THE BALLYNOE STONE CIRCLE Excavations by A. E. van Giffen, 1937-1938
W. Groenman-van Waateringe & ]. ]. Butler': with comments by G. Eogan & M. ]. O'Kelly
CONTENTS
r. INTRODUCTION
2. BACKGROUND TO THE EXCA VA TION
3. THE BALLYNOE STONE CIRCLE IN LITERATURE
4 THE EXCA V A TIONS
4.r. The excavation in 1937 - a report by A. E. van Giffcn 4.2. Description of the monument 4.2. r. General remarks 4.2.2. The stone chambers 4.2.3. The baetyls 4.2.4. The sections 4.2.5. The peristalith (stones 1-29), the main circle and the outliers 4.3. Crcmation pockets
5. THE FINDS 5.r. Locarion and registration of the finds 5.2. Arrifacts 5.3. Bones
6. INTERPRETATION
7. DISCUSSTON 7. r. Comments by Dr. G. Eogan 7.2. Answcr to Dr. Eogan 7.3. Comments by Professor M. ]. O'Kelly 7+ Answer to Professor O'Kclly 7.5. Suggestions for thc completion of Van Giffen's excavations
8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
9. NOTES
10. LITERATURE
,,. Respectively Albert Egges van Giffen lnstituut voor Prac- en Protohistorie (!.P.P.), Univcrsity of Amsterdam and Biologisch-Archaeologisch Instituut (B.A.I.), Statc Univcrsity, Groningen and I.P.P" University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 73 W. GROENMAN-VAN WAATERINGE & J. J. BUTLER
l. INTRODUCTION of excavating the Ballynoe Stone Circle had al ready been discussed at that meeting. In the years 1937 and 1938 the late Professor In l 9 37 the plans were realized. Throughout his A. E. van Giffen conducted the excavation of the two campaigns, Van Giffen was constantly assisted megalithic monument known as the Ballynoe Stone by Miss Gaffikin, whom he had asked to aet 'as Circle, Ballynoe Townland, Co. Down, with finan secretary to transact all negotiations and business cial support from the Ministry of Finance, Ancient matters in connection with the excavation of Bally Monuments and Historical Buildings of the Gov noe Stone Circle'.2 ernment of Northern Ireland. The excavations took place from 20 to 27th The obligation to publish the results of the ex September 1937 and from 7 to l6th June 1938. cavation, incurred by the acceptance of this finan From correspondence, it appears that Van Giffen cial support, was never met by Van Giffen, despite considered yet a third campaign to be necessary. repeated requests. He only sent a couple of prelim In a letter dated lsth January 1939 Miss Gaffikin inary reports to the Ministry. One of these follows wrote Van Giffen: 'What remains to be done at below (4.I.). Ballynoe? As far as I can remember we have to Professor M. ]. O'Kelly, Uni versity College, test for the surrounding ditch, and you said you Cork, pointed out the importance of this excava wanted to look for postholes in the area between
tion for Irish prehistory in l 97 l to the first named the horseshoe of stones and the cairn.' author, who then approached Van Giffen as to the The excavations were directed personally by Van possibility of working out the excavation results Giffen, with the assistance of Miss Gaffikin, a jointly. However, Van Giffen himself had already friend of hers, Mrs. Anderson, and the latter's son, approached the second author with a similar re John. In addition there were some ten labourers quest. under a foreman. Contrary to his usual practice in Gathering the pertinent material (correspond the Netherlands, Van Giffen did not work with his ence, day notes, drawings, photos, findsl and pre own foreman/draughtsman, so he himself made the liminary reports) took longer than anticipated, and plan, the photographs and the day notes. The sec the death of Van Giffen in April 1973 brought the tions were possibly drawn by Miss Gaffikin and plans of joint publication to a close. This must Mrs. Anderson, who in any case 'finished' them. necessarily be reflected in the publication, but we have attempted to present Van Giffen's own ob 3. THE BALLYNOE STONE CIRCLE IN servations at the time, giving his original LITERATURE documentation as far as possible. Much to our regret, it proved technically impossible to repro To date only short reports have appeared con duce the original field drawings (colour pencil on cerning Van Giffen's excavations at Ballynoe. Since millimeter paper). In re -drawing the plan and the death has robbed us of the assistance of both Van sections for this publication (fig. 2-3), H. Praam Giffen and Miss Gaffikin in our reconstruction, stra has tried to reproduce as faithfully as possible and these short reports were written either by Van the information contained in the field drawings. Giffen or in consultation with him, they will be We hope that it will not be our interpretation quoted in ful!. which dominates in this publication. They are, in ord er : l. By E. Estyn Evans 111 PPS 3, 1937, pp. 4 5 3- 2. BACKGROUND TO THE EXCAV ATION 4 5 4. 'Ballynoe Townland, Co. Down. Dr. Van Giffen Van Giffen, traveiling in Ireland from 2oth July began excavation on an important site known as the Stone Circle. A ring of standing stones, 1 oo feet in dia to l 8th August l 9 32, first saw the Ballynoe Stone meter, surrounds an excentric cairn, oval in shape, re Circle (pl. I) on l sth August. On this visit he also tained by a kerb of smaller stones. Work this season has met Miss M. Gaffikin from Newcastle, Co. Down, been restricted to a partial examination of the cairn, in then an amateur archaeologist. A letter from Van which two large marginal cists have been uncovered. 74 Giffen to Miss Gaffikin reveals that the possibilities They contain incinerated material but their complete The Ballynoe Stone Circle
examination has been deferred until next year. Three a long segmented structure which the excavator thinks small menhirs were also uncovered, but so far no sherds may be secondary. Coarse sherds of developed Neolithic have been recovered. The excavator regards the site as character accompanied small cremation pockets between a 'missing link' between the Henge monuments and cer the cairn and the stone circle, but the cists contained tain sepulchral sites in North England.' nothing except abundant cremated material. It is pos sible that a deep fosse surrounds the circle, but tests
2. Idem, PPS 4, 1938, p. 322. have so far proved inconclusive. It is hoped that the ' 'Ballynoe Townland, Co. Down, Ballynoe Stone Cir investigation will be completed in 1939. cle. Dr. Van Giffen has continued his work on this site; the excavation of the cairn is now complete and the 3. In: A preliminary survey of the ancient monu material had been replaced so as to expose the kerb. One ments of NorthernIreland, 1940, 120- of the two cists uncovered last season was found to be Belfast pp. 121, pl. 29.
Fig. r. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; location, general plan with 'Ballynoe td, Stone Circle. location of the main sections, and sketch of E chamber by About 3 m. S. of Downpatrick and 1/4 m. N.W. of ]. D. Anderson (1937). Ballynoe Station, from which a Iane leads directly to it.
IRELAN D
BALLYNOE 0 200m ,-··� . � , B '• I '\ I •• I '-=- *-� . • · ·� A -- § F,,, �- - • " ••
·�• • •1'- " 10 m 75 W. GROENMAN-VAN WAATERINGE & J. J. BUTLEll
Down, Sh. 37, Plan 16, Tr. 2, Alt. 100. This monument 8. H. ]. Case, Irish Neolithic pottery: distribu is of the greatest importance, as it forms a kind of mis tion and sequence, PPS 17, 1961, pp. 174-233, esp. sing link between the so-called "henge" monuments and 22 5. the grave mounds. Perhaps the finest megalithic struc 9. A. Bur!, Dating the British Stone Circles. ture surviving in Northern Ireland, it stands in cul American Scientists 61, 1973, pp. 167-174.24 tivated lowland less than 100 ft. above sea. It consists Finally, in connection with their publication of of an outer ring of massive stones up to 7 ft. in height the Millin Bay Cairn, A. E. P. Collins and D. M. set in a true circle the external diam. of which is 108 ft. The uprights are irregular in shape and arrangement: Waterman (1955) discuss Van Giffen's excavation they are often in contact but some are collapsed and in rather more detail, utilizing all the then a vailable
some apparently removed. They are set in places around data - i.e. a plan of the 1937 excavation and a a low mound but this may in part not be an original few photographs. We shall return to their work feature. On the W. side are two external uprights 9 ft. later. from the circle and 7 ft. apart : opposite them, 19 ft.
