Around 6000 years ago the people in Ireland came up with the idea to build tombs for their deceased members of their tribe. What they have built changed the Irish world forever and can still be marveled today. First of all the question about the origin and the society of these people will be answered. The next chapter will explain the reasons for the erection of the tombs.
Incidentally it is questioned whether the tombs were more than just graves or not. After a classification of four different types of the tombs the last chapter is followed. This is about the possibilities of erecting a tomb. Therefore the example of the passage tomb ‘Knowth’ is used. Imagine transporting stones with a weight over tons in a rough area over a distance of several kilometers without the technology of today. At the end of the present essay it should be clear, that the tombs are just more than stones. They are a precious heritage and make us speechless.
Table of Contents
Abstract
List of Illustrations
1 Introduction
1.1 Research Question
1.2 Objectives and Limitations
2 The erectors of the Megaliths in Ireland
2.1 Life before Neolithic
2.2 Characteristics of the Society
3 Megalithic Tombs
3.1 The Idea of Erecting Megalithic
3.2 Classification and Chronology of Megalithic Tombs
4 The Erection in Practice
4.1 Basic Information about Knowth
4.2 Materials
4.3 Quarrying of Stones
4.4 Transporting the Stones
4.5 Construction
5 Conclusion
Bibliography
Abstract
Around 6000 years ago the people in Ireland came up with the idea to build tombs for their deceased members of their tribe. What they have built changed the Irish world forever and can still be marveled today.
First of all the question about the origin and the society of these people will be answered. The next chapter will explain the reasons for the erection of the tombs. Incidentally it is questioned whether the tombs were more than just graves or not.
After a classification of four different types of the tombs the last chapter is followed. This is about the possibilities of erecting a tomb. Therefore the example of the passage tomb `Knowth' is used. Imagine transporting stones with a weight over tons in a rough area over a distance of several kilometers without the technology of today.
At the end of the present essay it should be clear, that the tombs are just more than stones. They are a precious heritage and make us speechless.
List of Illustrations
FIGURE 1 COURT TOMB, CREEVYKEEL, COUNTY SLIGO
FIGURE 2 PORTAL TOMB, KILMOGUE, CO. KILKENNY
FIGURE 3 PASSAGE TOMB, KNOWTH, CO. MEATH
FIGURE 4 WEDGE TOMB, CARROWCONEEN, COUNTY MAYO
FIGURE 5 CHRONOLOGY OF MEGALITHIC TOMBS IN IRELAND
FIGURE 6 GROUND PLAN OF KNOWTH
FIGURE 7 EASTERN PASSAGE AT KNOWTH
FIGURE 8 EXAMPLE OF SHIFTING LARGE STONES, PARKNABINNIA
1 Introduction
1.1 Research Question
Latest estimations show the presence of humans on earth for more than approximately 1.7 million years.1 In all likelihood, Ireland was one of the last places in Europe to be colonized approx. 9000 years ago.2 From the beginning of the colonization of Ireland until today an enormous number of marks have been left by different settlers.
During the Neolithic Age members of tribes arrived at Ireland and changed its landscape forever.3 They chose proper stones and towed them together to erect "Ireland’s first megalithic tomb”4.
Nobody knows exactly which tomb really was the first one, but over 1600 megalithic tombs were built in Ireland by the Neolithic settlers in a period from approx. 4000 BC to 2000 BC. At the beginning of the Early Bronze Age (approx. 1500 BC) the construction of the tombs stopped and the knowledge of the actual meaning of the buildings was lost.5
However most of the tombs still stand and talk to us today. In the last decades and years archaeologists discovered a lot of megalithic tombs and built up different theories.
How did the settlers build these extraordinary megalithic tombs? Instead of one simple answer a wide spread of interesting explanations exist6. For a better understanding it is quite useful to investigate who the erectors of these big sized megalith tombs were and why they built them.
1.2 Objectives and Limitations
The main objective of the present essay is to offer a basic understanding about the construction of megalithic tombs during the Neolithic culture in Ireland.
First of all a general overview about the erectors of the tombs is given. After a closer look to the motivations to build the tombs a categorizing is followed. The last chapter is about the construction of the megalithic, whereas this is explained by the example of the passage tomb `Knowth'.
It's not possible to cover every aspect of the megalithic tombs in the present essay. Especially grave goods, inscriptions or a detailed look to the religion will not be reflected in this essay.
2 The erectors of the Megaliths in Ireland
For a better understanding of the present essay a short review about the Neolithic is given. The time dates used in the paper are not binding and purely indicative. The dates are differing depending on the kind of literature you are using.
2.1 Life before Neolithic
There was a world before the Neolithic in Ireland.
