ms aileen o gorman
Newgrange Boyne Valley Co Meath
The passage grave at Newgrange, which is situated in the Boyne Valley in Co. Meath, is the most impressive example of a Megalithic tomb in Ireland and possibly in all of Western Europe. Built between the years 3100 and 2900 BC the original structure is almost 1000 years older than Stonehenge. The mound at Newgrange is constructed of alternating layers of earth and stone, with grass growing on top and a reconstructed façade of flattish white quartz stones dotted at intervals and large round cobbles covering part of the circumference of the mound. The mound itself is about 76m across, and 12m tall at its highest point. Within the mound a passage stretches for just less than 19m 5ft which is about a third of the way through into the centre of the structure. The passage is constructed of 22 orthostats (standing stones) on the left hand side, and 21 on the right. Some of the orthostats in the passage are decorated. At the end of this passage are 3 chambers, one to the left, one to the right and one at the rear, which lead off of a large central chamber, each with a high corbelled roof. Each of the 3 small chambers has a large flat basin stone, on which the bones of the dead were placed. Surrounding the main mound are 12 standing stones. These are believed to have been part of a large circle known as the Great Circle. Most archaeologists believe these stones to have been erected during the Bronze Age, well after Newgrange was first built. The majority of materials used to construct Newgrange were locally sourced with the exception of four slabs which are brown carboniferous sandstone, the rest of the 547 used in the construction of the monument were greywacke, a form of slate which could be found to the north of Newgrange. None of the structural slabs were quarried, for they all show signs of having been naturally weathered but they must have been collected and then transported the largely uphill distance to the
The passage grave at Newgrange, which is situated in the Boyne Valley in Co. Meath, is the most impressive example of a Megalithic tomb in Ireland and possibly in all of Western Europe. Built between the years 3100 and 2900 BC the original structure is almost 1000 years older than Stonehenge. The mound at Newgrange is constructed of alternating layers of earth and stone, with grass growing on top and a reconstructed façade of flattish white quartz stones dotted at intervals and large round cobbles covering part of the circumference of the mound. The mound itself is about 76m across, and 12m tall at its highest point. Within the mound a passage stretches for just less than 19m 5ft which is about a third of the way through into the centre of the structure. The passage is constructed of 22 orthostats (standing stones) on the left hand side, and 21 on the right. Some of the orthostats in the passage are decorated. At the end of this passage are 3 chambers, one to the left, one to the right and one at the rear, which lead off of a large central chamber, each with a high corbelled roof. Each of the 3 small chambers has a large flat basin stone, on which the bones of the dead were placed. Surrounding the main mound are 12 standing stones. These are believed to have been part of a large circle known as the Great Circle. Most archaeologists believe these stones to have been erected during the Bronze Age, well after Newgrange was first built. The majority of materials used to construct Newgrange were locally sourced with the exception of four slabs which are brown carboniferous sandstone, the rest of the 547 used in the construction of the monument were greywacke, a form of slate which could be found to the north of Newgrange. None of the structural slabs were quarried, for they all show signs of having been naturally weathered but they must have been collected and then transported the largely uphill distance to the