Fulacht fiadh

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A Fulacht fiadh (Irish: fulacht fiadh or fulacht fian; plural: fulachtaí fia or, in older texts, fulachta fiadh) is a type of archaeological site found in Ireland. In England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man they are known as Burnt mounds. They commonly survive as a low horseshoe-shaped mound of charcoal-enriched soil and heat shattered stone with a slight depression at its centre showing the position of the pit. No one is certain about their use or purpose, however some believe them to have been used as an outdoor cooking area, though larger examples may have served as bathing pits or steam baths (see below).

Radiocarbon dating indicates that the majority of fulachtaí fia were constructed during the mid to late Bronze Age[1] (c.1500- c. 500 BC), though some Neolithic examples are known. However, some were still in use up to medieval times.[2] They are the most common archaeological sites in Ireland, with over 4,500 recorded examples,[3] of which some 2,000 are found in County Cork. Permanent structures are rarely found near to fulachtaí fia,but small hut sites are common and it is unknown whether early sites were built by permanent settlements or nomadic hunters.[3]

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[edit] Etymology

The Irish word "fulacht" denotes a pit used for cooking. "Fiadh" meaning "of the deer" or "of the wild", is derived from the early word "fian"[4] - 'of the Fianna or Fionn Mac Cumhail.'

[edit] Siting

Fulachtaí fia are usually found in close proximity to water sources, such as springs, rivers and streams or waterlogged ground. They were also sited close to sources of suitable stone where it could be obtained close to the surface. They required a source of fuel, so would have been close to woodland. They would also have to be in proximity to whatever was being processed by boiling in the trough. Once these conditions were met a fulacht fiadh could be constructed. Once the use of a fulacht fiadh had ended it was common for people to continue to exploit the usefulness of the site and therefore fulachtaí fia tend to be found in groups strung out along water courses.

[edit] Construction

Fulachtaí fia generally consist of three main elements: a mound of stones, a hearth used to heat the stones, and a trough, often lined with wood or stone, which was filled with water and into which the heated stones were placed to warm the water. Troughs may be cut into subsoil or, more rarely, into bedrock.

The site may contain the remains of structures such as stone enclosures or even small buildings, and sometimes multiple hearths and additional, smaller pits. They are almost always found near running water, or in marshy areas where a hole dug into the ground would quickly fill with water.

A number of the fulachtaí fia pits are approximately a metre wide by 2 metres long and maybe half a metre or more in depth. However, size can vary a great deal from site to site, from rather small pits lined with stones to pools conceivably large enough for people to bathe in.

[edit] Theories of function

It is postulated that these pits were filled with water and heated stones thrown in to create a pool of boiling water in which meat was cooked. This is because when excavated, fulachtaí fia are found with associated charred, scorched and broken rocks.

Other theories suggest that the sites may have been used for bathing, the washing and dyeing of cloth, and leather working. Supporters of these theories point to the fact that no remains of foodstuffs have been found at the fulacht fiadh sites. Some researchers believe the fulachtaí fia were multi-purpose and could have, at least in some cases, been used for all of these activities - cooking, bathing, dyeing, or anything involving hot water. Some fulacht fiadh reconstructions, such as the one at Ballyvourney, include circular, hut-type structures based on the post holes found at the sites; some believe these small buildings were used for the storing and preparation of foodstuffs, or perhaps for enclosing heat and steam in a manner similar to the Tigh 'n Alluis Gaelic sweat-houses (which were built of stone).

In August 2007 two Galway based archaeologists suggested that fulachtaí fia were used primarily for the brewing of beer, and experimented by filling a large wooden trough with water and adding heated stones. Once the water had reached approximately 65 degrees Celsius they added barley and after 45 minutes transferred it to separate vessels to ferment, first adding wild plant flavourings and yeast. Some days later they discovered that it had transformed into a drinkable light ale.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Brinley, Lanting, "The dating of fulachta fiadh", Burned Offerings, 1990, Wordwell, p55-56.
  2. ^ "Mayo Archaeology 15 of Travels in Time". Travels in Time (2006). Retrieved on October 7, 2006.
  3. ^ a b Power, Denis, "Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, Volume 3: Mid Cork", ColorBooks, P75. ISBN 0-7076-4933-1
  4. ^ Ó’Drisceóil, "Burnt mounds: Cooking or bathing?", Antiquity, P671-80
  5. ^ BreakingNews.ie - Ancient monument may have been Bronze Age brewery

[edit] Sources

  • O’Kelley, Michael J., 1989. Early Ireland – An Introduction to Irish Prehistory. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. pp. 223-227 ISBN 0-521-33687-2
  • Harbison, Peter, 1988. Pre-Christian Ireland – From the First Settlers to the Early Celts. Thames and Hudson, New York. pp. 8, 110-112, and plate 65. ISBN 0-500-27809-1

[edit] External links