After the end of the Ice Age at approx. 15000 BC the first settlers arrived at Britain at the early beginning of the Mesolithic (greek: `mesos' means `middle', `lithos' means `stone').7 This part of the Stone Age lasted from 7000 BC to 4000 BC8. These earliest settlers were fishermen and "animal-hunters and fruit-gatherers"9.
They bore a nomadic life and moved along Ireland to take benefits of seasonal resources. They properly believed in spirits, which lived in the surrounding nature e.g. mountains, springs and rivers. In comparison to the Neolithic in Mesolithic it's difficult to find evidence for an extensive treatment of the dead. Recent researches detected some bones close to a habitation site, but nothing like a megalithic tomb.10
2.2 Characteristics of the Society
At approx. 4000 BC the Mesolithic has been slowly replaced by the Neolithic (greek: `neo' means `new, `lithos' means `stone'). The technique of farming was invented in the Middle East and reached Ireland through the arrival of new immigrants.11 The origin of the immigrants could be either Britain or Spain and France. However, they imported both their own animals and cereals.12 An evidence for their early presence in Ireland is given by the discovery of bones of domestic animals at the Neolithic sites Ringneill Quay, County Down around 3400 BC.13
Along with the farming (agriculture) a lot of other dramatic changes took place in Ireland. Instead of living in small bands Neolithic tribes started to live in communities14. They constructed wooden houses (e.g. Logh Gur, County Limerick) and set enclosures and fields. The enclosures consisted of stones and formed a protection for the cattle15. To get enough space for the farming and cattle the native forest was cleared. Therefore axes were needed, which were produced out of different kinds of stone16. Porcellanite was used in one of the most famous manufacturing facilities called Tievebulliagh in County Antrim.17
[...]
1 Duffy 2005:11
2 Duffy 2005:11; www.rte.ie/tv/secretsofthestones/watch.html, (Dec. 1st, 2009)
3 Jones 2007:X
4 Jones 2007:X
5 Jones 2007:X and 15
6 Jones 2007:X and 15
7 Wallace 1986:5; Duffy 2005:15
8 ÓLaoire 2009:10 of Mesolithic; Jones 2007:21
9 Duffy 2005:15
10 Wallace 1986:5; Jones 2007:21
11 www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O245-NeolithicIreland.html, (Dec. 1st, 2009)
12 6 Laoire 2009:5 of Neolithic; Flanagan 2000:33
13 de Breffny 1980:12
14 Duffy 2005:15
15 Flanagan 2000:31-32
16 Moody and Martin 1994:35
Frequently Asked Questions about Megalithic Tombs in Ireland
What is this document about?
This is a language preview for a study about megalithic tombs in Ireland. It includes the title, table of contents, objectives, key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What is the research question addressed in this document?
The research question is: How did the settlers build these extraordinary megalithic tombs?
What are the objectives of this study?
The main objective is to provide a basic understanding of the construction of megalithic tombs during the Neolithic culture in Ireland.
What are the limitations of the study?
The study does not cover every aspect of megalithic tombs. Specifically, grave goods, inscriptions, or a detailed look at religion are not addressed.
Who were the erectors of the megaliths?
The erectors were members of Neolithic tribes who arrived in Ireland around 4000 BC. They were farmers who lived in communities and constructed wooden houses and enclosures.
When did the construction of megalithic tombs take place in Ireland?
The construction period was from approximately 4000 BC to 2000 BC, during the Neolithic Age. Construction ceased at the beginning of the Early Bronze Age (around 1500 BC).
How many megalithic tombs were built in Ireland?
Over 1600 megalithic tombs were built in Ireland by the Neolithic settlers.
What are some examples of megalithic tomb types mentioned in the document?
The document mentions court tombs, portal tombs, passage tombs, and wedge tombs. Knowth (a passage tomb) is used as a specific example to illustrate construction techniques.
What is Knowth?
Knowth is a passage tomb located in County Meath, Ireland, and is used as an example to explain the construction of megalithic tombs.
What does the abstract say about the tombs?
The abstract states that the tombs were built around 6000 years ago and changed the Irish world forever. They are more than just graves and are a precious heritage.
What period preceded the Neolithic Age?
The Mesolithic period preceded the Neolithic Age in Ireland. During this time, the settlers were mainly fishermen, hunters, and gatherers, leading a nomadic life.
What key changes occurred with the advent of the Neolithic Age in Ireland?
The Neolithic Age brought farming, settled communities, wooden houses, enclosures for cattle, and the clearing of native forests for agriculture.
- Quote paper
- Christoph-Daniel Teusch (Author), 2009, Neolithic Culture in Ireland , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/142802
