Early Medieval Cereal-Drying Kilns

Cereal-drying kilns were discovered at various sites. None of the examples have been dated, as yet, but such sites typically date to sometime from the Iron Age to the late medieval periods. Once harvested, grain had to be dried thouroughly prior to long term storage or processing. Otherwise it would develop mould and decay long before the winter had passed, and there would be no grain for use in perhaps bread or porridge type dishes until the following harvest.