DOCSLIB.ORG

THE CLAVA CAIRNS1 by IAI

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

THE CLAVA CAIRNS1 by IAI . NWALKERC , M.A., F.S.A.SCOT. THIS pape divides ri d into three parts discussio:a generae th f no l affinities, sucs ha they are, of the Clava cairns; a discussion of their geographical setting; and some remark thein so r possible dating.2 n discussinI g possible affinitie cairnse immediatels i th e f o son , y e structh y kb uniqueness of the group as a whole compared with other groups of megalithic tombs. There are five outstanding features: firstly, the dual element of ring-cairn and passage-grave in a group which seems otherwise completely indivisible; secondly, the us f corbellineo r roofingfo e passage-graveth g s (and paralle thiso t le equall th , y distinctive open chambered non-passaged construction of the ring-cairn); thirdly, surroundine th g circl free-standinf eo g stones; fourthly orientatioe th , f passageno - grav ring-caird ean n alike toward . quarter Se W sth fifthlyd an presenc;e th ,p cu f eo marks both on stones forming part of the cairn and on boulders in the general area of Clava cairn distribution. The nearest parallels to the ring-cairns are in the superficially analagous struc- ture Almerin si southern ai n Spain,3 though Blance4 believes that som thesf eo e latter were used as ossuaries rather than places for collective burial. Passage-graves in general can be shown to have an Atlantic-Irish Sea distribution, from Iberia north- wards,5 though the Irish Sea area is certainly equally an area of gallery-grave distribution. The use of corbelling to roof the structure is a feature which can similarly be Iristracee area th hSe an di alon Atlantie gth c seaboard: Rudh Dunain a ' Skyen ni , Barpa Langass in North Uist, Macs Howe in Orkney, and Achnacree at the southern end of the Great Glen, have this feature; so have the Boyne tombs in Ireland and . WalesN Sergenta L , Jerseyn ei , lie Longu lid eean Car Brittanyn ni tombsd an , Pavie th Alcald n aan i a cemeterie Millares Lo Portugan se i th s d cemeteran l n yi Almeria.6 e burde1Th thif o n s articl originalls wa e y parsurveya f o t , nominall countiee th f y o f Nairnshire o s , Moray and Banffshire, in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages made for an M.A. thesis at the Department of Pre- historic Archaeology, University of Edinburgh (Univ. Edin. Dept. of Arch, t^th Ann. Rep. (1960-1), 6-9). The Beakers and bronzes from the three counties shown on Maps I and II are taken from my thesis catalogue; Beakere th s fro adjacene mth t are Inverness-shirf ao e have been noted from various volume thesf so e Proceedings and the bronzes from the same area have been taken from the same sources, with the addition of several unpublished one whicr sfo h informatio . StewartC . E . nI exten ,M M.A.thanks y dm Mr , PH.D.o st , F.S.A.SCOT. 2 I am most grateful to Miss A. S. Henshall, M.A., F.S.A., F.S.A.SCOT., who had been studying Clava cairns independently as part of her survey of Scottish chambered tombs (Henshall, A. S., Chambered Tombs of Scot- land, I (1963) , 12-39) not on'y proofr f°he r ordee lettinn si se rewrit o e t r g m sectio e eth thn ni e for coma f mo - r muc studyn fo t how bu hel,r discussio d menhe pan n o t n durin writine originale gth th f go . Whero n e specific references are given, the relevant sources will be found in her work. I am also most grateful to Dr . BlanceM . B , M.A. Coles, M F.S.A.SCOT. J ,r M.A.D d , F.S.A.an , , F.S.A.SCOT. permissior fo , quoto nt e from their unpublished theses. Distribution map basee sar d upowit p O.Ssanctioe e nhth th ControlleMa e . th f no H.Mf o r . Stationery Office. Crown Copyright reserved. 3 LeisnerMegalithgrdbere V.d Di an , . G , der Iberischen Halbinsel, Sudenr I:De (1943), Taf. 1-7. * Antiquity, xxxv (1961), 193. 6 P.P.S., VII (1941), 1-49, cf. figs. 2 and 16. 6 Piggott, S., Neolithic Cultures of the British hies (1954), chap, vn passim. 