Bri
cket
stow
n (C
o. W
exfo
rd)
The
site
com
pris
ed a
kiln
, ditc
hes,
furr
ows,
hear
th, s
take
-hol
es a
nd a
wor
king
sur
face
. C92
was
a la
rge
laye
r of r
e-de
posi
ted
natu
ral,
cont
aini
ng n
umer
ous
potte
ry sh
erds
and
iron
slag
.It
form
ed a
surf
ace
of u
nkno
wn
func
tion
on w
hich
thre
e le
nses
of b
urnt
cla
y w
ere
depo
site
d (n
ot in
situ
). B
elow
the
surf
ace
was
a
char
coal
fill
ed p
it, s
eale
d w
ith a
thic
k fil
l of
oran
gey
red
clay
(he
arth
mat
eria
l). A
cha
rcoa
l spr
ead
lay
abov
e th
e su
rfac
e C
92.
A s
ucce
ssio
n of
bur
ning
(b
oth
in s
itu a
nd e
x si
tu) t
ook
plac
e on
site
, and
wor
king
sur
face
s w
ere
cons
truct
ed. P
otte
ry w
as id
entif
ied
as 1
2-14
th c
entu
ry a
nd C
-14
date
s fr
om th
e si
te
wer
e la
te m
edie
val (
Each
tra 2
006)
.
Sam
ple
Prep
arat
ion
and
Ana
lysi
s
Thre
e fr
agm
ents
of s
lag
wer
e ch
osen
, one
from
Bric
kets
tow
n a
nd tw
o fr
om D
unge
er, f
or S
EM-E
DA
X a
naly
sis;
they
wer
e m
ount
ed in
resi
n an
d gr
ound
and
po
lishe
d w
ith 6
mic
ron
and
3mic
ron
diam
ond
past
es. T
hey
wer
e su
bseq
uent
ly c
arbo
n-co
ated
for
SEM
-ED
AX
ana
lysi
s. Th
e SE
M f
acili
ty u
sed
is a
FEI
Q
uant
a 20
0F E
nviro
nmen
tal S
EM. R
esul
ts a
re n
orm
alis
ed (c
alib
rate
d to
100
%).
Qua
ntita
tive
SEM
-ED
AX
ana
lyse
s ar
e un
derta
ken
first
on
the
entir
e su
rfac
e of
the
polis
hed
bloc
k (a
rea
anal
yses
) at d
iffer
ent l
ocat
ions
with
in th
e sa
mpl
e, a
nd s
ubse
quen
tly o
n ea
ch o
f the
diff
eren
t min
eral
ogic
al p
hase
s ob
serv
ed (s
pot
anal
yses
). It
is im
porta
nt to
repo
rt bo
th a
rea
and
spot
ana
lyse
s, si
nce
it is
the
indi
vidu
al p
hase
s th
at c
an s
hed
light
into
the
cond
ition
s ap
plic
able
with
in th
e fu
rnac
e, th
e or
e us
ed, t
he ra
tes o
f coo
ling
of th
e sl
ag. A
ll SE
M im
ages
repr
oduc
ed h
ere
are
BS
(bac
ksca
ttere
d el
ectro
n) im
ages
to re
flect
sam
ple
com
posi
tion.
A
sec
ond
type
of i
mag
e re
ferr
ed to
as
‘Mix
ed,’
is a
com
pute
r ge
nera
ted
imag
e fo
rmed
by
over
layi
ng th
e se
cond
ary
emis
sion
imag
e w
ith th
e ba
cksc
atte
red
one.
It is
incl
uded
her
e on
ly a
s a m
eans
of e
nhan
cing
the
seco
ndar
y em
issi
on im
age.
19
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e0475-dungeer-co-wexford/
3
Res
ults
Tabl
e 2.
Ana
lyse
s. S
EM
-ED
AX
Dat
a fo
r sa
mpl
es S
ASA
A 2
45.0
1, .0
2 an
d .0
3. P
leas
e no
te th
at ir
on c
an o
ccur
in b
oth
the
Fe2+
and
the
Fe3+
sta
te. I
t is
repo
rted
here
as
Fe3+
and
repr
esen
ts to
tal i
ron
pres
ent.
