| MONUMENT OF THE MONTH |
MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS
OF IRELAND.COM
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| NOVEMBER 2012 |
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| KNOCKNAREA SOUTH CAIRN( QUEEN MAEVE'S TOMB ), COUNTY SLIGO |
| Peninsula and is a highly conspicuous landscape feature of this coastal area. The mountain was a focal point in an extensive ritual landscape during the Neolithic period and this is indicated by the large number of passage tombs close to, as well as on the mountain. On its flat summit, the large passage tomb cairn of Queen Mebd 'Miosgán Meadhbha' meaning 'Mebd's Lump of Butter' which measures some 55m in diameter and 10m in height, is located and makes it the largest such tomb in Ireland outside the Boyne Valley. Mebd is reputedly entombed in the cairn in an erect position, in full battle regalia, facing northward toward her Ulster enemies. The tomb has not been excavated but its shape and structure and the results of archaeology, have led to the tomb being classified as a Neolithic Passage Tomb. By far the largest, it is only one of a number of monuments on the summit of the mountain; the others were severely damaged by the excavations of antiquarians in the 19th century. In general the tombs are lined up North-South and may have been constructed to face Carrowmore Passage tomb cemetery in the lowlands below. |
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| CO-ORDINATES 54 15' 31.586"N...8 34' 28.903"W |
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