8 8 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , 1963-64 e surroundinTh g circl f orthostateo a featur s i s e difficul paralleo t t othen i l r groups of chambered tombs: New Grange, one of the Boyne group, has such a feature Bryd an ,Angleseyn i Cellu Dd i , another Boyne tomth f bo e groupy ma , have had a similar circle.1 Kercado, a Breton passage-grave, also has a circle of '54321 0 FIG. i. Map I. All the Clava cairns marked on this map are noted by Henshall either in her catalogue, tex r introductiono t , wit exceptioe hth possible th f no e exampl Inverfarigaif eo e gth d (se . ian i)eo p two possible example t Windhilla s , Easter Ross, P.S.A.S., LXXXVIII gratefu(1955-6)m a I o t . l 85 , Dr A. A. Woodham, M.B.E., B.SC., F.S.A.SCOT., for information on the latter. The two Beakers from the Gulbin Sand Findhore s th (immediatelf o . nW knowestuary e w froe th b no mo yo e nt t ar Aberdeen) - shire (see P.S.A.S., (1961-2)v xc , 305-6. orthostats,2 as well as a stone set on top of its cairn, as was apparently formerly the Millares Lo e r th sfo f Grange., tombso w 40 w casNe d fe - , t Nos1 e9 a 6an A , 3 7 . exampl e- hav e some suggestio free-standinnof g stones beyon cairdthe n kerbThe . Aberdeenshire Recumbent Stone onlCirclee th ye othesar r primarily burial monu- ment havo st ecircla orthostatsf eo theid an , r connections wil discussee b l d later. The orientation of the Clava cairns has its closest parallels among the Recumbent Stone Circle. ScotlanNE f thossd o d an souther n ei n Ireland discussiod ,an thesf no e Archaeologia, LXXX (1930), 205. Piggott, S., op. cit., 200. 31 Coffey, G., New Grange . and other Incised Tumuli ian Ireland (1912), 7-8, 9, 12. 9 8 THE CLAVA CAIRNS two groups will follow later. However, work by de Valera and 0 Nuallain1 has recently shown that all the wedge-shaped gallery graves of Co. Clare face between WNW.d an . majorite S th , . ThiW y sd betwee shoulan . comparee dnb SW d with, for example, de Valera's work on court cairn gallery graves in the N. of Ireland,2 where the orientation is much more varied, but the majority face between E. and NE., particularly betwee ENEd an . .n E Sufficient informatio orientatioe th n no n of the Breton allees couvertes, a type which must be ancestral to the wedges,3 is lacking but while there can be no connection between gallery-graves and Clava t anothecairnsye e b ,r Atlantic-Irisn y thia hin f ma so t a traditione hSe th f O . Almerian passage-graves planne Leisnere th y db s - Llan onlAtalaya o l ye tw o d a6 Millares Lo - fac d 5 es4 an SW. rese th :t faceastere th e compassne halth f o fe th , majorit thef yo m approximately SE. faca , t which Blance confirms. 4 studo bees N yha n orientatiomade th f eo Boynf no Grangw e Ne tombs e e th t a : cemetery,5 New Grange itself faces approximately SE., while the primary chamber at Dowth faces a little S. of W., the secondary chamber being parallel. It is uncertain where the chamber is at Knowth6 - it does not however face N. as Coffey7 suggested. A newly discovered passage-grave close by, Knowth Townland, faces SSE. In the 8 Loughcrew cemetery 13 of the 24 tombs remain in a state where the orientation ca thesnotedf e o n b d e onlan , y one, Loughcre9 hal. face, W wf compasS e e o fsth th s- remaindee th f O . 10 . W °N r fiv S.° e, 20 facthre . S eE . 10 eE d ° eac e an S. on ,h E and only two the NE. quarter. At Carrowkeel on the other hand, though in some 0 cases the orientations are not certain from the descriptions1 , the prevailing orientation facee on s - S. , N Carrowmoreanothet seeme A b . o st rSE orientatioe 11th verf no y few of the 63 cairns is certain: of those which are, most face the E. half of the compass , SSW twod 59 facebue an d ,. t on Nos sS Fourknockan 6 5 . s I 1orientates 2i d approxi- mately NNE. Neither Fourknocks Iln or III is a chambered tomb13 but the former is rituaa l site with Loughcrew ware typicae th , l Boyne culture pottery. A recently surveyed possible passage-grave cemetery at Bremore comprises a 14 large moun foud dan r smaller ones latte e signo passaga seen e :th f b so n rn i n eca formee t facthath y bu n eti ma r approximately NNW. (rathe Hartnets ra tha. nNE t suggested) ,15 Of isolated examples approximate orientations are Slieve Gullion16 SSE., Bryn Celli Ddu17 NE. and Barclodiad y Gawres13 NNE. The passage at the Mound of the 1 Valera, R.
Recommended publications
  • Scheduled Ancient Monuments List

