Pottery, animal bones, seeds, nuts, and more tell a tale of what everyday life was like in medieval times in a monastic settlement in Ireland... dating back to the 13th century at the Beamore dig, in East Month, just outside Drogheda. Among the rare finds was evidence that the Cistercian monastery included a sourdough bread bakery and a communal toilet along with its own air-freshening pot... sourdough bakery... the home of a unique Cistercian community, from Normandy in France... A previous dig at the site had unearthed 13th-century French jugs, roof tiles, a corn drying kiln, and dried peas. This proved that the residents practiced crop rotation... During this year's dig, which ended in August, experts unearthed a medieval key, bones from cows, sheep, cats, and dogs along with mixed farm products such as peas, beans, oats, wheat, and rye. Imported fruits such as grapes and figs from France also showed that the monks practiced mixed farming. A timber dash-urn with a paddle used to churn butter, also proved that these monastic farmers were self-sufficient.Medieval monastery treasures found on Meath dig | IrishCentral Staff | September 22, 2020