Passage Tombs

Passage TombsThese are Ireland’s largest Megalithic tombs.They are circular mounds of earth or stone.Inside there is a stone-lined passage.This leads to a wider chamber.Archaeologists have found the remains of cremated human bodies.The most famous passage tombs are at Newgrange, Knowth & Dowth in Co. Meath

NewgrangeExcavating since 1960sBy carbon-dating objects found , archaeologists discovered it was built between 2675BC & 2485BC.Its older than the pyramids!

How did they build it ?

Walls of the passages made from standing stones.

Some of these brought from Wicklow, 60km away.

Archaeologists believe that it could have taken 400 men over 16 years to build it.

ArtworkMany stones are decorated with spiral, circle and diamond patterns.The most dramatic decoration is on the huge stone at the entrance.

Corbelled Roof

The roof is an extension of the wall (meaning part of the wall)

A Corbelled roof was built by placing flat stones one on top of the other. Each layer of the wall is placed slightly in front of the other, overlapping until they meet in the centre.

After 4,500 years there are no leaks in the roof at Newgrange.

The Roof BoxDo you know what happens on the 21 December each year ?

This day is called the winter solstice, it is the shortest day of the year.

The Winter SolsticeAs the sun rises it shines through the roof box and lights up the chamber.It lasts for about 17 minutes.They must have studied the movements of the sun.

Why was Newgrange built?

We don’t know why it was built.But because there was cremated remains we believe it was used as a tomb.However only a few remains were found, so was used only for important people.Could it have been a temple to honour their gods?Could Neolithic farmers used it as a calendar to tell them when the shortest day was?

What does Newgrange tell us

about Neolithic people?They were skilled builders.

They understood the movements of the sun and astronomy.

They were very artistic.

They believed in an afterlife, grave goods were found in the chambers.

They had great respect for their dead.

Grave GoodsThe cremated bodies were placed in megalithic tombs along with things they may need in the afterlife – grave goods

Credits1. Newgrange

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/Newgrange_from_air.JPG

2. Artwork: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Newgrange,_Ireland.jpg

3. Corbelled Roof: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Techo_Newgrange.jpg

4. Roof Box: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/59/Roofbox_above_Entrance.jpg

5. Solstice: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e4/Solstice_alignment_in_passage.JPGhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Knowth.jpg

6. Grave Goods: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Lombard_grave_goods_from_Marmstorf.jpg

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