What is recorded here

Outside the western edge of the Knowth mound, a broad paved courtyard overlooked a small pebble platform where craftsmen heated iron and cast metal. Thirteen hearth cakes and two crucibles survived in the ash, proving that this ancient burial ground still served living hands during the first millennium AD. The dead watched from above while hammers rang beside the tomb, blending memory and making into one continuous local life.

Five areas with metalworking activity associated with features from the first millennium AD were recovered in excavation at the Knowth cemetery of prehistoric passage tombs. This is metalworking area 1 outside the W edge of the great mound where there was an extensive paved area (dims c. 19m N-S; c. 10m E-W) laid on the upcast from the excavation of the lower fosse of the rath (ME019-0300040-). There was a short drain (L 5m N-S; Wth c. 0.4m) beneath the paving. Just W of the S end of the paved area was a metalworking area consisting of dark earth with in situ burning and a rectangular area of pebbles (dims 4m x 2m) laid directly on the old sod. An area of burning and an ash layer were on its W side. No smithing hearth was present but 13 hearth cakes and iron slag were recovered from the ash and charcoal together with 2 crucibles. (Eogan 2012, 158-9) Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload; 18 September 2020 See the attached illustrations: _1 Early medieval features, from Knowth 5, Fig. 4:1 _2 Plan of metalworking, from Knowth 5, Fig. 4:48

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