Brú na Bóinne (
IrishIrish is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now only spoken natively by a small minority of the Irish population but also plays an important symbolic role in the life of the Irish state, and is used...
for
Palace of the Boyne) is a
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
in
County MeathCounty Meath is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Leinster. It was named after the historic kingdom and province of Mide....
,
IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
and is the largest and one of the most important prehistoric megalithic sites in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
. It is a complex of
NeolithicThe Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BCE in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age...
chamber tombA chamber tomb is a tomb for burial used in many different cultures. In the case of individual burials, the chamber is thought to signify a higher status for the interree than a simple grave. Built from rock or sometimes wood, the chambers could also serve as places for storage of the dead from one...
s,
standing stoneStanding stones, orthostats, liths or more commonly, megaliths because of their large and cumbersome size, are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties. Where they appear in groups together, often in a circular, oval, or horseshoe formation, or henge. They...
s,
hengeA henge is a prehistoric architectural structure. In form, it is a nearly circular or oval-shaped flat area over 20 metres in diameter that is enclosed and delimited by a boundary earthwork that usually comprises a ditch with an external bank. The earthwork permits access to the interior by one,...
s and other prehistoric
enclosuresIn archaeology, an enclosure is one of the most common types of archaeological site. It is any area of land separated from surrounding land by earthworks, walls or fencing. Such a simple feature is found all over the world and during almost all archaeological periods...
, some dating from as early as
35th century BCThe 35th century BC in the Near East sees the gradual transition from the Chalcolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Proto-writing enters transitional stage, developing towards writing proper...
-
32nd century BC-Events:* c. 3150 BC: According to the legend, Narmer started to rule in Ancient Egypt.* c. 3125 BC: Narmer died.* 29 June 3123 BC: A probably legendary asteroid approach on collision course is reputedly documented by a Sumerian astronomer *Varna Necropolis: what have been claimed to be the...
. The site predates the
Egyptian pyramidsThe Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped masonry structures located in Egypt.There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. Most were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods....
and was built with sophistication and a knowledge of science and astronomy, which is most evident in the
passage gravethumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
of
NewgrangeNewgrange is a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Louth. It is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and indeed the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites...
.
Brú na Bóinne (
IrishIrish is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now only spoken natively by a small minority of the Irish population but also plays an important symbolic role in the life of the Irish state, and is used...
for
Palace of the Boyne) is a
World Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list that is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 state parties which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term.A World Heritage Site is a...
in
County MeathCounty Meath is one of the traditional counties of Ireland and is located within the province of Leinster. It was named after the historic kingdom and province of Mide....
,
IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
and is the largest and one of the most important prehistoric megalithic sites in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
. It is a complex of
NeolithicThe Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BCE in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age...
chamber tombA chamber tomb is a tomb for burial used in many different cultures. In the case of individual burials, the chamber is thought to signify a higher status for the interree than a simple grave. Built from rock or sometimes wood, the chambers could also serve as places for storage of the dead from one...
s,
standing stoneStanding stones, orthostats, liths or more commonly, megaliths because of their large and cumbersome size, are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties. Where they appear in groups together, often in a circular, oval, or horseshoe formation, or henge. They...
s,
hengeA henge is a prehistoric architectural structure. In form, it is a nearly circular or oval-shaped flat area over 20 metres in diameter that is enclosed and delimited by a boundary earthwork that usually comprises a ditch with an external bank. The earthwork permits access to the interior by one,...
s and other prehistoric
enclosuresIn archaeology, an enclosure is one of the most common types of archaeological site. It is any area of land separated from surrounding land by earthworks, walls or fencing. Such a simple feature is found all over the world and during almost all archaeological periods...
, some dating from as early as
35th century BCThe 35th century BC in the Near East sees the gradual transition from the Chalcolithic to the Early Bronze Age. Proto-writing enters transitional stage, developing towards writing proper...
-
32nd century BC-Events:* c. 3150 BC: According to the legend, Narmer started to rule in Ancient Egypt.* c. 3125 BC: Narmer died.* 29 June 3123 BC: A probably legendary asteroid approach on collision course is reputedly documented by a Sumerian astronomer *Varna Necropolis: what have been claimed to be the...
. The site predates the
Egyptian pyramidsThe Egyptian pyramids are ancient pyramid-shaped masonry structures located in Egypt.There are 138 pyramids discovered in Egypt as of 2008. Most were built as tombs for the country's Pharaohs and their consorts during the Old and Middle Kingdom periods....
and was built with sophistication and a knowledge of science and astronomy, which is most evident in the
passage gravethumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
of
NewgrangeNewgrange is a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Louth. It is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and indeed the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites...
. The site is often referred to as the "Bend of the Boyne" and this is often (incorrectly) taken to be a translation of
Brú na Bóinne (
PalaceA palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome...
of the
BoyneThe River Boyne is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about 112 kilometres long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newbury Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through County Meath to reach the Irish Sea outside Drogheda. Salmon and trout can be caught in...