away and inside the circle is a crescent of 5 smaller 4. THE EXCA V A TIONS stones extending for 28 ft. and acting as a kerb to a raised platform which, occupying the rest of the circle, 4.r. THE EXCAVATION IN 1937, serves to level its interior since the ground outside is A REPORT BY A. E. VAN GIFFEN sloping down to the W. On this platform, which is 3 ft. high at the W. end, is an oval cairn 48 ft. by 60 ft., By way of introduction we present here a short surrounded by a kerb 2 ft. high, occupying the E. side report written by Van Giffen·' in a letter dated 2nd of the circle and set on the same axis as the crescent October 1937 addressed to Dr. D. A. Chart, Min and external uprights. It is 3 to 4 ft. in height. The istry of Finance, Ancient Monuments and Historie stones of the outer circle are nearly all composed of Buildings. local Silurian grit but a few are granite erratics. Two of the fallen stones ha ve large cupmarks, most probably 'The preliminary excavation was carried out between not artificial. Several ourlying stones occur near by: September 2oth and September 28th using the quadrant while some may be natura! boulders, others are set up method. A cross, oriented to the points of the compass right. Two on the N. are aligned at distances of 8 and was set out across the centre of the object to be examin 40 yds. from the circle: and two others on the S. stand ed with the help of a pantometer or boussole. Our pur at the same distances. Another outlier on the S.W. is 40 pose was twofold. In the first place, we wanted to fit yds. from the circle and there are others on the N.W. the cross into an equally divided square, which enclosed The cairn was excavated in 1937 and 1938 by Dr. Van the central part of the monument in the main or entirely, GIFFEN and two cist burials found in the edge of the and of which the said cross formed the axes. In the cairn. Except a sherd of early type, nothing was found second place, we thought we should be able to fix the in thc cairn itself. This sherd, so far the only indication lines set out in that manner, and the points more pre of the date of this monument, places it provisionally in cisely definecl on the site with the help of ranging rods, the neolithic period. Vested in Ministry of Finance. in an existing sketch, which had been placed at my dis Plate 29.' posal by Miss Gaffikin. It appeared, however, that we M.G., E.E.E. A. E. van G.3 could not carry out our second intention, because the sketch was not sufficient to that end. Therefore a new Van Giffen's excavations are further mentioned in : plan of the central part of the monument had to be 4. Estyn Evans, Prehistoric and Early Christian made, which was done accordingly. On the last day the lreland. A guide. London l 966, pp. 94-9 5. cu:1Y:ng stones were plotted. This was then an easy thing 5. E. M. Jope (ed.), An Archaeological Survey af to do, because we had not only set out a sufficient num County Dawn. Belfast 1966, pp. 87-89. ber of fixed points on the sire, but we had moreover at our disposal a plan of r : 2500. Lack of time prevented 6. Ancient monuments af Northem lreland. I. us from plotting these ourlying stones with the central In State Care. Belfast 1966\ pp. 44-45. part in the new plan. Meanwhile, from the first day Reference to a sherd found during the excavation onwards the excavation was begun along the axes out may be found in: lined in the central part. This consists of 7. S.P. 0. Ri6rdain, Antiquities af the lrish a) an outer stone circle [= main circle] with a sort of 3 Countryside. London l 9 5 3 , p. 90. en trance on the \'(! side; The Ballynoe Stone Circle
b) a platform with an arched row of 5 Stones [= stone solved to put the stones which had been removed into arc] on the same \'Bronze Age. It seems to about two cm thick. Contrary to current opinion I do be related to some of the monuments in Wales and S not consider this to be an artificial floor, but interpret Ireland described by Grimes and O'Neill Henken resp. it exclusively as a natura! infiltration.5 It thus constitutes Other characteristics remind one of monuments in Brit the boundary layer between the artificial barrow and tany described by Le Rouzic at Carnac. In my opinion the natura! subsoil, the till. It should be noted that the the Ballynoe monument is an extremely important one, W part of the long cairn was evidently disturbed at a missing link between the typical British henge monu some time. In the edge of the long cairnin the central-E ments or sanctuaries, on the one band, and the sepul and the central-\'henges".' one. These are, therefore, a kind of miniature "menhirs indicateurs", although their meaning as such must yet appear. 4.2. DESCRIPT!ON OF THE MONUMENT The edge of the barrow between the long cairn and 4.2.1. GENERAL REMARKS the peristalith is apparendy a secondary formation, con sisting of earth which had come down from the barrow Reference may be made to section 3 and to Collins itself. The baetyls, therefore, must originally have stood and Waterrnan 1955, p. 47, fig. 15, for a general free between the barrow, which was originally smaller, description. and the peristalith. Between the long cairn and the till All descriptions published to date are based al we only found some calcined bones, but not a burial proper, let alone a primary burial. There were no frag rnost exclusively on the 1937 excavation. The ments of pottery in the trial trenches. As regards the results of the 1938 excavation - essential for the two cists, the one on the E side was entirely untouched. interpretation of this complex monument - have It consists of two heavy radial side stones, a thin flat not been included adequately in any preliminary tangential closing stone and a large capstone. The en report. Therefore we will first describe the monu trance is to be found on the outside or W [must be EJ ment with special reference to Van Giffen's own side. It is marked by a threshold stone. It was closed field plan of 1937-38 (cf. fig. 2-3). The interpreta by flat stones. In the cist, which contained a layer of tion will follow. Both description and interpreta earth only at the bottom, there are two floors. Under tion are hampered by the extensive disturbance - the secondary one, consisting of a large flat stone, there possibly due to earlier digging0 - of the W part of is a primary interment. On lifting this stone it was the cairn, around the W chamber (pl. Illa). Because found that this interment consists among other things of calcined bones. We did not discover fragments of pot of the disturbance it is difficult to establish the tery or other things. Our time was, however, too short original situation with absolute certainty. to in vestigate the contents properl y. Therefore, we re- The maximum dimensions of the long ca1rn, as '-I 00
4
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A B c D E F G H J .K L M N 0 p Q R s T u V w X
Fig. 2. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; excavation plan after Van Giffen's field drawing. Black dots represent baetylstones; + represent location of finds l-7, 9-10. Drawing H. Praam stra, B.A.L, Groningen. The Ballynoe Stone Circle
r- I established by excavation are L. 21.25 m, W. 9.25 0 ·I· + 0 + + (\/ (\/ m. The E end appears to be undisturbed. The X curious shape of the cairn at the W end is possibly a reflection of disturbances here. Four recesses in the edge of the cairn occur to the N of the chamber and two to the SW. ::· -- According to the day notes of 24.IX. 1937 the :: --- 'E long cairn was composed of both large and smal! :.- --- stones. The edge stones were more or less rounded
:: --- (pl. IIIb) and seem to be indicated on the field :: --- drawing by black shading. Though the stones ·�: =_-= =-= =- � - around the entire circumference of the cairn are shaded, including the recesses at the W end, the authors doubt whether indeed the edge was dis tinguished from the body of the cairn at these points (pl. II, IVa, b, IXb).
