EMAP_2012_Report_6_1.pdf (7.3 MB) - The Heritage Council

smithing and bloom smithing (827 kg) dominate the excavated remains, although smelting
did take place (Coughlan 2010 and Photos- Jones et al. 2010). This took place in two
separate sunken areas within the ditches, with postholes and a large charred wooden beam
indicating windbreaks and work surfaces dated to the late seventh to ninth century AD. The
multivallate rath at Lisleagh II produced 1000kg of metallurgical waste (Monk 1988, 1995),
and it has been identified as another upper tier iron smelting specialist site (Scott 1991, 101).
Deerfin, with five smithing hearths, structures and manufacturing of iron objects may also
have specialised in iron working although details of the levels and nature of metallurgical
waste and features and radiocarbon dates were unavailable (Bratt 1975:04). A further
settlement at Milltown, County Kilkenny contained a circular structure with an internal pit
which appears to be the remains of a smelting furnace (Young 2009e, 1). Relatively small
quantities of metallurgical residue indicate smithing and smelting. This appears to be an
unenclosed settlement with further structures, kilns and rectilinear fields dating to the
ninth/tenth century (Gaimster et al. 2006, no.199).
Further very significant evidence comes from Gortnahown 2, County Kerry (158kg) where a
univallate settlement contained a series of iron smithing hearths and smelting furnaces close
to a series of structures (Young 2009b). A further oval structure contained two furnaces and
two hearths dated to the late sixth to seventh century A.D. The remains of brazing shrouds
from the production of iron bells were found within the assemblage. This constitutes the
earliest Irish evidence for bell manufacture. One had evidence for the wrapping of the wet
clay shrouds in textiles in the production phase. Brazing involved adding a copper alloy
coating to the bells to provide a smoother finish. These bells are smaller than those found at
Clonfad and may be similar to those worn by livestock.
An enclosed settlement at Borris produced evidence for small-scale primary and secondary
iron smithing activities. An assemblage of 142.74kg of iron slag from a metalworking area
was recovered including two furnaces and three smithing hearths (Wallace and Anguilano
2010b, 80-82). The assemblage primarily consisted of iron-smithing slag in the form of
smithing hearth cakes, slag lumps and hammerscale while fragments of furnace lining, a
possible tuyère and a rare loaf-shaped piece of iron bloom were also found (ibid. 80-1). A
large sunken area 6.8m in length and 6.3m in width may have been associated with the
working of metal with a chisel, a whetstone, a hammerstone and a lens of smithing waste
indicating an area which might have been used for the post smithing work (Wallace &
Anguilano 2010a, 3). This work took place in several different areas over the life of the
settlement.
At Killickaweeny, there were two areas of iron-working; one some distance from the dwellings
in a separate annex, and the second separated from the dwellings by an internal division
(Walsh 2008, 28). The evidence for iron-working (86kg of slag) was much more limited than
the nearby site at Johnstown, but the presence of smelting and smithing slags, along with
hammerscale, indicate that all phases of processing occurred there (Walsh 2008, 40-2).
Evidence for the location of iron-working at Dressogagh found that the furnace, slag and
charcoal were found in the southeast area, but the main domestic hut was centrally located
(Collins 1966).
Another possible example of a workshop was at Ballyvollen which produced 170kg of iron
slag, three tuyères, a few sherds of souterrain ware as well as a possible irregular-shaped
structure in the southern area (Williams 1985a, 96-101). The site was identified as a
specialist iron-working area, rather than a domestic site (Scott 1991, 101), despite the fact
that Ballyvollen did not produce any actual evidence for furnaces. It is unclear if this site was
enclosed. The industrial area appears to have coincided with a circular cropmark; however
excavations failed to locate any evidence for an enclosing ditch or bank.
On most sites, iron-working tended to be an outdoor activity. Possible windbreaks were found
in the metalworking areas at Killickaweeny (Walsh 2008, 40-2) and Ahanaglough (Tierney &
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