). In 1690 it was the site of the famous
Battle of the BoyneThe Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thrones - the Catholic King James and the Protestant King William, who had deposed James in 1688...
.
The site covers 780ha and contains around 40
passage gravethumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
s, as well as other prehistoric sites and later features. The majority of the monuments are concentrated on the north side of the river. The most well-known sites within
Brú na Bóinne are the impressive
passage gravethumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
s of
NewgrangeNewgrange is a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Louth. It is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and indeed the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites...
,
KnowthKnowth is a Neolithic passage grave, an ancient monument of Brú na Bóinne in the valley of the River Boyne in Ireland.Knowth is the largest of all passage graves situated within the Brú na Bóinne complex. The site consists of one large mound and 17 smaller satellite tombs...
and
DowthDowth is a Neolithic passage tomb which stands in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, Ireland. It is found at .It is the oldest of the three principal tombs of the Brú na Bóinne complex of passage-tombs...
all famous for their significant collections of
megalithic artMegalithic art refers to the use of large stones as an artistic medium. Although some modern artists and sculptors make use of large stones in their work, the term is more generally used to describe art carved onto megaliths in prehistoric Europe....
. Each stands on a ridge within the river bend and two of the tombs,
KnowthKnowth is a Neolithic passage grave, an ancient monument of Brú na Bóinne in the valley of the River Boyne in Ireland.Knowth is the largest of all passage graves situated within the Brú na Bóinne complex. The site consists of one large mound and 17 smaller satellite tombs...
and
NewgrangeNewgrange is a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Louth. It is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and indeed the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites...
appear to contain stones re-used from an earlier monument at the site. There is no in situ evidence for earlier activity at the site, save for the spotfinds of flint tools left by
MesolithicThe Mesolithic or "Middle Stone Age" was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age. The term was introduced by John Lubbock in his work Pre-historic Times, published in 1865. The term was, however, not much used...
hunters.
Numerous other enclosure and megalith sites have been identified within the river bend and have been given simple letter designations, such as the M Enclosures. In addition to the three famous tombs, several other ceremonial sites constitute the complex including:
- Cloghalea Henge
- Townleyhall passage grave
Townleyhall passage grave is an Irish chamber tomb around 2km north of Dowth tomb and part of the megalithic complex of Brú na Bóinne in County Meath....
- Monknewtown henge and ritual pond
- Newgrange cursus
The Newgrange cursus is a Neolithic monument that constitutes part of the Brú na Bóinne complex in Ireland.The cursus is barely visible today but extended around 100 m from the valley of the River Mattock to climb the ridge occupied by the Newgrange tomb. Here it is rounded off by a terminal bank....
Each of the three main megalith sites have significant
archaeoastronomicalArchaeoastronomy is the study of how past people "have understood the phenomena in the sky, how they used phenomena in the sky and what role the sky played in their cultures." Clive Ruggles argues it specifically is not the study of ancient astronomy, as astronomy is a culturally specific concept...
significance.
NewgrangeNewgrange is a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Louth. It is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and indeed the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites...
and
DowthDowth is a Neolithic passage tomb which stands in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, Ireland. It is found at .It is the oldest of the three principal tombs of the Brú na Bóinne complex of passage-tombs...
have
Winter solsticeWinter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
solar alignments, while it is claimed
KnowthKnowth is a Neolithic passage grave, an ancient monument of Brú na Bóinne in the valley of the River Boyne in Ireland.Knowth is the largest of all passage graves situated within the Brú na Bóinne complex. The site consists of one large mound and 17 smaller satellite tombs...
has an
EquinoxAn equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the Sun being vertically above a point on the Equator...
solar alignment. In addition, the immediate environs of the main sites have been investigated for other possible alignments. The layout and design of the Brú na Bóinne complex across the valley has also been studied for astronomical significance.
As well as being surrounded its southern, western and eastern sides by the
BoyneThe River Boyne is a river in Leinster, Ireland, the course of which is about 112 kilometres long. It rises at Trinity Well, Newbury Hall, near Carbury, County Kildare, and flows towards the Northeast through County Meath to reach the Irish Sea outside Drogheda. Salmon and trout can be caught in...
, one of the Boyne's tributaries, the Mattock, runs along the northern edge, almost completely surrounding Brú na Bóinne with water. All but two of the prehistoric sites are within this river isthmus.
Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre
All access to
NewgrangeNewgrange is a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Louth. It is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and indeed the most famous of all Irish prehistoric sites...
and
KnowthKnowth is a Neolithic passage grave, an ancient monument of Brú na Bóinne in the valley of the River Boyne in Ireland.Knowth is the largest of all passage graves situated within the Brú na Bóinne complex. The site consists of one large mound and 17 smaller satellite tombs...
is by guided tour only: tours begin at the
Visitor CentreThe Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre is the starting point for all visits to the monuments of Newgrange and Knowth in Ireland. The Visitor Centre is located near the village of Donore, County Meath...
in Donore, Co. Meath.
External links