p.2. THE STONE CHAMBERS (fig. 2-3, pl. Va-Xb) A smal! stone chamber (I) was discovered in the E end of the cairn, on the E-W axis of the cairn. The dimensions of the single chamber were, L. 1 .oo m, W. at W end 0.75 m, at E end 0.40 m, height from primary floor to lower side of capstone 0.75 m, height from top of secondary floor to lower side of capstone o. 5 4 m. Van Giffen describes this chamber in the various day notes as follows: 'wedge-shaped cellar with opening to the E; pretty well empty, below a thin =\{) deposit of washed-in earth a lozenge-shaped floor stone [pl. Villa J and a few loose stones filling the gaps between the f!oorstone and the side- and sill stones.' At first Van Giffen considered this to be ="' the primary floor. But on the instigation of Miss Gaffikin and Mrs. Anderson the large, o. 1 5 m -- (\/ thick floorstone was lifted, to reveal another floor en consisting of gra vel 2 1 cm below (pl. VII Ib). The L,I l_ -- secondary floorstone lay on three large flat stones \ + + II lL 0 (\/ I set on the primary floor. I I The chamber was constructed of four sidestones n w I\ (pl. VIila, b) partially covered by a large capstone ,, " E which projected over the backstone to the W ' \ o \{) I (pl. VIb, Vlla), leaving part of the E end uncover ed (pl. VIIb). This part was roofed by three over sailing blocks (pl. Vb, VIa), a sort of corbelling, but
I which did not aet as supports for the capstone. I o I 0 <( D ' : •
of the cairn. All the capstones were missing. stated that it is not yet certain whether the hollow In the day notes we find: 'in the chamber N of by the E baetyl (i.e. no. 2) is man-made or not. the central-W section much loose clay, containing 3. Still in the notes for 21.IX.37: 'in central-S quantities of calcinated bone. Capstones missing. A trench same circumstances, but no pits and not peristalith stone in or on top of the chamber fill progressed as far. In central-E trench, as in central (stone 31) must be in a secondary position'.7 N and central-S trenches, but no baetyl.' [As in This W chamber (pl. IXa, b) lies only partially both other trenches?] on the W-E axis of the long cairn. Its W end is set 4. In the day notes for 9.VI.38: 'In SE quadrant at a slight angle to both the E end of the chamber a baetylstone is appearing outside the peristalith.' and the cairn as a whole. The E compartment, (pl. Xla, XIIa); in addition in notes for ro.VI.38: segment 1, is formed by a chamber 3 m long, 0.80 'the baetylstone apparently leans outwards due to m wide. Stone 44 has a maximum heigth of c. o.8 5 stone ro which seems to have fallen inwards. The m (height of chamber?). The dimensions of seg baetylstone would thus seem to be primary here. ments 2 and 3 are L. r.50 m, W. 1 m, while the Is the peristali th secondary ?' height can no longer be reconstructed. Only one 5. Also in the notes for ro.VI. 3 8: 'In the after of the sidestones of these two segments - that in noon a splendid baetylstone appeared under one of the S wall of the middle compartment - remains, the peristalith stones [stone 21] in the NE qua but the position of the sidestones of the western drant on the NE edge.' (pl. XIIb). most segment no. 3, could be traced in the soil. The 6. On q.VI.38 Van Giffen writes: 'in the early floor of the easternmost compartment was covered afternoon I saw a new baetylstone'; and further
with several large flat stones (pl. Xa, b). There is on: 'in NW quadrant a sixth baetylstone.' ( = stone no record of these having been lifted in the day 30, pl. IVa left and IXa left). The distance between ' notes, but Van Giffen does mention a great num these six baetyls and the edge of the long cairn is ber of bones below this [i.e. W chamber] at the from the baetyl S of stone 2 5, clockwise, 1, 1, r.2, bottom of the prehistoric floor'. However, this r.7, r.6, r.6 m. could just as well refer to segments 2 and 3, which do not appear to have had floorstones (see further 4-2+ THE SECTIONS (fig. r, 3, pl. XIII) under finds no. 9 ). Information in the day notes pertinent to the make up of the sections is: '2 r.IX. 3 7, virgin soil consists 4.2.3. THE BAETYLS of a sort or loam with grave!; 23.IX.37, under long (fig. 2, pl. IIIb, IVa, IXa, Xla-Xllb) cairn a deposit of fatty clay, in my opinion an On the NE side and then again S of the E part of infiltration, not a deliberate floor level;9 the long cairn, five boulders were noticed. A sixth 24.IX.37, to sum up, it seems that the clay may lie in the NW quadrant (stone 30). These deposit is layered,10 and occurs more thickly on boulders, which Van Giffen called 'baetyls', 'baetyl sloping terrain, though it is by no means present stones' or small 'menhirs indicateurs' (cf. G. & V. everywhere; I indeed consider it to be an infiltra Leisner, 1943, pp. 481-483), are usually round or tion deposit. Below this, an old surface level, the egg-shaped stones of a kind still to be found in large humus level, darker in colour towards the top. numbers around the Irish coast, well rounded and Deeper down, below the humus level is moranic polished by the erosive action of sea and sand (pl. material (the subsoil is Ordovician).' XIa). Their position is described in the day notes as follows: Description of N-S sectionll (fig. 3, pl. XIII). r. In the notes for 2 1.IX.37 we read: 'in NE The long cairn, measuring 8.85 m wide and 0-42 quadrant 1 m wide trench dug along the axes; in m high, and built of large and small boulders (pl. SW quadrant only along N-S axis, in central-N XIIIa) was constructed on the undisturbed virgin trench a "beatyl".' (pl. XIb right). soil. In the centre the stones are covered by a 2. Further on in the same notes there is mention deposit of 'grave!' (according to Van Giffen, i.e. of both baetyls8 (pl. XIb) though no. 2 (pl. Xlb soil containing many small stones), some 0.32 m 80 left) is not mentioned explicitly. On 24.IX.37 it is thick. The whole, between the S and N side of the The BaLlynoe Stone Circle
peristalith, is covered by a c. 0.50 m thick Jayer of wide) extended W. A stone on the E [ should be W?] humic soil (pl. XIIIb). According to Van Giffen : face of the ditch talus. This stone seems to cor 'A sort of platform seems to be indicated around respond to a shallow depression which may be fol the peristalith extending out to the main circle? It lowed right around the monument, about 5 m out, is uncertain whether we are here faced with a except on the N side where there is a field bound primary or a secondary feature - since it might just ary. The menhir in this wall seems to stand on the as well be materiaJ eroded from the barrow within outer edge of this ditch, just as the SE stone. Odd the peristalith.' then, tha t both ou tliers, N of the E-W axis should be placed just in the peripheral ditch. Or is there Description of E-W section12 (fig. 3). an· en trance here? In general, similar to N-S section. The grave! r r.VI.38, the encircling ditch beyond the main deposit runs up against the top of the capstone of circle searched for, but not yet clearly visible; the easternmost chamber forming an even surface 14.VI.38, the W ditch seems to argue for natura! with it. Since the eastward continuation of this infill, stony material on grave! or loam.' Does Van section beyond the chamber was not left standing Giffen mean the filling of the ditch discovered in during the excavation, this part remains somewhat the W trial trench here? uncertain. Loose soil said to occur between the peristalith (stone r8) and the main circle suggests 4.2.5. THE PERISTALITH (STONES r-29), THE MAIN that stone r 8 may not lie in situ. As was mentioned CIRCLE AND THE OUTLIERS (fig. 1-4, pl. XIVa) above (4.2. r.). there is evidence of recent distur For a description of the peristalith, the main circle bance S and E of the W chamber. On pl. Illa, an and the outliers (fig. r, 4 - all accurately surveyed excavation from the present surface is clearly vis by Van Giffen - see Collins and Waterman (1954, ible right of the most E sidestone (stone 44). Conse p. 47) and Jope (1966, pp. 87-88, fig. 58-59). We quently the relationship of the long cairn to the will restrict ourselves here to a few additional facts chamber could have been observed only on the N revealed by the field plan which would seem to be side - and here there is no section. As far as may necessary for an accurate interpretation. be deduced from the photographs (pl. IXa, b) the r. Peristalith and main circle are not concentric. top of the long cairnextended at least up to the top 2. The peristalith is not concentric to the long of the sidestones, as was the case at the E chamber. cairn, and would seem - considering the position Both the E and the W chambers were clearly sunk of stone 29 (pl. IXa, XIVa) - to be of secondary into the original ground level. construction.u 3. The position of stones ro and 2 r of the per Van Giffen had another trench, some r 2 m long, istali th is secondary to two baetylstones. dug in continuation of the E-W section in a W 4. Stones 2-14 of the peristalith seem to stand in a direction (fig. 3) In it, it can be seen that the ter straight row instead of being curved as would be rain gradually slopes away to the W. The depres expected of the arc of a circle. sion in the old surface level between 2 3 and 28 m 5. The position of stone r 8 is uncertain in view of W of the assumed centre of the cairn was consider the recent (?) disturbance E of it. ed by Van Giffen to be a deliberate excavation, 6. The line that bisects the chord of the arc de perhaps extending right around the monument. scribed by the five monoliths at the W end of the Statements in the day notes relevant in this connec cairn meets the E-W axis of the long cairn at an t10n are: obtuse angle. We shall return to this faet, and to '9.VI.38, trench to continue last year's section S the two orthostats lying WNW of the E-W axis of central-W axis, begun; continued over stone arc directly outside the main circle, later. to completely outside monument. In the continu 7. The stones of the peristalith are dug into depths a tion of the E-W axis a sort of ditch seems to be varying between 7 0.9015 (stone ro) and 7 0.67 appearing outside the main circle;l3 m 10 (stone 17). The variation in the real height ro.VI.38, interesting to note that a ditch is in of the stones is much greater but, with the excep deed coming to light in thc trial trench ( o. 5 o m tion of such small stones as 8, I3 and 15, all stand W. GROENMAN-VAN WAATERINGE & J. J. BUTLER
" " .. •• •. " '
' '1 I I
•
\)\) C> 01 • ' • O" ota o, I ' "o.�
0 20 m
Fig. 4. The Ballynoe Stone Circle and two of the outlying stones. After Jope, 1966, fig. 58. Drawing I.P.P" Amsterdam.
