]
Navan Fort – known in Old Irish as
Emain Macha and in
Modern 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...
as
Eamhain Mhacha – is an ancient monument in
County ArmaghCounty Armagh is one of the traditional counties of Ireland. It is located within the province of Ulster and is part of Northern Ireland. It was named after the town of Armagh....
,
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Although called a "fort", it is considered more likely to have been a ritual or ceremonial site. It is a State Care Historic Monument in the
townlandA townland is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland, believed to be of Gaelic origin; the term was at one time also used in Scotland.-Etymology:...
of Navan, in
Armagh City and District CouncilThe Armagh City and District Council is a district council in County Armagh in Northern Ireland. It includes the city of Armagh, as well as the surrounding area and its population is about 54,000. City status was officially conferred in 1995...
area, at grid ref: area of H847 452. It was the site of the traditional capital of the
UlaidThe Ulaid were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
. It is also a significant site in
Irish mythologyThe mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology...
, particularly the
Ulster CycleThe Ulster Cycle, formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
.
Ancient monuments
The site, on a low hill approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) west of the city of
ArmaghArmagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is an ancient religious site of worship of both Celtic paganism and Christianity. Armagh was granted a Royal Charter by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, and city status was officially re-conferred in 1995. Armagh...
, is a circular enclosure 250 metres (820 ft) in diameter, surrounded by a bank and ditch. Unusually, the ditch is inside the bank, suggesting it was not built for defensive purposes. Inside the enclosure two monuments are visible. Off-centre to the north-west is an earthen mound 40 metres (130 ft) in diameter and 6 metres (20 ft) high. Also slightly off-centre to the south-east is the circular impression of a ring-barrow, the ploughed-down remains of a late prehistoric ceremonial or burial monument, about 30 metres (100 ft) in diameter.
Archaeological excavations have revealed that the construction of the 40 metre mound dates to 95 BC (securely dated by
dendrochronologyDendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree-rings. Dendrochronology can date the time at which tree rings were formed, in many types of wood, to the exact calendar year...
). A circular structure consisting of four concentric rings of posts around a central
oakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 400 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trunk was built, its entrance facing west (prehistoric houses invariably face east, towards the sunrise). The floor of the building was covered with stones arranged in radial segments, and the whole edifice was deliberately burnt down before being covered in a mound of earth and turf (there is archaeological evidence for similar repeated construction and immolation of
TaraThe Hill of Tara , located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland...
and
Dún AilinneThe Hill of Allen is a volcanic hill situated in the west of County Kildare, Ireland, beside the village of Allen. According to Irish Mythology it was the seat of the hunter-warrier Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna. The site is currently part-owned by Roadstone Dublin Ltd...
). The bank and ditch that surround the hilltop were built at the same time.
No secure date can be assigned to the ring-barrow, but excavations and geophysical surveys have revealed the remains of a figure-of-eight shaped wooden building underneath. The larger ring of the figure-of-eight was 30 metres (100 ft) in diameter, the smaller about 20 metres (65 ft). The building had been rebuilt twice. Similar, slightly smaller structures, each with a central hearth, were found under the 40 metre mound. Artifacts found in these layers show they were inhabited in the late
Bronze AgeThe Bronze Age of a culture is the period when the most advanced metalworking in that culture utilised bronze. This could either have been based on the local smelting of copper and tin from ores, or trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere...
and early
Iron AgeIn archaeology, the Iron Age is the prehistoric period in any area during which cutting tools and weapons were mainly made of iron or steel. The adoption of this material coincided with other changes in society, including differing agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic styles.The...
(approximately 600 to at least 250 BC). Perhaps the most unusual item found in these layers was the skull of a
Barbary MacaqueThe Barbary Macaque is a macaque with only a stub of a tail. Found in the Atlas Mountains of Algeria and Morocco with a small, possibly introduced, population in Gibraltar, the Barbary Macaque is one of the best-known Old World monkey species. Besides humans, they are the only primates that live...
.
An earlier Bronze Age structure, a circular ditch surrounding the mound, 45 metres (150 ft) in diameter, 5 metres (16 ft) wide and 1 metre (3 ft) deep, was also found, and flint tools and fragments of pottery show activity at the site in the
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...
(ca. 4000 to 2500 BC).
Until 1985, the site was threatened by the expansion of a nearby limestone quarry. Due largely to the efforts of the activist group Friends of Navan, a public inquiry held that year halted further quarrying, and recommended that the site be developed for tourism. A visitor centre, featuring archaeological artefacts and audio-visual exhibitions, was opened in 1993, but closed in 2001 for lack of funds. It reopened on a seasonal basis in 2005 after the site was bought by
Armagh City and District CouncilThe Armagh City and District Council is a district council in County Armagh in Northern Ireland. It includes the city of Armagh, as well as the surrounding area and its population is about 54,000. City status was officially conferred in 1995...
.
The Navan complex
Other significant prehistoric sites in the vicinity include
Haughey's FortHaughey's Fort is a hill fort in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, 2¼ miles west of the city of Armagh. It is named after the farmer who owned the land it is situated on in the later 19th century...
