Page 18 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

16 EUROPE Newgrange

The origins of Newgrange, one of the most important passage
graves in Europe, are steeped in mystery. According to Celtic
lore, the legendary kings of Tara were buried here, but
Newgrange predates them. The grave was left untouched by
all invaders except the Danish, who raided its burial chambers
Dublin •
ATLANTIC IRELAND in the 9th century. In 1699, it was rediscovered by a local
OCEAN
landowner, Charles Campbell Scott. When it was excavated in
UNITED
KINGDOM the 1960s, archeologist Professor M. J. O'Kelly discovered that
on the winter solstice, December 21, rays of sunlight enter the
tomb and light up the burial chamber-making it the world's
Tri-spiral carving on
TARA AND ITS KINGS stone in chamber oldest solar observatory.
A site of mythical importance, Tara was the
political and spiritual center of Celtic Ireland
and the seat of the High Kings until the 11th
century. Whoever ruled Tara could claim
supremacy over the country .. It is thought that
many of Tara's kings were buried in pagan ~ Burial Chamber Ceiling - '------:=.
ceremonies at Newgrange. Tara's importance
The burial chamber's intricate corbelled
as a spiritual center diminished as Christianity ceiling, which reaches a height of 20ft
flourished. Legend says that Tara's most famous (6 m) above the floor, has survived intact.
king, Cormac Mac Art, who ruled in the The overlapping slabs form a conical
hollow, topped by a single capstone.
3rd century, did not want to be buried at
Newgrange among pagan kings. His kinsmen,
disregarding his wish, tried to cross the Boyne
River to Newgrange but failed due to the huge
There are three recesses, or side
waves and so he was buried elsewhere.
chambers: the north recess is
the one struck by sunlight
WINTER SOLSTICE AT NEWGRANGE on the winter solstice.
The shortest day and the longest night occurs ~ Basin Stone
each year on December 21 and is known as the The chiseled stones found in
each recess would once have
winter solstice. At Newgrange, on the morning
contained funerary offerings
of December 21, rays of sunlight shine into the and the bones of the dead.
roof box of the passage grave and I ight up the
passage, illuminating the north recess of the
cruciform burial chamber. At all other times CONSTRUCTION OF NEWGRANGE
of the year, the tomb is shrouded in darkness. Newgra nge was designed by people with
Standing Stones
Newgrange is the only passage grave currently exceptional artistic and engineering skills.
Without the use of the wheel or metal tools, The passage contains
excavated that has this characteristic-temples slabs of slate, which
they transported about 200,000 tons of loose - -'-----'- Mound
tend to be the usual locations for this type of stones to build the mound, or cairn, that ' would have been
event Many believe that because of this, pro-tects the passage grave. Larger slabs o---~ Entran<e collected locally.
Newgrange was originally used as a place of were used to make the ci rde a round the
cairn (12 out of a probable 35 stones have
worship, and only later as a burial ground for
survived), the curb, and the tomb itself. Many - ' Stone cirde
pagan kings. of the curbstones and the slabs lining the (existing stones
passage, the chamber, and its recesses are shaded)
decorated with zigzags, spirals, and other 100m
DOWTH AND KNOWTH motifs. The corbelled ceiling consists of
Described as the "cradle of Irish civilization," smaller, unadorned slabs. "-\...-Recesses Passage Entrance .
the Boyne valley contains two other prehistoric 1 l (
Plan of passag~ and J . I
burial sites not far from Newgrange. The closest burial chamb~r ~ -1""- ~~ - x:.
is Knowth, which is just 1 mile (1 .6 km) away. ~ - ~ "'~ "'~~--==- I
Decorated stones ~ "Q..u<.}• ,\J 1'\
Excavation of this site began in 1962 and it
(shaded) ~ 82 ft
was found to contain two tomb passages and
25m
the greatest concentration of megalithic art in
Europe. Arch eo I ogi sts also found evidence that
KEY DATES
the site was occupied from the Neolithic period
and was used for habitation as well as for c. 3200 BC (. 860 (. 1140 1962-75 1967 1993
burials up until about 1400. Dowth, another Construct on of the Danish invaders raid Newgrange is used Newgrange is Archedogists learn Newgrange isli9.ed
passage grave 2 miles (3 km) from Newgrange, tomb at Newgrange the burial chamber as farmland for restored and the that ~ays of sunlight as a UNESCO World
is less spectacular. Its tombs are smaller and by Neol~hic farmers. and remove most of grazing cattle until roof box is shine up the chamber Heritage Site.
its treasures. the 14th centwy. discovered. on the winter so!sU:e,
most of its artifacts were stolen by Victorian December 21.
souvenir hunters.