over 50 cm. The foundation depth for only three the old surface level. The measurements for the stones of the main circle is known: I --:- 0.77 m, baetyl under and against stone 2 r are 3 7 cm high II --:- 0.87 m, III --:- o.8 5 m (fig. 2). The edging and sunk to --:- r .02 m. Since the edge of the cairn stones of the long cairn lie at c. --:- 0.70 m, which is here somewhat lower, c. --:- 0.75 m, this baetyl means that the peristalith stones and the stones of must originally have protruded only about ro cm, the main circle are not dug in very deeply. or has it been depressed by stone 2 r? According to 8. Only stone 22 seems to have a sort of stone the N-S section (fig. 3) the baetyls in the NE and packing. In a few cases the socket was larger than SW quadrants also protrude some 20 cm above the the stone i tself: this could be ei ther primary to old surface. facilitate positioning or secondary due to displace ro. Van Giffen also recorded the stones 8 and r 5 ment or rolling aside. and the stone sockets directly E of stone 3 5, N of 9. Baety!stone no. r r, 3 5 cm long and sunk to stone r 8 and between r 6 and r 7 in addition to --:-o.8 2 m must ha ve projected some 2 3 cm above those illustrated in fig. 4 (after Jope, 1966). The Ballynoe Stone Circle
ground surface seems to lie at c. 0.70-';- cf. level of I I. The 'cup-marks' on some of the stones (e.g. stone I7, pl. VIiia) cannot be regarded as man cairn edge.] made. 9. VI. 3 8, in NE quadrant found no. 4 on the til! a flint scraper cracked by fire. Depth 0.80-';- .
r 3 .VI. 3 8, continued in NW quadrant. Here cremated 4.3. CREMATION POCKETS bones (no. 5) on the top of the stone cist and scattered around it. Outside the long cairn, more or less foliowing its 14.VI.38, NW quadrant cleared further and partially margin, several cremation pockets and charcoal mapped. Two burnt patches and a cremation found. patches were found. Van Giffen doesn't describe r 5 .VI. 38, E chamber cleared. The so-calied floorstone these pits and patches systematically in his day raised. Afterwards, bones underneath (no. 8). The W notes, but most of them are mentioned in connec chamber now clear. Under this very many bones, in the tion with finds, i.e. nos. 2, 3, 6, 7 and IO. About bottom of the prehistoric floor. No. 6, 016-:--, burn t path (sample) ; 1.5 m E of find number IO (fig. 2). Van Giffen indicated on the field drawing, between 010+ No. 7 [pl. IVb ], o.86-';- , large numbers of bones18 in smal! stone packing; and 0.90-:-- a 'little hearth', but gives no further No. 8, bones (cremation) from underneath the stone description. floor in the E cist ; No. 9, bones from the most W cist, above the stones.
5. THE FINDS (fig. 2, 5; pl. IVb, XIVb) No. ro, sherds.' With the exception of no. o, all the find numbers 5-1. LOCATION AND REGISTRATION are noted on the excavation plan (fig. 2). Here fol OF THE FINDS lows a brief description of the find spots. No. o. The place where the bones were found Mention of the finds, consisting chiefly of cremated in the central-S section is recorded on the field
bone, occurs in the foliowing day notes (the find drawing of the N-S section ( = 'kleine beentjes' numbers are indicated on the plan, fig. 2). in N-S section). '23.IX.37, in NW edge, large stones against which No. I. In SW quadrant c. 0.75 m N of stone 6 many burnt bones. (pl. XIVb). 24.IX.37, NE quadrant now cleared. In centre a few No. 2. As no. I, c. 0.25 m N of stone 6. bones (see no. o). After this, the SW quadrant clearcd No. 3. In SW quadrant c. 4 m NW of stone 6, as much as possible but only a r m wide strip along c. 0.50 m S of edge of long cairn. central-W and central-S section done. Here also a few No. 4 In NE quadrant, c. I m NE of stone 20, burnt bones found halfway between the cairn edge and between peristalith and main circle. centre of central-S cutting [ also no; in grave! layer, not belonging to peristalith?J. No. 5. Between ( on) stones 4 2 and 4 5 of the 2 5 .IX.37 , NE quadrant further cleared and the cham W chamber. ber in the S section of central-E axis inspected. The No. 6. In NW quadrant, halfway between stones chamber is pretty well empty and under a thin layer of 30 and 32, c. 0.75 m N of the edge of the long cairn. washed-in soil is a lozenge-shaped floorstone, a few No. 7. (pl. XIVb). In NW quadrant, c. 2 m W loose stones which fil! up the area between it and the of no. 6. side- and sillstones. On and between these a few charred No. 8. In E part of E chamber (at least, the bones. number is written there). 27.IX.37, floorstone E chamber lifted with lever. Underneath a primary interment. No. 9. Directly E of stone 40 of the W chamber. I 7.VI.38, in SE [must be SW] quadrant found: r ) No. Io. In NW quadrant, c. m E of stones 33 [fig. 5] rim sherd with Peterborough type decoration and 34 (pl. IXa below left, near group of small comparable to r ) no. 174 from Moytirra, a megalithic flat stones). monument from which also a Bell Beaker sherd.U Items in Dublin Museum; 2) Lough Crew sherds, cf. Gordon 5.2. ART/FACTS Childe; 2) charcoal with flint scraper 0.75-':- ; 3) crema tion on flat, inside sloping srones. Both (1, 3) in SE Three sherds were examined by the first named [should be SW] quadrant 0.90-:-- . [Thus dug in, for old author in the National Museum, Dublin (see note W. GROENMAN-VAN WAATERINGE & ]. ]. BUTLER r ) . A box marked 'POTSHERD BALLYNOE, CO. 5.3. BONES DOWN' contained the sherd illustrated by Collins and Waterman ( I 9 5 5, pl. XV: 3; fig. 5) and de For analysis of the cremated remains see B. K. S. scribed by them as (p. 44) "a rim sherd of thick Dijkstra, r 976. It pr:)Ved to be impo�sible to cor black flaky ware, similar in texture to the Millin relate Van Giffen's list of cremated material with Bay bowl, but from a pot with an in-turned rim the general find list. He describes them as follows: and a pronounced bevel on the outside of the rim 'r. Bones cist I (pl. XV: 3). Decoration is by stab-and-drag with a 2. Contents of cist II broad-pointed tool, perhaps the end of a smal! bird 3-5. Contents of cist II Dijkstra A-D or mammal bone. The lines of stab-and-drag run 6-7. Bones surrounding cist II 8-9. No. 2 ro. Bones in 'oerzand' [is iron pan material meant?].' However, in an attempt to make a certain cor relation the foliowing possibilities arise:
Bones 10 = find number o?
Bones I = find number 8 (from under and above the secondary floor ?)
2, Bones 3-5 and 8-9 = find numbers 5? 9?
