| MONUMENT OF THE MONTH |
MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS
OF IRELAND.COM
| FEBRUARY 2010 |
| CO-ORDINATES 52 54' 36.732"N...6 50' 6.415"W |
| P |
| VIKING/NORSE HOG-BACK BURIAL CO.KILDARE |
Located in the ruined Franciscan Abbey in Castledermot,south Kildare,this is the only example of a
Viking/Norse Hog-Back Burial in Ireland.It is a Scandinavian-type grave-marker that was used at the
transitional time between Viking paganism and Christianity around 800 AD-1,000 AD and the carvings
on the top of the stone show this,with one side having Runic symbols and the other side crude Christian
crosses.The slab itself is some what cigar-shaped and positioned above the ground by small rectangular
stones but this may not have been originally the case.The stone would have been for a Viking lord who
converted to Christianity but still wanted to appease his Norse deities which is reflected in the carvings.
The stone itself measures 1.8m in length and is .40m in width,tapering to a round shape at both ends.
Viking/Norse Hog-Back Burial in Ireland.It is a Scandinavian-type grave-marker that was used at the
transitional time between Viking paganism and Christianity around 800 AD-1,000 AD and the carvings
on the top of the stone show this,with one side having Runic symbols and the other side crude Christian
crosses.The slab itself is some what cigar-shaped and positioned above the ground by small rectangular
stones but this may not have been originally the case.The stone would have been for a Viking lord who
converted to Christianity but still wanted to appease his Norse deities which is reflected in the carvings.
The stone itself measures 1.8m in length and is .40m in width,tapering to a round shape at both ends.
DIRECTIONS
The Franciscan Abbey is well sign-posted from the town.
The Franciscan Abbey is well sign-posted from the town.
M M I
PHOTO by Pip POWELL
Jun 2008
Jun 2008
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