Sam
ple
245.
01, C
4 Pi
t 1 D
unge
er
Sam
ple
Des
crip
tion
Na2
O
MgO
A
l2O
3 Si
O2
P2O
5 SO
3 C
l2O
K
2O
CaO
Ti
O2
MnO
Fe
2O3
Tota
l
245.
01ar
ea a
naly
sis
(mea
n)
0.16
0.
34
8.84
15
.21
0.81
0.
15
nd
0.30
0.
38
nd
5.51
68
.56
100
245.
01w
ustit
e 0.
23
0.24
0.
87
2.16
0.
79
0.32
nd
0.
15
nd
nd
2.73
92
.52
100
245.
01fa
yalit
e 0.
19
0.49
1.
24
27.7
0 0.
47
0.00
nd
0.
09
nd
nd
7.81
62
.01
100
245.
01he
rcyn
ite
0.16
0.
84
50.1
2 0.
67
0.20
0.
00
nd
0.16
nd
nd
2.
80
45.0
5 10
0
245.
01In
ters
titia
l gla
ss
0.11
0.
22
25.6
0 50
.45
0.23
0.
00
nd
18.4
6 nd
nd
0.
39
4.55
10
0
Sam
ple
245.
02 fr
om C
92 B
ricke
tsto
wn
Sam
ple
Des
crip
tion
Na2
O
MgO
A
l2O
3 Si
O2
P2O
5 SO
3 C
l2O
K
2O
CaO
Ti
O2
MnO
Fe
2O3
Tota
l
245.
02ar
ea a
naly
sis
(mea
n)
0.25
0.
64
5.39
23
.22
0.33
0.
43
nd
0.95
0.
77
nd
0.34
67
.70
100
245.
02fa
yalit
e 0.
14
1.17
0.
52
27.2
2 0.
11
0.23
nd
0.
15
0.36
nd
0.
42
69.6
8 10
0
245.
02in
ters
titia
l gla
ss, p
hase
1, N
a,C
a, K
-ric
h al
umin
o-si
licat
e 3.
16
0.00
19
.73
42.1
1 0.
66
0.25
nd
5.
83
7.78
nd
0.
10
20.3
8 10
0
245.
02In
ters
titia
l gla
ss, p
hase
2 K
-ric
h al
umin
o-si
licat
e 0.
86
0.07
25
.05
53.0
6 0.
19
0.16
0.
10
19.1
1 0.
08
nd
0.05
1.
27
100
245.
02iro
n ox
ide
‘ore
’ 0.
10
0.39
6.
61
9.47
0.
00
0.47
0.
30
0.19
0.
17
nd
0.57
81
.72
100
Sam
ple
245.
03 fr
om C
3, D
unge
erSa
mpl
e D
escr
iptio
n N
a2O
M
gO
Al2
O3
SiO
2 P2
O5
SO3
Cl2
O
K2O
C
aO
TiO
2 M
nO
Fe2O
3 To
tal
245.
03ar
ea a
naly
sis
0.56
0.
25
10.3
5 25
.40
0.54
0.
23
0.06
1.
29
0.45
0.
50
5.46
54
.92
100
245.
03fa
yalit
e
0.32
0.
61
0.31
26
.75
0.29
0.
27
0.15
0.
19
0.35
nd
8.
06
62.6
9 10
0
245.
03fin
e fa
yalit
e gr
owin
g w
ithin
gla
ss; i
t als
o ha
s M
n 0.
16
0.68
0.
95
25.9
3 0.
39
0.17
0.
11
0.11
0.
23
0.40
8.
28
62.6
0 10
0
245.
03he
rcyn
ite
0.00
0.
26
41.7
8 1.
70
0.19
0.
48
0.25
0.
22
0.20
1.
67
3.04
50
.20
100
245.
03In
ters
titia
l gla
ss, a
K-r
ich
alum
inos
ilica
te
3.05
0.