Bones 6-7 = find numbers 3? 5? 7? The only firm identification would seem to be
Bones no. r, since Van Giffen mentions cremated material from chamber I only under find number 8. Valuable information concerning the exact con tents of chamber II, the cremation pockets in and around the cairn and the separation of material by Fig. 5. Find numbcr r (cf. fig. 2 and pl. XIVb) found in SW the secondary floor in chamber I has been lost due quadrant. Rimsherd, scalc r : 1, photograph Department of the Environment, Belfast. to careless treatment in the field (such as muddling with different numbering systems).20
2 1 across the rim but are arranged zonally on the body 6. INTERPRETATION of the pot. The rim form, though, of course, widely The structure at Ballynoe, consisting of two excen differing from the Millin Bay example, is quite tric stone circles and a cairn with two chambers, closely matched at Loughcrew and at Fourknocks should be viewed as an extremely cornplex, multi " 2. Marked in pencil on the sherd is 'Ballynoe I'. period monument. It is difficult to judge how many This is undoubtedly our find number 1 (c/. Van periods are concerned. The comment in the day Giffen's description in the day notes for 7.VI.38). notes for 9.IV.38 (see 4.2.3.) indicating that the Another box, on which was written "Ballynoe idea of a rnulti-period monument had already oc 1938'', contained two sherds, one thin walled, of curred to Van Giffen. the same fabric as no. 1 and perhaps bearing a single What is the evidence for multi-periodicity ? impression, the other rather thicker walled. r. The main circle and peristalith are not con Are these the sherds of find number 10? In the centric. same box there were also five pieces of flint, a 2. The mam circle is not concentric to the long round nodule with cortex, a flat piece with a drill cairn. like point but without retouch, and three flakes - 3. The peristalith 1s not concentnc to the long along with two pieces of natura! stone, one of ca1rn. which was quartz, two pieces of cremated bone and 4. The W compartments of chamber II do not lie two fragments of porous, badly preserved unburnt in line with the E part and with the E-W axis of bone. The scrapers listed as nos. 2 and 4 were not the long cairn. present in the box.19 5. The position of the baetyls in relation to the The BalLynoe Stone Circle
long cairn and the peristalith respectively. 3. the two out!iers W of the stone circle which 6. The stones 2- l 4 of the peristali th stand in a flank an extension of the axis of the W compart
straight line, seemingly to avoid baetylstone l l? ments of chamber II and the stone arc before it. 7. The position of stone 29 in relation to the long Concerning the position of these two out!iers in cairn. relationship to what he took to be a ditch, Van Giffen wrote in the day notes for ro.VI.38 that There are, thus, two aspects to the problem: l ) in these stones either stood in the middle of the ditch how far the above points can be related to one or that there was an entry (causeway) here. In the another in a hypothetical building succession, and former case (stones in the ditch) the ditch will not
2) which elements could be contemporary. have belonged to this phase but would have been A single unit seems to be formed by primary to the out!iers. On the other hand, in the
l. the long cairn and the E chamber (I) with the E latter case, it may be assumed that the ditch, with end of the W chamber (II) which all lie on the the W part of chamber II, stone arc and two out same ax1s; liers were contemporary. Should, moreover, the 2. the baetyls, three 22 set on equal distance away ditch prove to be concentric to the stone circle, then from the N side of the cairn edge and two from the the possibility of contemporaneity between this cir S edge but set a !ittle further out than those to the cle and our second phase arises. It may be pointed N (r.1 mand r.6m resp.). out that the stone circle, and long cairn with stone arc together do form a symmetr:cal figure, i.e. an The peristalith is secondary to this construct1on oval construction wi thin a circular setting. The because causeway would, in this case, be formed by six r. it is not concentric to the long cairn; stones (fig. 2) : the two W out!iers, stone 36 and the 2. the position of stones ro and 2 l is secondary to stone to the SW of it, both in the main circle, and the baetyls; stones 34 and 3 5 of the stone arc. Just how the 3. the position of stone 29 is secondary to the long position of the peristalith should be viewed in rela cairn. tionship to the 'second' phase, cannot be determin However, the possibility that the E chamber ed on present evidence. may be contemporary with the peristalith still The mound will originally have extended E-W remains but it is not very probable, because of the from chamber to chamber and N-S not beyond the extension of the grave! layer to the top of the cap cairn (i.e. the pebble mound) and the baetyls will stone and not beyond it. In a previously published have been visible. The barrow was extended later, section (Collins & Waterman, 195 5, fig. 16) this and was surrounded by stones which formed a kerb point is not clear, because of a misinterpretation (in for this secondary - or tertiary - structure. Seen in the drawing office or by Van Giffen himself?) of this light, the note on p. 47 of Collins and Water the field drawings. Above the cairn s.s. there are man (195 5) becomes clear. "The survey on which two separate layers indicated in the field drawings, the plan, fig. r 5, is based was carried out in Sep which are not to be seen on the section as previously tember, l 9 5 4. The mound now extends consider published. A separate, secondary (?) construction ably beyond the stone kerb on the west, as shown, seems to be formed by but it seems certain that this prolongation is not l. the extension of chamber II to the W, not in an original feature and must be due to the dump line with its E end (cf. Corcoran, 1973). During ing of spoil from the ex ca vation ... Professor E. excavation no periodicity was observed in the cairn E. Evans informs the writers that prior to the body itse!f, neither is anything visible on the photo excavation the moLmd, as might be expected, did graphs. Consequently, just how the extension of not extend beyon_d the limit of the stone kerb." the cairn to the W should be visualized is problem The question is what is understood under "an atical; original feature". In our opinion, the "now ex 2. the stone arc to the W of chamber II, since the tended mound" was the most original feature, and axis of the W compartments of this chamber bisects the mound edged by the peristalith was certainly the chord of the stone setting; a secondary one, and, therefore, being the latest \YI,GROENMAN-VAN WAATERINGE & J. J. BUTLER
structure, remained more clearly visible. The plat (r97r), but we leave this to someone more com form with an arc of five stones on the same W side petent. inside the main circle, of which Van Giffen wrote Collins and Watermann considered that there were (see 4.2.4.) belongs to our postulated 'second' several points of resemblance between Ballynoe and phase, and may have served as a sort of revetment the Millin Bay cairn (r955, pp. 49-56), which is at the W side of the extended E-W structure. also ane of the four megalithic monuments in Co. Dating can only be based on a typological an Dawn which Jope (op. cit.) was unable to classify. alysis of the various construction elements, since no To a certain extent the comparison is valid, though charcoal has been preserved for C14 dating, and neither of the earliest chambers at Ballynoe are in the scanty sherd material, while associated, need any way similar to the long narrow cist of Millin not be contemporary with one of the above de Bay, and inhumation does not seem to occur at scribed features (cf. finds r and ro). Ballynoe. On the other hand, relationship is in Drawbacks to the sole use of typology for dating dicated by the situation of the monument, the oval purposes are first!y, that very few megalithic mon shape of both cairns, the stone circles, the semi uments in the British Isles have been subjected to circular stone setting on the N side at Millin Bay, C14 dating and secondly that few such monuments on the WNW side at Ballynoe, the numerous stone have been so extensively excavated that the rela cists below and around the cairn at Millin Bay and tionship between the construction elements is in the cremation pockets at Ballynoe, the stone set any way certain. tings around the cairn (Van Giffen's "baetyls") and
