1500 BC vessel found on farm - 20 July 1984

A 12 foot long cooking trough made of solid oak and dating back to 1500 BC had been unearthed on a farm in Co. Tipperary. The vessel measures 12-feet by four, and was carved out of an entire tree trunk. A similar vessel, but much smaller, was found in Co. Cork a few years ago.

The discovery was made by Mr Tim Burke while digging a drain in a field adjoining the family home in Curraghtarsna, Cashel. He informed the National Museum and this week archaeologists cleared the earth around the object, which lay only 18 inches beneath the surface for an estimated 3,500 years.

The vessel is known as a deer roast, Fulacht Fiadha, or Danes fire and resembles a long trough. According to the National Museum, it was used in ancient times for stewing food, frequently venison, hence its name. Originally this was achieved by scooping a pot-like excavation in the ground. This was then lined with stones and sometimes wood and sealed at the joints with moss and clay so that it would hold water. Stones were heated on an open hearth before being lowered into the water. When the water was brought to boiling point the meat was cooked in it. The vessel will be brought to the National Museum in Dublin for more detailed examination.

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