Newgrange;
is a famous prehistoric monument in Ireland, located one KM north of
the River Boyne. The Stone Age monument built somewhere Neolithic period
around 3000 BC to 2500 BC, making it older than English Stonehenge and
Egyptian Pyramids. The Newgrange is a large circular mound with a stone
passageway and interior chambers. The Newgrange is actually a man-made
mound 85 metres in diameter and 13.5 metres high, along with a 19 meter
passage which leads to a chamber with 3 alcoves.
The
kidney shaped mound is ringed by “Kerbstones” engraved with artwork,
and covered an area of more than one acre. The exact purpose of
Newgrange is not confirmed, but speculated that it had been used for
religious activities, aligned with rising sun, which lights passes
through the chamber on the winter solstice. Therefore, may be more
fitting classification, a place of astrological, spiritual, religious
and ceremonial importance. The Newgrange is relatively a modern name,
which means New Grange, as outlaying farms were recognized known as
granges. The Newgrange is the most famous monument which is a part of
the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site, having great similarities
with other Neolithic constructions in Western Europe, just like
“Maeshowe” in Orkney, Scotland and the “Bryn Celli Ddu” in Wales.
Majority of Neolithic people were farmers, growing crops, and raising
animals, and their tools would have been made out of stone, wood,
antler, bones.
It
is projected; more than 300 labor force participated in the
construction of Passage Tomb at Newgrange for 20 years. However,
Newgrange is just a passage tomb and was sealed for many centuries and
remained in Irish mythology and folklore. In 1970’s the front of
monument was reconstructed, causing a lot of controversial buzz and
disputed. These days, Newgrange is one of most popular tourist site,
regarded prehistorian as the great national monument and one of most
prominent megalithic structures in Ireland and Europe. There are few
proofs that Newgrange was used as a burial tomb, and roof of the inner
chamber is of corbelled construction, it hasn't leaked in 5000 years.
The
estimated weight of circular is more than 200,000 tonnes in total; with
a flat topped cairn is almost 0.5 hectares. The Newgrange is made up of
water-rolled stones, the terraces of the River Boyne and round granite
boulders from the Mourne. Newgrange contains various examples of
abstract Neolithic rock art carved onto it which provide decoration They
are also marked by wide differences in style, the skill-level, and one
of the most notable examples of art at Newgrange is the triskele-like
features found on the entrance stone. It has been described as "one of
the most famous stones in the entire repertory of megalithic art.
In
addition, different archaeologists have guessed as to the meaning of
the decoration, supposed them to have some sort of symbolic purpose, as
some of the carvings had been in places that would not have been
noticeable, such as at the bottom of the orthostatic slabs below ground
level. Moreover, excavations have revealed deposits of both burnt and
unburnt human bones in the passage, signifying human corpses were
actually placed within it, even some of which had been cremated.
Besides, various grave goods were deposited alongside the bodies inside
the passage. Furthermore, excavations which were taken place in the late
1960s revealed seven “marbles”, four pendants, two beads, a used flint
flake, a bone chisel and fragments of bone pins and points.
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