In almost every case, a megalith classified by its the inner stone setting at Millin Bay ( = kerb at visible characteristics has had to be reclassified Ballynoe?). The similarity between a few sherds after excavation (cf. Henshall, 1974, p. r43). from Millin Bay and ane of the Ballynoe sherds, Jope ( r 966, p. r 5) distinguishes five types of pointed out by Collins and Waterman, is noteworthy megalithic monuments in Co. Down: lang cairns here. Collins and Waterman considered the semi with galleries and forecourts, remnants of possible circular stone setting at Millin Bay to be a Carling round cairns containing passage-graves, ro und ford style feature, analogous to the forecourt. Here, cairns normally containing closed short cists, dol we may call attention to the similar setting at the mens and standing stones. He is unable to classify horned cairn at Shanballyedmond, Co. Tipperary four monuments, Ballynoe Stone Circle being ane (O'Kelly r958a, cf. also r958b). The 'second' phase of them. However, now that different phases have of the Ballynoe monument would in this case have been distinguished in the monument an attempt will consisted of a segmented gallery grave with a Car be made to place it. lingford style forecourt. We are then faced with a Burl's study ( r 973) is the most useful reference three-chambered gallery, the least common type of for the stone circle. The Ballynoe circle belongs court cairn. However, the three chambers may be to the 6°/o with a diameter of more than roo ft (c. explained by the two phases in this W chamber. A 30 m); in addition, the stones are imposing, being two-chambered gallery was in faet built onto the in most cases more than 3 ft (c. 0.90 m) high. On pre-existing E compartment of chamber II, thereby the basis of such typological criteria, a couple of extending it into a multi-compartment burial
Cr4 dates 23 and find associations, Bur! concludes chamber. This is quite in agreement with de Valera that circles with a diameter of more than roo ft (r960, pp. 23-24) who sees the origin of three and with stones more than 3 ft high, belong to the chambered galleries as the result of exceptional cir earliest phase of stone circles, his phase A, which cumstances. The separation of the chambers is not he dates between 2600-2 roo b.c" with a contin in the Irish fashion, with jamb stones and sills, but uation in phase B (2roo-r 6oo b.c.). 65°/o of these in the Scottish and Isle of Man tradition with large circles lie "within the At!antic province, along slabs placed on edge across the gallery, cf. Bally the western coasts from southwest Scot!and to alton, Co. Dawn (Jope 1966, p. r7 and 72, fig. I2). Cornwall, especially in the southwest peninsula."2·1 There is no evidence for blocking of the entrance. With at least five out!iers, this monument would 86 seem to be well suited to a Thom-style analysis Stone circles would not appear to be a normal The BaLlynoe Stone Circle
feature of lang cairns with a forecourt. It is im On this hypothesis we start off with a court possible to say whether the main circle forms in cairn and later a passage grave but there is a third itself a completely separate monument. One could monument to be accounted for - the main circle. also think in terms of a combination of the main Our knowledge of the stone circles of Ireland - circle with the numerous cremation pockets and either typologically or chronologically - is not charcoal patches within it (cf. a similar suggestion great, but what we have suggests that they are for Millin Bay by Collins and Waterman (op. cit., Early 'Bronze' Age in date. At Ballynoe the build p. 5 3), who here recall similar features in class I ing of the stone circle may have been an event of henge monuments). Whether such a feature should post megalithic tomb times. Stone circles around precede or succeed the cairn itself cannot, at the megalithic tombs are known elsewhere. Newgrange moment, be established, since all the cremation is possibly the best example and with all the Beaker pockets seem to lie outside the cairn body.25 material there is a good chance that it was Beaker people who built that circle. The asymmetry at 7. DISCUSSION that site may also be noted. Like Newgrange the outer stone circle at Millin 7.r. COMMENTS BY DR. G. EOGAN Bay could have been an addition. The character of (16.XII.1975): its stones differs very much from those used in the tomb - an abnormal type of passage grave. And From the report it appears that the primary mon the cremation pits at Millin Bay could go with the ument is the long cairn. If this can be accepted stone circle. At least guite similar pit burials have then other things fall into place. In this country been found at Monknewtown, Boyne Valley, in a long cairns are court cairn monuments and the W Beaker structure. chamber should be considered as a chamber of such a tomb type with three or probably four segments. 7.2. ANSWER TO DR. EOGAN The incompleteness is due to the disturbance as is noted in the report. And could the arc of stones It is rather unlikely that stones 32-35 and 38 are be nothing more than displaced court stones? The displaced court stones. Van Giffen found only one 'kink' in the gallery is a perfectly normal feature stone socket in the area W of the W chamber. If if there are more segments. The only reason that there had been a complete structure formed by these one might be hesitant about the court cairn view is stones Van Giffen would certainly have found the the orientation. Court cairns with an opening to sockets. The same holds true for a possibly destroy the W are rare, probably even otherwise non ed passage E of the E chamber. existent in Co. Down. But what about the E cham We do agree with Dr. Eogan that the peristalith ber? Could this be a large end subsidiary chamber served as a kerb for the secondary mantelling of the (another rare feature) or could it be the last rem E end of the long cairn (see 4.2.4. and 4.2.5.). The nants of another gallery. In other words was Bally interpretation of Dr. Eogan concerning the dating noe originally a dual court cairn? of the main circle is contrary to the opinion of Bur! In trying to answer this guestion another one (see note 24), who is, however, very cautious. See must be raised. Could the E chamber be a secondary also the comments made by O'Kelly below. insertion and if so could it have been the chamber - very small admittedly - of a simple passage 7.3. COMMENTS BY PROFESSOR grave, the passage of which no longer exists and of M. ]. O'KELLY (letter dated 14.I.1976) which no traces were found during the excava tion?2G Apart from the shape of the chamber there There is no doubt that the monument is a complex are two other aspects that might support this idea. mu!ti-period one and my guess at the seguence of One is the kerb (peristalith) and the apparent sec events in it is as follows. ondary mantelling which goes with it and covered r. The outer stone circle and the possible ditch the E end of the long mound. The other is that sherd outside it form the primary monument. One could of Carrowheel pottery from the SW guadrant. call this a henge (see Fahy, 1962). W. GROENMAN-VAN WAATERINGE & J. J. BUTLER
The Newgrange external peristalith (the Great pp. 100-101; see also O'Kelly, 1952, and note the circle) is not concentric with the kerb of New; extension of this site to contain added graves to be grange. If it ever were a complete circle (and I dated now in the early Bronze Age). have not been able to prove that is was), it is likely to have been the first monument on the site (I The sherd of decorated pottery is almost certainly haven't been able to prove this either!). It is pos a piece of Carrowkeel ware. In a recently excavat sible that the missing stones were taken for use in ed 'henge-like' monument (henge-like because there the kerb of the passage-grave mound. The socket was no ditch internal or external, (see Sweetman, of at least ane missing peristalith stone had been 1971; 1976) a complete Carrowkeel ware bowl con f illed in by the time the Beaker people came and taining a human cremation was found. I assur:.1e that squatted over it. the Ballynoe sherd belongs with the primary main The outlier stones need not be contemporary circle. In other words we should not now be sur with one another and may have been set up at any prised at occurrences of Carrowkeel pottery with time. If the W pair are in the line of the ditch and monuments other than passage graves. do not flank a causeway, they should then be later than Phase I. O'Kelly denies absolutely the relationship between 2. Phase II was the building of the E part of the the threc-chambered ':/! cist at Ballynoe and three cairn mound with the E cist. This was a short oval. chambered court cairns, just as a link between the It lies on a turf-layer (Van Giffen's 'thin layer of stone arc and the court of a court-cairn, either at fat clay') chemically altered after the building of Ballynoe or at Millin Bay. He points in this con the cairn. This turf was the vegetation-grown floor nection to the non-functional arc of stones in of the Phase I stone circle. This cairn mound had a mound K at Newgrange, W of chamber and pas
