Wedge Tombs in the Burren

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Basic sketch of Wedge tomb using Iceland as an example

The between 4000 and 2500 BC In the Neolithic BC built wedge tombs in the Burren of Cavan in Ireland are called "Giants Grave" ( German  "giant grave " ) and "Giant's Leap" ( German  "giant jump" ). They are on the "Cavan Way", about four kilometers south of Blacklion in a pine forest. Wedge Tombs ( German  "wedge tombs" ), formerly "wedge-shaped gallery grave" called, are double-walled, seamless, mostly unarticulated megalithic of the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age in Ireland.

Giants Grave

The west-east oriented Wedge Tomb is, together with Labbacallee , one of the largest in Ireland with a length of over seven meters. The largely intact megalithic complex , with five large in-situ capstones, consists of an antechamber and a main chamber, which are separated by a large lateral plate. At the western end is the access with a capstone with cup-and-ring markings on it . The facility was built from large sandstone blocks. It was originally covered by a mound of earth held in place by large curbs. Some of the stones of the double wall are preserved on site. There is evidence of an outer ring.

Folklore or mythology

Folklore tells of the giants Lugh and Lag, who both loved a young giantess. In an effort to impress them, they challenged themselves to jump over a wide chasm. In a fit of exuberance, Lag thought he might even leap backwards, but in the attempt he fell into the ravine and was buried in the wedge tomb beside the abyss.

Tullygobban Wedge Tomb

Tullygobban is a similar wedge tomb to Giants Grave. It's pretty much ruined, but you can still clearly see the chamber, from which three shifted capstones have been preserved. Many of the curbs around the collapsed gallery can still be seen. About eight meters southwest of the memorial is a small round cairn five meters in diameter, of which only the curb stones that give the appearance of a small stone circle have been preserved.

See also

literature

  • G. Burns: The Cavan Burren Illustrated Guide 2006
  • Jürgen E. Walkowitz: The megalithic syndrome. European cult sites of the Stone Age (= contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe. Vol. 36). Beier & Beran, Langenweißbach 2003, ISBN 3-930036-70-3 .

Web links

Coordinates: 54 ° 15 '44 "  N , 7 ° 53' 0.8"  W.