    Scheduled Ancient Monuments List

    List of Scheduled Ancient Monuments North Ayrshire (excluding Arran) PARISH MONUMENT Ardrossan : Ardrossan Castle Boydstone Braes, motte Montfode Burn, motte Montfode Castle Beith : Cuffhill Plantation, long cairn Dalry : Aitnock, dun, Hindog Glen Fairlie : Castle Hill, earthwork SSE of Glenside. Fairlie Castle. Southannan Mansionhouse. Irvine : Seagate Castle. Lawthorn Mount, mound. Kilbirnie : Glengarnock Castle Kilwinning : Kilwinning Abbey Waggonway and bridge, SE of Saugh Trees Clonbeith Castle Largs : Castle Hill, fort. Hailie House, chambered cairn. Knock Jargon, cairn and fort. Knock, fort. Outerwards, Roman fortlet. Skelmorlie Aisle and Largs Old Parish Church. Little Cumbrae : Little Cumbrae Castle. Little Cumbrae, lighthouse tower and associated buildings. PARISH MONUMENT Portencross : Auld Hill, fort. Portencross Castle. West Kilbride : Blackshaw Quarry, cup and ring marked rock, 320m south of. Bushglen Mount, ENE of Bushglen. Castle Knowe, motte Stevenston : Ardeer Recreation Club, subterranean passage and cave. Kerelaw Castle Listed of Scheduled Ancient Monuments Isle of Arran Grid Ref. MONUMENT Prehistoric Ritual and Funerary 4433 69 NR978250 Aucheleffan, stone setting 550 NW of 393 69 NR890363 Auchencar, standing stone 90023 69 NR892346 * Auchengallon, cairn, 150m WSW of. 4601 69 NS044237 Bealach Gaothar, ring cairn 700m NW of Largybeg 4425 69 NR924322- Bridge Farm, stone settings 500m NNW and 1040m NW of 69 NR919325 90051 69 NR990262 * Carn Ban, chambered cairn 5962 69 NR884309 Caves, S. of King's Cave. 395 69 NR949211 Clachaig, chambered cairn 396 69 NS026330 Dunan Beag, long cairn and standing stone, Lamlash 397 69 NS 028331 Dunan Mor, chambered cairn, Lamlash 3254 69 NR993207 East Bennan, long cairn 4903 69 NS018355 East Mayish, standing stone 100m ESE of 4840 69 NS006374- Estate Office, standing stones 500m NE of 69 NS007374 398 69 NS0422446 Giant’s Graves, long cairn, Whiting Bay 90186 69 NR904261- Kilpatrick, dun, enclosure, hut circles, cairn and field system 69 NR908264 1km S of.
  • The University of Bradford Institutional Repository

