Gleninsheen (wedge tomb)

Gleninsheen wedge tombs

One of the Gleninsheen wedge tombs in 2016
Shown within Ireland
Location Rathborney, The Burren
Region Ireland
Coordinates 53°03′50″N 9°08′58″W / 53.064°N 9.1494°W / 53.064; -9.1494
Type Wedge tomb
History
Periods late Neolithic/early Bronze Age
Site notes
Ownership on private property
Public access Yes

The Gleninsheen wedge tombs are two prehistoric wedge tombs located in the Burren area of County Clare, Ireland.

Location

The tombs are located on private property in the townland of Gleninsheen, parish of Rathborney, not far from the N480 road. One is located right next to the road. The other, partially collapsed, is around 100 m to the northeast in a field.[1]:138-9

They are among eighty wedge tombs still extant in Clare. The largest concentration of them is found on Roughan Hill near Kilnaboy.[1]:43-6

In 1932, not far from the wedge tombs, a local man discovered the Gleninsheen Gorget, a golden neck ornament dating from c. 800 to 700 BC, concealed in one of the limestone grykes. It is now on exhibit at the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin.[1]:139

Description

The partially collapsed northern wedge tomb

The tombs are wedge-shaped in ground plan, with the widest part facing south west towards the setting sun like all tombs of this type. The setting sun is thus thought to have been of special significance to the builders. [1]:43-6,138-9

No wedge tomb in the Burren has so far been excavated, but theses are tentatively dated to 2300 to 2000 BC, the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age.[1]:43,138-9[2]:8

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Carthy, Hugh (2011). Burren Archaeology. The Collins Press. ISBN 9781848891050.
  2. ↑ Cunningham, George (1998). Exploring the Burren. Country House, Dublin. ISBN 0-946172-59-5.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/20/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.