kerb ( = peristalith). The kerb may ha ve been con sage and, as these, covered by the f irst period tinuous around the W side of the Phase II cairn mound (howeve1" see note 24). mound and cist. The baetyl stones were hidden by the stone and earth upper layer of the mound which 7+ ANSWER TO PROFESSOR O'KELLY runs out to peristalith (see Collins & Waterman, 195 5, p. 4 8: 'lnspection of the a vailable sections of ad 1. See our suggestions for the compl etion of Van the mound, however, seem to suggest that the whole Giffen's excavations, 7.5. The only reason to see of the structure is contemporary, but to disagree the main circle as secondary to the E part of the with the excavator's interpretation would clearly long cairn is the supposed connection between the be unwise in the absence of full details'). entry through the two W outliers of the main cir 3. In Phase III a single-cell cist was added on cle, stone 36 and the one S of it (of which only the the W edge of the cairn mound and the peristalith/ socket remains), stones 34 and 3 5 of the stone arc kerb was disturbed and extended westwards to in and the direction of the westernmost part of the W clude the cist into the cairn mound. chamber. If thi:; relationship docsn't ex'st, i.e. if 4. In Phase IV a two-compartment cist was there is no causeway, which can be proved by ex added on to the W single-cell cist, but not quite cavation, the main circle and external ditch may in correct alignment. The cairn mound was again easily be the primary feature cf. also Burl's ideas, extended (Van Giffen's 'platform', which runs out note 24. to the stone arc. This is all that remaind of thc ad. 2. The idea of mound with E cist and per base of this part of the cairn extension) and the istalith being one phase does not hold true, but is stone arc was added as a kerb for this extension. understandable beca use the dra wings of both E-W This cairn with the added cists o.nd ex:cnsions of and N-S sections, sent by Van Giffen to Belfast, the covering mound belongs probably to the Bronze are not in accordance with the field drawings of Age Food Vessel type of burial cult (see Waddell, the sections ( compare, however, fig. 3, especially 1970). 'Thus the cairn mound becomes a sort of the N-S sections). The first phase contains a cairn, multiple cist cairn' - a reasonably well-known type built of large and small boulders, covered by 88 of Irish Bronze Age monument (Waddell, op. cit" a deposit of gravel (see 4.2+). In the second The Ballynoe Stone Circle
phase a c. o. 50 m thick layer of humic soil covered interpreted as a ditch, and, if his interpretation the whole between the S and N perista!ith stone. is correct, to investigate its course and the possibil In the E-W section the gra vel layer extends to the ity of there being a causeway associated with the top of the capstone of the E chamber, but not two outliers on the W side of the main circle. Fur beyond it. We therefore think that the E charnber thermore, there may well be cremation pockets is an integral part of the first phase of the cairn. under the long cairn, and charcoal could be col Furthermore, it is clear that the peristalith stones lected from the old surface level for post-quem
ro and 21 are in a secondary position to baetyl dating. This would, however, involve the total stones r r and the one SW of stone 21 resp. (see removal of the cairn body where left by Van Gif 4.2.3. and 4.2.5 .). In the drawings sent to Belfast fen. Sockets for peristalith stones are not expected by Van Giffen the layer of grave! is not separately under the long cairn, since this setting is considered indicated, so it seems that a central cairn was to be secondary to the cairn, and Van Giffen did covered by one thick layer stretching from kerb not locate any stone sockets in line with the per stone to kerbstone. istalith in his SW quadr:rnt cutting (pl. XIVb). ad 3. The position of perista!ith stone 29 is not understandable if the cairn was extended west 8. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS wards by disturbing the perista!ith (see note 14). Furthermore, no stone sockets were found between We hereby wish to express our gratitude to Dr. G. peristalith stone 6 and the S edge of the long cairn. Eogan, University College, Dublin, Dr. D. M. Wa Van Giffen, being a very keen observer in the field, terman, Historie Monuments Branch, Ministry of would not ha ve missed these, if they had been there. Finance, Belfast and Mr. P. C. Woodman, Ulster ad 4. The idea that both the E and W chambers Museum, Belfast, for their invaluable assistance in are Bronze Age cists (single and multiple) implies our quest in Belfast to fit the fragments of the that first the E chamber and the various phases of Ballynoe jigsaw puzzle together. We are indebted the W chamber in each phase were covered totally to Mr. A. E. P. Collins, Archaeological Survey of by a mound. In a sketch plan made by O'Kelly Northern Ireland, Belfast for placing at our dis with the succession of the different phases, all the posal the photograph of the Ballynoe sherd (fig. 5) cists are placed inside a mound, not at the edge. as published by him and Dr. Waterman in their This is certainly not true for the E cist (see also ad Millin Bay report, and Prof. M. ]. O'Kelly and 2) and for the W cist it can't be proved that the Dr. G. Eogan for lending publications not avail cairn ever extended more to the \V/ than we see able in the Netherlands. now in fig. 2. This means that the interpretation of Our thanks are due also to Mrs. Drs. C. van Driel the chambers as Bronze Age cists seems unlikely, Murray for translation of the text into English and because these never occur at the margin of a mound. helpful comments; to the drawing-office of the Biologisch-Archaeologisch Instituut (B.A.I.), Rijks The lade of proper materials with which to date the universiteit Groningen for figs. r-3, the drawing several phases (which ?) of the Ballynoe monument, office of the Albert Egges van Giffen Instituut voor either by associa ted finds or C 14 has been shown to Prae- en Protohistorie (I.P.P. ), Universiteit Amster be a serious drawback in the interpretation of the dam for fig. 4; to Miss G. Domhoff, secretary of monument. New excavations will not clear up the the I.P.P" and Miss M. Bierma, secretary of the problem easily, because it will be very difficult - if B.A.I" for the arduous task of typing this manu possible at all - to take charcoal samples, which scnpt. would give a unique interpretation. Special thanks are due to Dr. ]. A. Bakker (I.P.P.), Dr. G. Eogan and Prof. M. ]. O'Kelly for 7.5. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COMPLETION the comments made, which have been used to im OF V AN GIFFEN'S EXCAV AT IONS prove the texts. The interpretations of Dr. Eogan and Prof. O'Kelly are given here, with their per As Van Giffen was himself aware, it is essential to mission, under the heading Discussion, see section establish the character of the feature which he 7. r and 7.3. W. GROENMAN-VAN \VAATERINGE & J. J. BUTLER
NOTES 17 The coarse pottery should not belong to the monument (oral communication B. O'Rfordain, National Museum, l Several sherds and pieces of flint were examined by the Dublin). first author in the National Museum, Dublin whilst passing r8 It is not clear whether cremation remains are also included through on 9.IV.72. The finds were brought from Belfast here. to Dublin especially and Professor M. ]. O'Kelly, Mr. L. 19 Were the flakes wrongly described as 'scrapers' or have Flanagan, Ulster Museum, Belfast, Mr. D. M. \V' aterman, these last been lost since then? Historie Monuments Branch, Ministry of Finance, Belfast, 20 However, a letter from Miss Gaffikin to Van Giffen and Dr. ]. Raftery, National Museum, Dublin, are sin cerely thanked for their cooperation in organizing rhe dated 24.VII.1939, mentions a report by professor T. transfer. Walmsley, Queen's University, Belfast, concerning cremat ed material from Ballynoe, found during the 1938 excava 2 A letter from Van Giffen dated 15rh November 1965 1n dicates rhat Miss Gaffikin had