00
22.8
3 40
.26
3.02
0.
31
0.00
14
.98
1.42
0.
76
0.89
12
.47
100
245.
03‘o
re’ a
t the
beg
inni
ng o
f red
uctio
n to
iron
oxi
de a
nd fa
yalit
e 0.
30
0.18
6.
09
15.6
1 2.
00
1.21
0.
06
0.27
0.
16
0.14
1.
00
72.9
8 10
0
20
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
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4
Figu
re 1
. SE
M-E
DA
X im
ages
of s
ampl
es 2
45.0
1 an
d 24
5.03
(Dun
geer
).
SASA
A 2
45.0
1.3:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g fo
ur p
hase
s, m
ajor
ph
ase
is fa
yalit
e, m
inor
pha
ses
incl
ude
wus
tite,
her
cyni
te a
nd
inte
rstit
ial g
lass
.
SASA
A 2
45.0
1.4:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g th
e fo
ur p
hase
s at
hi
gher
mag
nific
atio
n th
an th
e ph
otog
raph
to th
e le
ft; h
ercy
nite
ap
pear
s to
ex-
solv
e ou
t of f
ayal
ite, i
n an
atte
mpt
to a
ccom
mod
ate
the
exce
ss a
lum
ina
pres
ent i
n th
e or
e.
SASA
A 2
45.0
3.3:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g ba
nds
of s
olid
ifica
tion
on
the
surf
ace
of th
e sl
ag fr
agm
ent.
SASA
A 2
45.0
3.4:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g a
clos
e-up
of t
he tw
o zo
nes
of s
olid
ifica
tion;
the
inte
rior h
as b
een
subj
ecte
d to
fast
co
olin
g, w
hile
the
ext
erio
r sho
ws
wel
l gro
wn
faya
lite
with
he
rcyn
ite g
row
ing
in b
etw
een.
SASA
A 2
45.0
3.2:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g w
ell f
orm
ed n
eedl
es o
f fa
yalit
e w
ith in
ters
titia
l gla
ss a
nd a
ngul
ar h
ercy
nite
. SA
SAA
245
.03.
1: S
EM-B
S im
age
show
ing
a cl
ose
up o
f ang
ular
he
rcyn
ite a
mid
st th
e fa
yalit
e an
d th
e in
ters
titia
l gla
ss (b
lack
). Th
e pi
tting
on
the
surf
ace
is th
e re
sult
of w
eath
erin
g du
ring
buria
l.
21
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
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5
Figu
re 2
. SE
M-E
DA
X im
ages
of s
ampl
es 2
45.0
2 (B
ricke
tsto
wn)
.
SASA
A 2
45.0
2.4:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g pa
rtia
lly re
duce
d or
e am
idst
the
faya
lite
and
inte
rstit
ial g
lass
; the
ana
lysi
s sh
owed
iron
si
lica
and
alum
ina
with
som
e ph
osph
orus
.
SASA
A 2
45.0
2.5:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g an
othe
r are
a hi
ghlig
htin
g th
e re
duct
ion
proc
ess;
it s
houl
d be
em
phas
ised
that
so
me
of th
e ar
eas
whi
ch a
ppea
r ‘re
duce
d’ m
ight
be
the
resu
lt of
co
mbi
ned
redu
ctio
n an
d w
eath
erin
g.
SASA
A 2
45.0
2.2:
SEM
-BS
imag
e sh
owin
g de
ndrit
es o
f wus
tite
in th
e co
urse
of f
orm
atio
n. A
naly
sis
of in
divi
dual
den
drite
s sh
ow a
lum
ina
and
silic
a as
wel
l as
iron
refle
ctin
g th
e or
igin
al o
re.
22
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e0475-dungeer-co-wexford/
6
Dis
cuss
ion
On
slag
min
eral
ogy:
Dun
geer
Th
e tw
o sa
mpl
es o
f sl
ag a
naly
sed
(SA
SAA
245
.01
and
SASA
A 2
45.0
3) a
re s
imila
r in
typ
olog
y (a
mor
phou
s, bl
ack,
den
se a
nd p
orou
s) b
ut n
ot i
n
min
eral
ogy.
