Fulacht fiadh

A 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 (c.1500- c. 500 BC), though some Neolithic examples are known. However, some were still in use up to medieval times. 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.<ref...
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