I 3 M. ]. O'Kelly (in letter of the l4th January 1976) : 'in th'> it has an entrance composed of two external portal-stones connection see E. M. Fahy: "A Recumbent-stone Circle of at the WSW; it occupies a comparatively lowlying position. Reanascreena South, Co. Cork," JCH AS, LXVII ( 1962), In these traits it is analogous to the Late Neolithic rings 59-68.' across the North Channe! in Cumbria. Indeed, it is 14 Even if stone 29 originally stood upright it must, from the remarkably similar ro Swinside, Cumberland, from which very start, have been secondary to the cairn since all rhe it is separated by only about lOO miles across the Irish Sea. other peristalith stones are prone. If stone 29 was or Swinside (SD 172883), 28.6 m in diameter, consisted of iginally also prone and was shifted later, it would have about 5 5 stones, once almost contiguous, and has an en ended up next to the cairn, not on top of it. trance defined by two portal-stones just outside a gap in l 5 How Van Giffen established his base line is unknown, as the ring at the SE. It was excavated in r901 by Dymond is the height of his arbitrary datum. All measurements who found only scraps of charcoal and a fleck of cremated must thus be regarded as relative only. bone near the circle-centre. The ring lies on a gently 16 -7-0.69 m 1 X , -7-011 m 2 X, -7-0.73 m 3 X , -7-0.76 m r >< , sloping hillside in a situation much lower than the sur -7-0.78 m l X, -7-0.80 m 2X, -7-0.81 m 2X, -7- 0.82 m rounding hills. Entrances constructed of two stones ex 4X, -7-0.84 m 2X. ternal to the ring are characteristic of the early Cumbrian The Ballynoe Stone Circle
circles. Long Meg & Her Daughrers (NY 571373), a flat LITERATURE rened circle i o9.4 X 93.0 m, of about 70 srones wirhin an BURL, A., 1973 Dating the British stone circles. American external bank, has an enrrance of double portal-srones at · Scientist 61, 1973, pp. 167-174. rhe SW. The Girdle Sranes, Dumfriess (NT 254961), a BURL, A., l 976. The stone circles of the British lsles. New circle 39.9 m, oncc perhaps of 40 srones set in a low bank, Haven and London r 976. has a similar portalled enrrance at the easr. A different COLLINS, A. E. P. & D. M. WATERMAN, 1955. Mil/in Bay, a late rype of consrruction occurs at rhe Caries, Keswick (NY Neolithic cairn in Co. Down. (Archaeological Research 292236), a flattened circle 32.9 X 29.9 m where the en Publications Northern Ireland 4.) Belfast 195 5. trance is marked by two conspicuously raller srones at the CORCORAN, J. x. w. r., 1972. Multi-period construction and north. All rhese rings have outlying srones. Otherwise, the origins of the chambered long cairn in Western entrances of any form are uncommon in rhe British mega Britain and Ireland. In: F. Lynch C. Burgess (eds.), lirhic rings.' & Prehistoric man in ri!ales and the \\'fest. Bath 1972, pp. References: 3 1-63. Caries. TCWAAS (O.S.) V, r879-81, 31; VI, 1883, DE VALERA, R., 1960. The court cairns of Ireland. Proceedings Girdle Stanes. RCAHM-Dumfriess, r 920, no. 198. of the Royal lrish Academy 60, C2, r960, pp. 9-140. Long Meg. TCWAAS (O.S.) V, l 879-81, 39. DIJKSTRA, u. K. s., 1976. Skeletal remains from the Ballynoe Swinside. ibid, 47; TCWAAS 2, 1902, 53. Srone Circle, Co. Down, Ireland. Palaeohistoria 18, Mcanwhile rhe thesis of Burl concerning the srone circles 1976, pp. rn5-109. of the British Isles has been published (Bur!, 1976). In FAHY, E. M., 1962. A recumbent-stone circle at Reanascreena explicable is rhe sentence at the borrom of p. 238: "Un South, Co. Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical and fortunately the work [i.e. the excavations of Ballynoe in Archaeological Society 67, 1962, pp. 59-69. 1937/J8) was never adequately published, nor will it ever HENSHALL, A. s., 1974. Scottish chambered rombs and long be now, ..." Bur! (op. cit., p. 240) compares the srone arc mounds. In: C. Renfrew (ed.), British prehistory, a new at Ballynoe not only with rhe scmicircular stone sctting at outline. London 1974, pp. 137-163. Millin Bay, but also with the arc of threc srones ro thc JOI'E, E. M. (ed.), 1966. An archaeological rnrvey of CountJ> SW of the srone horseshoe at Croft Moraig, Pcrtshire (Pig Down. Belfast 1966. gott & Simpson, r 971) and supposcs a conn�crion between KINNES, 1., 1975. Monumental function in British Neolithic these stone settings and rhe discontinuous fa�ade at the burial practices. \Vorld Archaeology 7, 1975, pp. 16-29. S\'\f of Durrington Walls, Wiltshirc, which is, as ar Bally LEISNER, G. & v., 1943· Die Megalithgraber der Iberischen noe's en trance, lin ked to an avenue in this case of posts. Halbinsel: I. Der Siiden. (Romisch-Gennanische For Furthcrmore, he adds: "Hyporhctically rhe arc and the schungen 17.) Berlin 1943. stone horseshoe [i.e. the peristalith] could be early features o'KELLY, M. J., 195 1. Some soil problems in archaeological to which the cairn and the mound were added later, per excavation. Journal of the Cork Historical and Archae haps by people of passage-grave origins." However, see ological Society 56, 1951, pp. 29-44. also note 26. o'KELLY, M. J., 1952. Excavation of a cairn at Moneen, Co. 2 5 According to A. Burl in a letter ro the first author, dated Cork. Proceedings of the Royal lrish Academy 54, C5, ro.XI. 1975, 'There are several instances of burials being 1952, pp. 121-159. added ro circles but the oppositc is rare alrhough this may o'KELLY, M. J., r958a. A horned-cairn at Shanballyedmond, be due to nothing more than our own ignorance. \'\/ hat Co. Tipperary. Journal of the Cork Historical and Ar may be added is that it is much more customary for there chaeological Society 1958, pp. 37-72. to be burial deposits in northern circlcs than southern LXIII, o'KELLY, M. J., 1958b. A wedge-shaped gallery-grave at Is whcre both inhumations and cremations are almost non land, Co. Cork. The journal of the Royal Society of existenr. Because of this northern predisposition rowards Antiquaries of /re/and 88, 1958, pp. 1-23. the inclusion of such deposits within the rings I would PIGGOTT, s. & D. D. A. SIMPSON, 1971. Excavations of a Stone have guessed that the stone circle belonged ro the first circle at Croft Moraig, Perthshire, Scotland. Proceedings phase as seems ro be the case at New Grange, at Callanish, of the Prehistoric Society 37, 1971, pp. 1-15. at Bryn Celli Ddu, at Temple Wood etc. But nothing is RENFREW, c., 1976. Quanterness, radiocarbon and the Orkney certain about this. cairns. Antiquity 50, 1976, pp. 194-204. 26 During a visit by the first author to Ballynoe Stone Circle SWEETMAN, r., 197!. An earthen enclosure at Monknewtown, the 28.IX. 1976, rogether with P. Woodman, th� latter Slane. Preliminary report. The journal of the Royal noticed that the site location of the monument "in th� Society af Antiquaries of /re/and 101, 1971, pp. 135-140. bottom of a bowl of hills is most unlike the location of a SWEETMAN, r., 1976. An earthen enclosure at Monknewtown, passage grave" (from a letter of P. Woodman to the first Slane, Co. Meath. Proceedings af the Royal lrish Aca author, 28th of Ocrober r 976). demy 76, C3, 1976, pp. 25-72. THOM, A., 1971. Megalithic lunar observations. Oxford 197 r. WADDELL, J., 1970. Irish Bronze Age cists: a survey. The jour nal of the Royal SocietJ> af Antiquaries af !re/and 100, 1970, pp. 91-139. Pl. I. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; general view from S. Photograph A. E. van Giffen.
Pl. II. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; NW quadrant from E. 92 Photograph A. E. van Giifen. a
b
Pl. III. The Ballynoe Stone Circle. a: cutting of the central-W axis from W. b: SW quadrant from SW. Photographs A. E. van Giffen. 93 a
b
Pl. IV. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; NW quadrant. a: from WNW. b. from N. Photographs A. E. 94 van Giffen. a
b
Pl. V. Thc Ballynoe Stone Circle; NE quadrant. a: central-E section from NW. b: with chamber I from ENE. Photographs A. E. van Giffcn. 95 a
b
Pl. VI. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; chamber I. a: from SE. b: from NNW. Photographs 96 A. E. van Giffen. a
b
Pl. VII. The l3allynoe Stone Circle; chamber I. a: from NW. b: from SE. Photographs A. E. van Giffen. 97 a
b
Pl. VIII. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; chamber I. a: from SE, wirh, from right to left, perisralirh stones 17 and 16. b: from E. Photographs A. E. 98 van Giffen. a
b
Pl. IX. The Ballynoe Stone Circle. a: NW quadrant from \Y/. b: chamber II from \Y/N\Y/. Photographs A. E. van Giffen. 99 a b
Pl. X. The Ballynoe Stone Circle; chamber II. a: E compan ment from E; b: floor from above. Photographs A. E. van I 00 Giffen. a
b
Pl. XI. The Ballynoe Stone Circle. a: SE quadrant from SE, wirh, from left to righr, per istalith stones 9, 10 and 1 2 and baeryl no. 1 r. b: NE quadrant from NE, wirh rwo baeryls. Photographs A. E. van Giffen. IOI a
b
Pl. XII. Thc Ballynoe Stone Circle. a: SE quadranr from SE, wirh, from lcft to right, periscalirh stones 8, 9, 10, 12 and 14, and baeryl.
b: cutting 111 NE quadrant from ENE, wirh, from right to left, perisralirh stones 23, 22 and 21, and baetyl. Photo- 102 graphs A. E. van Giffen. a
b
Pl. XIII. The Ballynoe Srone Circle. a: SW quadrant from SW. b: SE quadrant from E. Photo E 103 graphs A. . van Giffen. a
b
Pl. XIV. The Ballynoe Stone Circle. a: relationship of peristalith stone 29 to the cairn, from S. b: cutting in SW quadrant from W. Photographs A. E. van 104 Giffen.