    The University of Bradford Institutional Repository

    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Bradford Scholars The University of Bradford Institutional Repository http://bradscholars.brad.ac.uk This work is made available online in accordance with publisher policies. Please refer to the repository record for this item and our Policy Document available from the repository home page for further information. To see the final version of this work please visit the publisher’s website. Where available access to the published online version may require a subscription. Author(s): Gibson, Alex M. Title: An Introduction to the Study of Henges: Time for a Change? Publication year: 2012 Book title: Enclosing the Neolithic : Recent studies in Britain and Ireland. Report No: BAR International Series 2440. Publisher: Archaeopress. Link to publisher’s site: http://www.archaeopress.com/archaeopressshop/public/defaultAll.asp?QuickSear ch=2440 Citation: Gibson, A. (2012). An Introduction to the Study of Henges: Time for a Change? In: Gibson, A. (ed.). Enclosing the Neolithic: Recent studies in Britain and Europe. Oxford: Archaeopress. BAR International Series 2440, pp. 1-20. Copyright statement: © Archaeopress and the individual authors 2012. An Introduction to the Study of Henges: Time for a Change? Alex Gibson Abstract This paper summarises 80 years of ‘henge’ studies. It considers the range of monuments originally considered henges and how more diverse sites became added to the original list. It examines the diversity of monuments considered to be henges, their origins, their associated monument types and their dates. Since the introduction of the term, archaeologists have often been uncomfortable with it.
  • The Prehistoric Burial Sites of Northern Ireland

    The Prehistoric Burial Sites of Northern Ireland

    The Prehistoric Burial Sites of Northern Ireland Harry and June Welsh Archaeopress Archaeology Archaeopress Gordon House 276 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7ED www.archaeopress.com ISBN 978 1 78491 006 8 ISBN 978 1 78491 007 5 (e-Pdf) © Archaeopress, H and J Welsh 2014 Cover photo: portal tomb, Ballykeel in County Armagh All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owners. Printed in England by CMP (UK) Ltd This book is available direct from Archaeopress or from our website www.archaeopress.com Contents Introduction �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 Background and acknowledgements ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 A short history of prehistoric archaeology in northern ireland ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1 Northern ireland’s prehistory in context....................................................................................................................... 3 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Classifications used in the inventory............................................................................................................................
  • Clava-Cairns.Pdf

    Clava-Cairns.Pdf

    CLAVA CAIRNS CLAVA CAIRNS DISCOVER HISTORIC SCOTLAND THE SOUT H-WEST CAIRN THE NORT H-EAST CAIRN The Clava Cairns are cared for by Historic Scotland and owned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). VISITOR’S particularly important person was most probably interred ook into this well-preserved passage grave and see the workings They are free to visit and open all year. A inside this tomb, although recent excavations have found L of a sophisticated prehistoric timepiece. The SW cairn is just the no human remains associated with either passage grave. same. The low passageway that is aligned to the midwinter sunset once led into a central domed chamber that rose four metres. These cairns were the work of many people. But investigations of similar Discover other places to visit near the Clava Cairns: monuments suggest that only one or two people would have been buried Each stone slab used to line its walls was graded by height, with the tallest to the here. Like its twin, a decade after the SW cairn was raised, it was surrounded SW to face the setting sun. The distinctive kerbstones that surround the cairn’s by a cobbled platform and a stone circle. Two of the standing stones were base repeat that pattern, as does the circle of standing stones beyond.The stones moved in the 19th century. The Victorians, who believed the monument was were also chosen for their colour and texture. Those slabs lit by the sunset tend to a druidic temple, also planted trees to create a sacred grove.
  • The Lives of Prehistoric Monuments in Iron Age, Roman, and Medieval Europe by Marta Díaz-Guardamino, Leonardo García Sanjuán and David Wheatley (Eds)

    The Lives of Prehistoric Monuments in Iron Age, Roman, and Medieval Europe by Marta Díaz-Guardamino, Leonardo García Sanjuán and David Wheatley (Eds)