With
ref
eren
ce to
SA
SAA
245
.03,
fou
r ph
ases
are
evi
dent
: the
pre
dom
inan
t pha
se is
fay
alite
, an
iron
silic
ate,
(2F
eO.S
iO2)
; min
or p
hase
s ar
e he
rcyn
ite, (
Al 2O
3.FeO
), an
alu
min
ium
iron
oxi
de, w
ustit
e, a
n iro
n ox
ide
(FeO
) and
inte
rstit
ial g
lass
. Som
e tra
ces
of m
etal
lic ir
on a
re a
lso
evid
ent.
The
co-
exis
tenc
e of
the
four
pha
ses
poin
ts to
the
slag
s be
ing
of th
e sm
eltin
g ty
pe; h
ercy
nite
pro
babl
y de
rives
eith
er fr
om th
e or
e or
the
linin
g of
the
furn
ace,
or a
co
mbi
natio
n of
bot
h. T
he s
lags
coo
led
slow
ly w
ithin
the
furn
ace,
(th
ey w
ere
not t
appe
d), a
s su
gges
ted
by th
e w
ell-f
orm
ed f
ayal
ite; t
hey
may
hav
e be
en
rem
oved
in th
e pr
oces
s of b
loom
ext
ract
ion
and
forg
ing
and
perh
aps –
giv
en th
e ab
senc
e of
slag
scat
ter o
r ind
eed
any
othe
r fea
ture
in th
e im
med
iate
vic
inity
- th
ey w
ere
thro
wn
back
in it
afte
r the
blo
om w
as re
mov
ed.
In r
efer
ence
to
SASA
A 2
45.0
1, f
our
phas
es a
re e
vide
nt:
the
pred
omin
ant
phas
e is
fay
alite
, an
iro
n si
licat
e, (
2FeO
.SiO
2);
min
or p
hase
s ar
e he
rcyn
ite,
(Al 2O
3.FeO
), an
alu
min
ium
iron
oxi
de; w
ustit
e, a
n iro
n ox
ide
(FeO
) and
inte
rstit
ial g
lass
. Som
e tra
ces
of m
etal
lic ir
on a
re a
lso
evid
ent.
The
co-e
xist
ence
of
the
four
pha
ses p
oint
s to
the
slag
bei
ng o
f the
smel
ting
type
as d
escr
ibed
in th
e ot
her D
unge
er (S
ASA
A 2
45.0
3) e
xam
ple
abov
e.
The
ore
used
was
alm
ost c
erta
inly
of t
he b
og o
re v
arie
ty, w
here
iron
exi
sts
as a
non
-cry
stal
line
oxy-
hydr
oxid
e (H
all a
nd P
hoto
s-Jo
nes
1998
). M
anga
nese
w
ould
hav
e be
en a
dded
in th
e fo
rm o
f m
anga
nese
oxi
de n
odul
es, a
s flu
x to
mak
e th
e sl
ag f
ree
runn
ing.
Man
gane
se o
xide
s no
dule
s ha
ve b
een
foun
d in
as
soci
atio
n w
ith m
etal
wor
king
site
s (P
hoto
s-Jo
nes
2006
). B
og ir
on o
re is
elu
sive
(H
all a
nd P
hoto
s-Jo
nes
1998
), pr
imar
ily o
n ac
coun
t of t
he fa
ct th
at it
is
rege
nera
tive;
in o
ther
wor
ds it
rep
rodu
ces
itsel
f (p
roba
bly
‘qui
etly
’ ev
en to
day)
at d
iffer
ent l
ocat
ions
, ove
r a
num
ber
of y
ears
. We
are
curr
ently
ana
lysi
ng
som
e of
thes
e “m
oder
n” so
urce
s at a
site
pre
sent
ly u
nder
inve
stig
atio
n.
