EMAP_Progress_Reports_2009_2.pdf - The Heritage Council

Louth
The north-eastern area within Enclosure A was used for industrial activities. This consisted of
six large pits, some with related postholes, which were sealed by an extensive spread of dark
ash that contained souterrain ware and metallurgical waste. One of the pits, which also
contained souterrain ware, was dated to A.D. 430-650. An iron punch, potentially used for
metalworking, was also recovered from the spread of industrial debris. The absence of
furnaces and iron slag in large quantities suggests that secondary forging rather than
smelting activities occurred in this area of the enclosure. This is unsurprising given that the
latter would be too dangerous to undertake in the confines of a settlement enclosure whereas
it was common for many early medieval farmers to repair and produce domestic and
agricultural implements in proximity to their dwellings.
An outer ditch (Enclosure B) was identified approximately 19m west of the inner enclosure
and it probably terminated at a former area of wetland to the north. The ditch appears to
have silted naturally and few finds were retrieved from its fill including one sherd of
souterrain ware. The remains of a small animal, possibly a dog, were revealed in the basal
layer although it may be from a re-deposited trample layer related to post medieval activity.
However, early medieval-dated dogs have been identified within ditches and pits at Roestown
2 (O’Hara 2009) and Lismullin 1 (O’Connell 2009) respectively, both in County Meath, and the
animal at Balriggan may date to this period. A small pit, containing metallurgical waste, was
also identified within the ditch fill.
A number of features were identified within the area between the inner and outer enclosing
ditches. These included the parallel-ditched entrance way (above), a D-shaped enclosure, a
roughly square-shaped enclosure and possible gardens or plots. The first two may represent
small animal enclosures or pens while the latter were possibly utilised for the growing of
crops and vegetables. Artefacts from the ditches were limited to sherds of souterrain ware
and a lignite bracelet.
A large oval enclosure (Enclosure C) was situated to the west of Enclosures A and B. It
measured 45m by 58m and had an entrance on its western side. The internal area was
devoid of archaeological features and no artefacts are recorded from its ditch fills. Its position
meant that it was visible to the occupants of the settlement-cemetery and, if contemporary,
probably functioned as a livestock enclosure. A ‘figure-of-eight’-shaped cereal-drying kiln was
located to the south of the enclosure and was dated to A.D. 60-250. This may date to the
earliest activity on the site, and possibly the creation of the cemetery, where many similar
settlement-cemetery sites originated as burial grounds in the late Iron Age.
Further evidence for metalworking was present in the form of charcoal-production kilns to the
west of Enclosure C and an industrial area, including a smelting furnace, to the north of
Enclosure A. Both areas were safely away from the settlement core and represented primary
activities related to the production of iron before secondary smithing could be undertaken.
Artefacts indicative of settlement and industry were identified at Balriggan. Dress items were
not abundant and included two bronze ringed pin shafts, two lignite bracelet fragments, four
blue glass beads, a red glass bead and a bone or ivory flat bead. Functional items were more
numerous and consisted of quern-stone fragments, nearly 500 souterrain ware sherds,
representing a minimum of 87 vessels, spindle whorls, loom weights and a stone punch or
awl.
Artefacts related to industry included stone tools such as hammers, pounders, hone stones
and polishing stones. A large number of lithics were also identified and many were probably
produced and utilised during the settlement of the site as knives, sharpeners and strike-alights.
A crucible fragment was found in association with the northern industrial area.
Balriggan was a large multi-phase settlement-cemetery, agricultural and industrial complex
that probably originated during the late Iron Age and was utilised until potentially the tenth
402