    The Prehistoric Society Book Reviews THE LIVES OF PREHISTORIC MONUMENTS IN IRON AGE, ROMAN, AND MEDIEVAL EUROPE BY MARTA DÍAZ-GUARDAMINO, LEONARDO GARCÍA SANJUÁN AND DAVID WHEATLEY (EDS) Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2015. 356pp, 50 figs, 32 B/W plates, 6 tables. ISBN 978-0-19-872460-5, hb, £85 This handsome book is the outcome of a session at the 2013 European Association of Archaeologists in Pilsen, organised by the editors on the cultural biographies of monuments. It is divided into three sections, with the main part comprising 13 detailed case-studies, framed on either side by shorter introduction and discussion pieces. There is variety in the chronologies, subject matters and geographical scopes addressed; in short there is something for almost everyone! In their Introduction, the editors advocate that archaeologists require a more reflexive conceptual toolkit to deal with the complex issues of monument continuity, transformation, re-use and abandonment, and the significance of the speed and the timing of changes. They also critique the loaded term ‘afterlife’ as this separates the unfolding biography of a monument, and unwittingly relegates later activities to lesser importance than its original function. In the following chapter, Joyce Salisbury explores how the veneration of natural places in the landscape, such as caves and mountains, was shifted to man-made monumental features over time. The bulk of the book focuses on the specific case-studies which span Denmark in the north to Tunisia in the south and from Ireland in the west to Serbia and Crete in the east. In Chapter 3, Steen Hvass’s account of the history of research at the monument complex of King’s Jelling in Denmark is fascinating, but a little heavy on stratigraphic narrative, and light on theory and discussion.
  • & Autres Terres Celtiques

    & Autres Terres Celtiques

    BRETAGNE & autres Terres celtiques Jean-Louis Pressensé, libraire Catalogue 48 Décembre 2013 1 Jean-Louis Pressensé, libraire Catalogue 48 Généralités, macédoines, etc. BRETAGNE & 1. (Celtomanes , Antiquaires & Bretonistes) Académie celti- que. Collectif. Mémoires de l'Académie celtique, ou Re- AUTRES TERRES cherches sur les Antiquités celtiques, gauloises et françaises. I/V. P., Dubray. 1807-08-09-09-10. 4 vol. in-8°, sobres rel. 1/2 bas. + 1 vol. in-8° débroché (sous couv. fact.), de CELTIQUES (3)+20+440pp & 6 pl. h-t., (6)+474pp & 7 pl. h-t dt 1 dépl., 504pp & 3 dépl. h-t, 508pp & 5 pl. dt 3 dépl., 520pp & 5 pl. dépl. h-t. ; Généralités 001-056 mouill. passim, ensemble disparate mais rarissime, surtout Nos ancêtres les Mégalithiques 057-074 complet de ses vingt-six planches gravées 900 € Indo-Européens et Celtes 075-233 A partir du t. III le titre devient : Mémoires de l'Acad. Celtique, ou Bretagne & Bretons 234-482 Mémoires d'antiquités celtiques… Dont : Moyen Age 407-457 Brittany 483-507 2. (Celtomanes , Antiquaires & Bretonistes) Académie celti- Vieille langue de nos Pères 508-631 que. Collectif. Mémoires de l'Académie celtique [ou Mé- Les Celtes parlent aux Celtes 632-664 moires d'antiquités celtiques, gauloises et françaises]. Tome Chrétientés celtiques (médiévales) 665-722 III complet en 3 livraisons. P., Dubray. 1809. 3 fasc. in-8° Cymru, Pays de Galles 723-756 brochés, couv. impr., de 504pp (pagin. continu), 3 pl. gravées h.- Kernow, Cornouailles 757-764 t., index ; beaux ex. ; contrib. Johanneau, Lenoir, Legonidec, Erin, Irlande 765-841 Mangourit, Baudouin (de Maisonblanche), Rallier, Pictet… 150 € Alba, Ecosse 842-892 Linguistique, philologie 893-941 3.
  • Étude Sur Quelques Éléments Figuratifs Des Statues-Menhirs Et Stèles Européennes Du Néolithique À L'age Du Bronze

    Étude Sur Quelques Éléments Figuratifs Des Statues-Menhirs Et Stèles Européennes Du Néolithique À L'age Du Bronze