The
sim
ilarit
ies
in m
iner
alog
y be
twee
n th
e tw
o fr
agm
ents
of s
lag
from
Dun
geer
sug
gest
sm
eltin
g sl
ags.
They
hav
e be
en re
cove
red
from
two
diff
eren
t pits
; it
does
not
, how
ever
, nec
essa
rily
follo
w th
at b
oth
pits
wer
e sm
eltin
g pi
ts (s
ee se
ctio
n be
low
).
On
furn
ace
desc
ript
ion:
Dun
geer
Pits
C3
and
C4
wer
e in
deed
bow
l fur
nace
s us
ed in
the
mak
ing
of ir
on. T
here
is n
o ev
iden
ce o
f co
pper
mel
ting
or s
mel
ting
with
in th
e sa
mpl
es e
xam
ined
. Ea
ch fu
rnac
e co
ntai
ns o
nly
a si
ngle
fill.
The
pre
senc
e of
sla
g in
bot
h fu
rnac
es a
nd th
e ob
serv
ed h
eatin
g of
the
pit w
alls
indi
cate
that
bot
h pi
ts w
ere
used
for
met
alw
orki
ng. T
wo-
bow
l (s
ee F
igur
e 3,
mid
dle)
or
even
thr
ee-b
owl
furn
ace
clus
ters
are
beg
inni
ng t
o be
inc
reas
ingl
y ev
iden
t in
Ire
land
lik
e th
e on
e at
D
errin
salla
gh 4
, Co
Laoi
s, ex
cava
ted
by A
CS
Ltd
earli
er th
is y
ear,
(A-M
Len
non,
per
s co
mm
.). M
agne
tic s
usce
ptib
ility
mea
sure
men
ts o
f one
suc
h tw
o-pi
t bo
wl f
urna
ce w
ithin
this
site
sho
wed
that
the
tem
pera
ture
s re
ache
d w
ithin
wer
e di
ffer
ent (
Wils
on 2
006)
; it f
ollo
ws
that
the
func
tion
of th
e tw
o bo
wls
was
di
ffer
ent.
Thi
s m
ay o
r may
hav
e no
t bee
n th
e ca
se a
t Dun
geer
. We
sugg
est t
hat i
t is
diff
icul
t to
conc
lude
whe
ther
two
bow
ls s
ituat
ed n
ext t
o ea
ch o
ther
may
ha
ve b
een
part
of a
clu
ster
, eac
h de
dica
ted
to a
spec
ific
func
tion
or w
heth
er th
ey re
pres
ent t
wo
diff
eren
t tria
ls w
ithou
t the
use
of a
ncill
ary
scie
ntifi
c te
stin
g.
As
bow
l fur
nace
s, th
e D
unge
er o
nes
surv
ive
to a
n ex
cept
iona
lly s
hallo
w d
epth
(7-
8cm
). N
orm
ally
bow
l fur
nace
s w
ould
be
expe
cted
to
have
a d
epth
of
c.30
cm b
elow
the
area
whe
re th
e tu
yere
wou
ld h
ave
been
pos
ition
ed. F
or e
xam
ple,
the
furn
ace
at A
R29
(Fi
gure
3 r
ight
) su
rviv
ed to
a d
epth
that
ref
lect
s cl
osel
y th
e or
igin
al o
ne (t
he u
pper
wid
th o
f the
furn
ace
was
c.5
0cm
). Th
e sm
all a
mou
nt o
f sla
g an
d ch
arco
al re
cove
red
from
the
Dun
geer
furn
aces
sug
gest
s
23
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
Permalink: http://eachtra.ie/index.php/journal/e0475-dungeer-co-wexford/
7
dem
oliti
on/tr
unca
tion
eith
er b
y th
e sm
ith h
imse
lf or
as
part
of a
late
r ev
ent.
Whi
le th
ere
wer
e no
arc
haeo
logi
cal i
ndic
atio
ns o
f ab
ove
grou
nd s
truct
ures
ar
ound
thes
e pi
ts, i
t is p
ossi
ble
that
a lo
w c
lay
wal
l (ra
ther
than
a d
ome)
was
use
d to
con
tain
the
char
coal
and
to ‘s
ecur
e’ th
e po
sitio
ning
of t
he tu
yere
.
