A Social Archaeol ogical Examination of Power as reflected in the Boyne Valley Megalithic Passage-graves in the Irish Neolithic. 4000 - 2000 B.C.E. Liam B. Kilmurray A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Sociology and Anthropology Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario April 29. 1997 National Library Bibliothèque nationale I*u of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliogaphic SeMces services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, nie Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 OttawaON K1AON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowiag the exclusive permettant à la National Librq of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othemise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. '' '' Carleton University Ottawa, Canada K 1S 5J7 Thesis contains black & white illustrations which when microfilmeci may lose their significance. The hardcopy of the thesis is available upon request from Carleton University Library. The University Library ABSTRACT The role of rnegalithic passage-graves in the Irish Neolithic is highly dobatable. with the question of whether they reveal power structures the most controversial. However. if we are to understand the social structure of the passage-grave complex in the Boyne Valley. how it functioned and the part played by these megalithic structures. we must attempt to anal yze their spatial dimensions as representations of power structures and ideology. A social archaeological approach to interpreting symbolic space leads to the conclusion that the Boyne Valley passage-graves were the result of a voluntary communal cooperation whose impetus was the increasing social centralization due to the introduction of cereal cultivation in the Irish Neolithic. The passage-grave was a social nexus which objectified these new relationships in its spatial dimensions and perpetuated these power structures by aligning the passage-graves with the astrological. funerary and religious beliefs of the comrnunity. ACKNOW LEDGEMENTS I would to express rny gratitude and admiration to the following people: Cornmittee Members Derek Smith (Supervisor) Charles Gordon Mary-Louise Mussell External Advisor Stan Loten Also to: John Barrett John Clarke Heather McLeod This thesis is dedicated to Proinsias MacGiollaMhuire I Gallan 1s Cuimhin Linn (In Standing Stones We Rernember) TPSLE OF CCCilTENTS PBSTM................................... .. .............................................................................................. i i KKNOM EGEMENT S ............................................................................................................... i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF MAPS ............................................................................................................................ LISTOF PLATES ..................... ....................................................................................................ci rnREMOR3 .............................................................. .. .............................................................. 1 INTROWCTION ........................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTû31:LPNDSCPPEbND SUBSISTENCE ............................................................................ 14 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................1 4 The M esolithic in Ireland ........................................................................................................ 1 5 The Neolithic in lreland ......................................................................................................... 2 4 Neolithic Techn ology ....................................................................................................... 2 5 Human Remah frum the 8 oyne Valle y Passagegraves ................................................ 2 6 CHAPTER 2: DE SCRl PTION OF M EMLITHS ............................................................................... 2 7 Phpical Description of Megdithic Passage-paves .............................................................. 3 0 Location of Boyne Valley Passage-graves .......................... .............................................. 3 3 Metho ds of Construction ........................................................................................................... 4 O Tec hnology and Skll......................................................................................................... 4 2 Erection of Stones ............................................................................................................ -44 Cmft Specidizaliun .......................................................................................................... 4 5 S umrnary ............. ,. .............................................................................................................. 4 6 CHNTER 3: MCHMOLOUCAL TH K>RY MDME M EGALiTH S ................................................ 4 9 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 4 i Histoty of the Pnalysis of MegaJiths ........................................................................................5 1 Antiquaian Approaches ....................................... ........................................................... 5 2 lrelmd in the 19303 ....................................................................................................... 5 5 Functi ondism ................................................................................................................... 5 5 Diff usi onism ..................................................................................................................... S 7 New Prchaeology............................................................................................................... 6 O N eo-ûiffusionist and Pnti-ûiffusionist Explandions ..................... ... ....................... 6 4 S ummary ............... ................................................................................................................. 7 2 CH4PTER4: SOCt4L PRCHAKI LOGY ................................ ......................................................... 7 5 CHAPTER 5: S PACE NDID EO LOGY ................................................... ... ..................................... 8 5 Introduction .................. .... ..................................................................................................... 8 5 Power in Spam ....................................................................................................................... 8 9 S ummary .................................................................................................................................. 9 6 CHAPTER 6: POWEA ......................................................................................................... 9 7 fntroduclion ........ .... ......*....,............*......................................................................................... 9 7 Definitions of Power ............................ ... .......................................................................... 9 9 Power in the Megdiths .......................... ... .................................................................... 1 O2 Power Ewd enced in t he Constructi on Process ....................................................................... 1 O 5 Farming .......................................................................................................................... 1 0 5 Power Structures Reflecied in the Forms of the Passage-graves ......................................... 1 13 The Symbolic Power of the Monuments ................................................................................. 1 1 6 S urnrnary ................................................................................................................................ 1 1 8 (X>~LU~CN........................................................................................................................... 1 19 BI 8LIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 1 2 3 LIST OF MAPS Page Map 1 : Ireland: Showing Provinces and Counties.............................................. v i i Map 2: Distribution of Mesolithic Sites in Ireland ........................................... 20 Map 3: Distribution of Passage-graves ................................................................ -21 Map 4: Map of the