    Étude sur quelques éléments figuratifs des statues-menhirs et stèles européennes du Néolithique à l'Age du Bronze Lhonneux Tatiana Master en histoire de l'art et archéologie Orientation générale – Option générale – Finalité approfondie Directeur : Pierre Noiret Lecteurs : Marcel Otte – Nicolas Cauwe Volume I Université de Liège – Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres Année académique 2018-2019 Remerciements Ce mémoire est l’aboutissement d’un long parcours que je n’aurais pas pu réaliser seule. Aussi je tiens à remercier chaleureusement toutes les personnes qui, de près ou de loin, ont contribué à l’accomplissement de ce cheminement. Au terme de ce travail, je tiens à exprimer ma profonde gratitude à Monsieur Noiret qui, en tant que Directeur de mémoire, s’est toujours montré à l’écoute et disponible. Je le remercie pour l’aide et le temps qu’il a bien voulu me consacrer et sans qui ce mémoire n’aurait jamais vu le jour. Je voudrais saisir cette occasion pour témoigner toute ma reconnaissance à Monsieur Otte, pour ses précieux conseils dans mes recherches et questionnements. Je le remercie également pour le prêt de l'ouvrage sur les stèles provençales ; ouvrage faisant partie de sa collection personnelle. Dans cette même lancée, je remercie également Monsieur Cauwe d'avoir su me rediriger sur la bonne voie dans l'élaboration de mon travail et d'avoir su me remotiver pour le finaliser. Je tiens à exprimer ma gratitude aux quelques musées, qui m'ont aimablement répondu sur la localisation de certaines statues-menhirs et stèles, ainsi que m’avoir fourni quelques références bibliographiques fort utiles.
  • The Holm of Papa Westray Stonework Survey 2018

    The Holm of Papa Westray Stonework Survey 2018

    HOLM OF PAPA WESTRAY SOUTH, PAPA WESTRAY, ORKNEY DECORATED INTERIOR STONEWORK SURVEY 2018 ANTONIA THOMAS 2019 Contents List of figures ......................................................................................................................... 3 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 4 Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. 5 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 6 2.0 Site Description .......................................................................................................... 6 3.0 Archaeological Background ................................................................................... 8 3.1 Early accounts and investigations .................................................................................. 8 3.2 20th-century Guardianship, restoration, and survey work .................................... 9 3.3 Recent work and current state ........................................................................................ 11 4.0 Project Aims and Objectives ................................................................................. 13 4.1 Project Aims ........................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Alignment to HES Corporate Plan 2016-2019
  • East Aquhorthies Stone Circle Statement of Significance

    East Aquhorthies Stone Circle Statement of Significance

    Property in Care (PIC) ID: PIC242 Designations: Scheduled Monument (SM90126) Taken into State care: 1963 (Guardianship) Last Reviewed: 2021 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE EAST AQUHORTHIES STONE CIRCLE We continually revise our Statements of Significance, so they may vary in length, format and level of detail. While every effort is made to keep them up to date, they should not be considered a definitive or final assessment of our properties. Historic Environment Scotland – Scottish Charity No. SC045925 Principal Office: Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH © Historic Environment Scotland 2021 You may re-use this information (excluding logos and images) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Any enquiries regarding this document should be sent to us at: Historic Environment Scotland Longmore House Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH +44 (0) 131 668 8600 www.historicenvironment.scot You can download this publication from our website at www.historicenvironment.scot Cover image: The recumbent stone circle of East Aquhorthies from the south- west. © Crown Copyright: HES. Historic Environment Scotland –
  • How to Tell a Cromlech from a Quoit ©