On
slag
min
eral
ogy:
Bri
cket
stow
n W
ith r
efer
ence
to S
ASA
A 2
45.0
2 tw
o m
ain
phas
es a
re o
bvio
us, f
ayal
ite a
nd in
ters
titia
l gla
ss; w
ustit
e is
sca
rce
and
herc
ynite
is a
bsen
t. Th
e ph
ases
that
ap
pear
as
wus
tite
show
n in
the
SEM
imag
es o
f Fig
ure
2, w
e su
gges
t are
wus
tite
‘in th
e m
akin
g’ i.
e. in
the
proc
ess
of fo
rmat
ion.
We
had
orig
inal
ly a
ssum
ed
that
this
was
wus
tite
whi
ch h
ad u
nder
gone
sev
ere
wea
ther
ing;
how
ever
clo
ser S
EM-E
DA
X a
naly
sis
show
ed th
at th
e ‘w
ustit
e in
the
mak
ing’
are
as c
onta
in a
co
nsid
erab
le a
mou
nt o
f sili
ca a
nd a
lum
ina
whi
ch m
ust r
efle
ct th
e or
igin
al o
re. I
t is
sugg
este
d th
at th
is s
lag
form
ed a
s pa
rt of
the
roas
ting
- mor
e ac
cura
tely
dr
ying
/con
solid
atin
g - o
f the
alu
min
a-ric
h fe
rrug
inou
s m
ater
ials
that
form
ed th
e ra
w m
ater
ial f
or th
is s
mel
t. Th
e or
e w
ould
hav
e co
ntai
ned
amor
phou
s iro
n ox
ide,
goe
thite
.
The
slag
is a
lso
devo
id o
f m
anga
nese
. Giv
en th
at o
nly
one
sam
ple
was
ava
ilabl
e fo
r ex
amin
atio
n fr
om th
e ab
ove
site
, it i
s no
t pos
sibl
e to
asc
erta
in h
ow
met
alw
orki
ng p
ract
ices
at B
ricke
tow
n w
ould
hav
e di
ffer
ed fr
om th
ose
at D
unge
er. T
here
is n
o re
porte
d as
soci
ated
furn
ace
feat
ure
with
this
sam
ple
(Eac
htra
20
06).
Figu
re 3
. Lef
t: P
its C
3 an
d C
4 at
Dun
geer
, Co.
Wex
ford
(Eac
htra
200
6). C
ompa
re w
ith (c
entre
) dou
ble
furn
ace
(C5)
at D
errin
salla
gh 4
, Co.
Lao
is (W
ilson
200
6) a
nd (r
ight
) ty
pica
l fur
nace
fills
in F
eatu
re 5
, AR
29,
Tra
ntst
own
(N8
Gla
nmire
-Wat
ergr
assh
ill R
oad
Sch
eme)
(She
rlock
200
1).
24
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
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8
Futu
re w
ork
Alth
ough
sla
g an
alys
is fr
om w
ithin
a fu
rnac
e ca
n in
prin
cipl
e id
entif
y th
e na
ture
of t
he a
ctiv
ities
with
in, i
t mer
ely
‘scr
atch
es’ t
he p
rove
rbia
l ‘su
rfac
e’; s
lag
anal
ysis
can
onl
y ta
ke th
e ar
chae
olog
ical
evi
denc
e so
far –
ana
lysi
s of
the
asso
ciat
ed s
oils
, be
they
the
silts
/cla
ys, c
an s
hed
light
into
the
raw
mat
eria
ls u
sed.
In
Dun
geer
, bot
h pi
ts c
onta
ined
‘dar
k bl
ack
silty
cla
y w
ith m
any
angu
lar
and
sub-
angu
lar
pebb
le a
nd s
tone
s’.A
re th
ese
silty
cla
ys m
erel
y po
st d
epos
ition
al
or d
o th
ey c
onta
in in
form
atio
n th
at m
ight
pro
ve v
ital t
o th
e in
terp
reta
tion
of th
e w
orki
ngs w
ithin
the
furn
ace
and
by e
xten
sion
pra
ctic
es lo
st?
