What is recorded here

David Bayley excavated the Moyally charcoal clamp in February 2006 after Yvonne Whitty identified it during summer testing for the new road. The small square pit held no visible charred wood, yet its deliberate shape suggests people packed green timber inside and smothered the flames until they drew out every drop of water and life. Maybe the charcoal fed a nearby forge, maybe it burned in a household hearth, but the clamp itself remains a quiet monument to transformation: ordinary wood locked away from air until it became something darker, harder and more useful.

Testing was carried out by David Bayley of Irish Archaeological Consultancy Ltd under licence No. E2675 as part of an archaeological mitigation programme associated with the N6 Kilbeggan to Athlone dual carriageway. The site was identified during testing undertaken by Yvonne Whitty of IAC Ltd in July 2005 (A016/029). The site was excavated in February 2006. An excavation area measuring 10m by 10m was opened. The site comprised a single hearth feature, 1.17m in length, 1.17m in width and with a depth of 0.14m. The exact function of this hearth could not be determined during the course of the excavation. It may have functioned as a charcoal clamp, providing charcoal for use in other activities, such as smelting metals (Bennett 2010, 572). Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload/revision: 10 November 2011

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