    How to Tell a Cromlech from a Quoit ©

    How to tell a cromlech from a quoit © As you might have guessed from the title, this article looks at different types of Neolithic or early Bronze Age megaliths and burial mounds, with particular reference to some well-known examples in the UK. It’s also a quick overview of some of the terms used when describing certain types of megaliths, standing stones and tombs. The definitions below serve to illustrate that there is little general agreement over what we could classify as burial mounds. Burial mounds, cairns, tumuli and barrows can all refer to man- made hills of earth or stone, are located globally and may include all types of standing stones. A barrow is a mound of earth that covers a burial. Sometimes, burials were dug into the original ground surface, but some are found placed in the mound itself. The term, barrow, can be used for British burial mounds of any period. However, round barrows can be dated to either the Early Bronze Age or the Saxon period before the conversion to Christianity, whereas long barrows are usually Neolithic in origin. So, what is a megalith? A megalith is a large stone structure or a group of standing stones - the term, megalith means great stone, from two Greek words, megas (meaning: great) and lithos (meaning: stone). However, the general meaning of megaliths includes any structure composed of large stones, which include tombs and circular standing structures. Such structures have been found in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North and South America and may have had religious significance. Megaliths tend to be put into two general categories, ie dolmens or menhirs.
  • County Carlow Published by the OPW Was Our Main Reference Source

    County Carlow Published by the OPW Was Our Main Reference Source

    Lecture to Old Carlow Society February 2000 1 Joseph.M.Feeley. Dunleckney, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow. 2nd Edition 2/05 Lecture to Old Carlow Society February 2000 2 Carlow Dolmens Introduction; Our interest in this topic began in 1995 when I began to do research on possible patterns to the siting of dolmens in Co Carlow and neighbouring counties. This research conducted from maps ended in failure. During the summer of 1996 my good friend and partner in crime Roger Jones suggested looking for solar alignments. We checked out all known dolmens in sight of the Mount Leinster Range . The only site to have both a clear view of the mountain range and with the proper alignment angle is at Ballynasillog just north of Borris. Establishing that it monitored two important solar events in early Spring and late Autumn meant getting up in the dark for nearly two years to check this out fully. One reason why it took so long was that Roger wanted to get the perfect photo of the sun rising in the Sculloge Gap. Glad to say that he eventually got his picture. The second phase began last September when I was asked by your chairman to give this lecture. Such a request concentrated my mind wonderfully and I returned to my original quest of finding a pattern in the siting of dolmens. The Inventory of Archaeological Sites in County Carlow published by the OPW was our main reference source. In addition the Discovery Series Maps (published by the Ordnance Survey of Ireland) and the Geological Survey maps were regularly consulted.
  • The Knowe of Rowiegar, Rousay, Orkney | 41

    The Knowe of Rowiegar, Rousay, Orkney | 41

    Proc Soc Antiq Scot 145 (2015), 41–89 THE KNOWE OF ROWIEGAR, ROUSAY, ORKNEY | 41 The Knowe of Rowiegar, Rousay, Orkney: description and dating of the human remains and context relative to neighbouring cairns Margaret Hutchison,* Neil Curtis* and Ray Kidd* ABSTRACT The Neolithic chambered cairn at Knowe of Rowiegar, Rousay, Orkney, was excavated in 1937 as part of a campaign that also saw excavations at sites such as Midhowe and the Knowe of Lairo. Not fully published at the time, and with only partial studies since, the human bone assemblage has now been largely re-united and investigated. This included an osteological study and AMS dating of selected bones from this site and other Rousay cairns in the care of University of Aberdeen Museums, as well as the use of archival sources to attempt a reconstruction of the site. It is suggested that the human remains were finally deposited as disarticulated bones and that the site was severely damaged at the time the adjacent Iron Age souterrain was constructed. The estimation of the minimum number of individuals represented in the assemblage showed a significant preponderance of crania and mandibles, suggesting the presence of at least 28 heads, along with much smaller numbers of other bones, while age and sex determinations showed a preponderance of adult males. Seven skulls showed evidence of violent trauma, while evidence from both bones and teeth indicates that there were high levels of childhood dietary deficiency. Although detailed analysis of the dates was hampered by the ‘Neolithic plateau’, a Bayesian analysis of the radiocarbon determinations suggests the use of the site during the period 3400 to 2900 cal BC.