It is
unf
ortu
nate
th
at m
etal
lurg
ical
was
te a
naly
sis
tradi
tiona
lly fo
cuse
s on
sla
g al
one.
It is
sug
gest
ed th
at s
oil m
icro
mor
phol
ogy
take
s pl
ace
(sam
plin
g us
ing
a K
ubie
na ti
n),
next
tim
e a
sim
ilar f
eatu
re is
exc
avat
ed. H
avin
g sa
id th
at, i
t is
ackn
owle
dged
that
the
shal
low
ness
of t
he p
its C
3 an
d C
4 at
Dun
geer
poi
nts
to c
onsi
dera
ble
dist
urba
nce,
rend
erin
g th
e re
sults
of a
ny d
etai
led
inve
stig
atio
n ra
ther
unr
elia
ble.
Plea
se n
ote:
pho
togr
aphs
and
dra
win
gs o
rigi
natin
g fr
om s
ourc
es o
ther
tha
n SA
SAA
are
not
to
be r
epro
duce
d in
any
for
m w
ithou
t th
e w
ritte
n
perm
issi
on o
f SA
SAA
.
E. P
hoto
s-Jo
nes
SASA
AG
lasg
ow, O
ctob
er 2
006
25
00E0475 Dungeer, Co. Wexford ISSUE 4: Eachtra Journal - ISSN 2009-2237
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9
Ack
now
ledg
emen
ts
SASA
A w
ould
like
to a
ckno
wle
dge
the
assi
stan
ce o
f the
follo
win
g pe
ople
in p
repa
ratio
n of
this
repo
rt:
•G
ert P
eter
sen
(SA
SAA
). •
Pete
r Chu
ng (D
ept o
f Ear
th S
cien
ces,
Uni
vers
ity o
f Gla
sgow
).
Ref
eren
ces
Each
tra A
rcha
eolo
gica
l Pro
ject
s. 20
06. B
ackg
roun
d in
form
atio
n on
Dun
geer
and
Bri
cket
stow
n, C
o. W
exfo
rd. E
acht
ra, u
npub
lishe
d in
form
atio
n.
Sher
lock
R. 2
001.
N8
Gla
nmir
e –
Wat
ergr
assh
ill R
oad
Sche
me:
Arc
haeo
logi
cal E
xcav
atio
n at
Kill
ydon
ogho
e, B
allin
vinn
y N
orth
& T
rant
stow
n, C
o C
ork,
Si
te N
umbe
rs A
R 3,
AR
4, A
R 5,
AR
6, A
R 10
, AR
11, A
R 12
, AR
13, A
R 26
& A
R 29
, She
ila L
ane
& A
ssoc
iate
s C
onsu
ltant
Arc
haeo
logi
sts’
Inte
rim R
epor
t: D
ecem
ber 2
001,
Lic
ence
Num
ber 0
1E05
01.
Phot
os-J
ones
E. 2
006.
Step
asid
e, K
ilgob
bin:
Indu
stri
al W
aste
Exa
min
atio
n &
Ana
lysi
s. SA
SAA
Repo
rt 2
27.
Wils
on L
. 200
6. D
erri
nsal
lagh
4, C
o. L
aois
, Eir
e (S
ite L
icen
ce 0
5E21
80):
In-S
itu M
agne
tic S
usce
ptib
ility
Dat
a C
olle
ctio
n: A
Pre
limin
ary
Repo
rt.S
ASAA
Re
port
204
.1.
7 B
elg
rave T
err
ace
| G
lasg
ow
| G
12
8JD
| S
cotl
an
d |
UK
+4
4(0
)14
1 3
37
26
23
| e
nq
uir
ies@
sasa
a.c
o.u
k |
ww
w.s
asa
a.c
o.u
k