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People > Photos > Gallery: Kieran Alcumbrac > Album: Ireland > PoulNaBrone Dolmen
PoulNaBrone Dolmen

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Date: 05/28/02

Tags:

autumn bone cemetary coast date grave grounds pant pine recent stone stones west wood

Located in The Burren, Co. Clare near the west coast of Ireland. This dolmen was built around 4,000 BC, and pre-dates the great pyramids of Giza by about a thousand years. Poulnabrone Dolmen is one of the finest examples of Portal Tombs in Ireland. Portal Tombs were the ancient burial grounds in times long gone. These tombs usually have two imposing portals or entrance stones flanking the front of a relatively small rectangular chamber. The capstone, which sometimes rests just on the end stone and on the portal stones, is often very large. A recent excavation has dated the grave material unearthed here to over 4,000 BC. To date some 22 burials spread over a period of 600 years have been identified. So this was probably a ceremonial cemetary for important individuals. These tombs may also have been the focus of magical or religious ceremonies at certain times of the year, such as autumn or spring, times of particular significance to a farming group. Polished stone axeheads, a bone pendant and other small pieces of jewellary were also discovered. Animal bone identified included horse, cow, pine martin and most unusual, the wood martin. Recent conservation work ensures Poulnabrone's survival for another 6,000 years.