, an earlier Bronze Age hill fort two-thirds of a mile (1 km) to the west; the
King's StablesThe King's Stables is an archaeological site in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The earthwork known as the King’s Stables is a Scheduled Historic Monument in the townland of Tray, in Armagh City and District Council area, at grid ref: H8388 4546.-Features:...
, an artificial pool also dating to the Bronze Age; and Loughnashade, a natural lake which has produced Iron Age artefacts.
Emain Macha in Irish mythology
According to
Irish mythologyThe mythology of pre-Christian Ireland did not entirely survive the conversion to Christianity, but much of it was preserved, shorn of its religious meanings, in medieval Irish literature, which represents the most extensive and best preserved of all the branches of Celtic mythology...
and historical tradition it was the capital of the
UlaidThe Ulaid were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
, the people who gave their name to the province of
UlsterUlster is one of the four Provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island.Ulster is composed of nine counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone are part of Northern Ireland; while Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of the Republic of Ireland.-Terminology:The...
. It was supposedly founded by the
goddessA goddess is a female deity. Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities in a pantheon. In some cultures goddesses are commonly associated with the Earth, motherhood, love, and the household, often reflecting the historical gender roles of that culture...
MachaMacha is a presumed goddess of ancient Ireland, associated with war, horses, sovereignty, and the sites of Armagh and Emain Macha in County Armagh, which are named after her...
in the
5thThe 5th century BC started the first day of 500 BC and ended the last day of 401 BC.-Overview:This century saw the beginning of a period of philosophical brilliance among Western civilizations, particularly the Greeks which would continue all the way through the 4th century until the time of...
or 7th century BC, and was the seat of
Conchobar mac NessaConchobar mac Nessa is the king of Ulster in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. He rules from Emain Macha .-Birth:...
in the tales of the
Ulster CycleThe Ulster Cycle, formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
. Conchobar is said to have had three houses at Emain Macha:
- the Cróeb Ruad ("Dull Red Branch
The Red Branch is the name of two of the three royal houses of the king of Ulster, Conchobar mac Nessa, at his capital Emain Macha , in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology...
", whence derives the nearby townland of Creeveroe) where the king sat;
- the Cróeb Derg ("Bright Red Branch"), where trophies of battle were kept, and
- the Téte Brecc ("Speckled Hoard") where the warriors' weapons were stored.
The name Emain Macha is variously explained as "Macha's neck-brooch", after Macha marked out the boundaries of the site with her brooch, and "Macha's twins", after Macha gave birth to twins after being forced to compete in a chariot-race. The
Annals of the Four MastersThe Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The entries span from the deluge, dated as 2,242 years after creation to AD 1616.-Text:...
record that it was abandoned after it was burned by the Three Collas in 331 AD, after they had defeated Fergus Foga, king of
UlsterUlster is one of the four Provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island.Ulster is composed of nine counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone are part of Northern Ireland; while Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of the Republic of Ireland.-Terminology:The...
, in battle at
Achadh LeithdheirgCath Achaidh Leithdeircc h-i Fernmoigh The Battle of Achadh Leithdheirg, in Fearnmhagh took place in 331The place of the battle has been disputed*Farney, Monaghan, County Monaghan*Loughbrickland, County Down...
.
In Popular Culture
Irish heavy metal band
WaylanderWaylander can refer to:*Waylander , a Northern Irish metal band.*Waylander , a fantasy novel by David Gemmell.*Waylander the Slayer, the protagonist in the fantasy novel by David Gemmell...
has a song called "Emain Macha" on their 1998 Century Media album
Reawakening Pride Once LostReawakening Pride Once Lost is a Celtic metal / folk metal album by the band Waylander. It was released in 1998.This album was re-released in 2006 with two bonus tracks by Midhir Records, Ireland.- Track listing :# "Sunrise"# "Born to the Fight"...
.
In the
MMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of computer role-playing games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Dark Age of CamelotDark Age of Camelot is a 3D medieval fantasy MMORPG that revolves around war between three realms following King Arthur's rule.DAoC includes both player vs. environment and Realm vs. Realm combat. Players can choose to adventure alone or join groups...
, "Emain Macha" is the name of a frontier zone, in which the realm of Hibernia must protect in order to safeguard their realm and relics.
Emain Macha also appears in the
MMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of computer role-playing games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Mabinogi, which is a
KoreaKorea is a civilization and formerly unified nation currently divided into two states. Located on the Korean Peninsula, it borders China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait....
n computer game. The fortress-city of Emain Macha is a lakeside medium town, and is the residence of the
DukeA duke is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy. The title comes from the Latin Dux Bellorum, which had the sense of "military commander" and was employed by both the Germanic peoples themselves and by the Roman authors...
of Emain Macha. The city is also the headquarters of the
KnightA knight was a "gentleman soldier" or member of the warrior class of the Middle Ages in Europe. In other Indo-European languages, cognates of cavalier or rider are more prevalent suggesting a connection to the knight's mode of transport...
ly order of Paladins.
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