An overview of the Neolithic Period in Ireland.

1. Neolithic
Ireland
Death and Burial

2. Lesson Objectives
 To examine the various types of burial sites
used during Neolithic times.
 Videos will be used to bring the students
closer to the actual burial sites.
 Questions will be posed to students based
on the various sites.

3. Megaliths
• There is an abundance of evidence in
Ireland which shows that the Neolithic
farmers believed in an afterlife.
• Deaths were marked by elaborate stone
tombs, many of which were remarkably
large.
• Many such tombs survive today…

4. Dolmens
 The term dolmen means stone table and
comes from the Breton words dual (table)
and maen (stone).
 Dolmens are the most numerous of the
megalithic tombs in Ireland.
 The dolmen consists of three standing stones
on which a huge capstone was placed.
 How do you think these massive stones were
transported?

5. Contd…
It is believed that these huge stones were
moved by placing logs under the large
stones and dragging them along like so…

7. The most well known dolmen sites in Ireland
are Kilclooney (Donegal), Aughnacliffe
(Longford) and Brownshill Dolmen in
Carlow…

9. Here is Brownshill dolmen…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObwLE
OiH51M

10. Court Cairn
• A second type of megalithic tomb is the
court cairn.
• They obtain their name from a small
entrance area, or court, which lies at the
entrance of the chamber.
• They are found mostly in northern and
western Ireland.

11. Contd…
 Court cairns had two main functions: the
chamber to serve as a tomb and the
courtyard to accommodate a ritual.
 Objects were often buried with the
deceased.
 Why was this done so?

12. The most famous court cairn in Ireland is
that found in Creevkeel, Sligo…

14. Here is what the court cairn looks like in
person…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD9sSv
NrfIA

15. Passage Grave
 Arguably the most impressive type of
megalithic Irish tomb is the passage grave.
 It gets its name from a long passageway,
which leads from the entrance to the burial
chamber.
 There are over 300 such graves in the country.
 The most famous passage grave by far is
Newgrange in County Meath.

16. Newgrange
 The Newgrange tomb was constructed
about 5,000 years ago.
 The tomb outdates the pyramids in Egypt
by about 500 years.
 Newgrange shows us that Neolithic
people in Ireland were skilled individuals.
 Its most interesting feature is the roof box.

17. Contd…
 This opening above the main entrance
allows the sunlight to travel along the
passage.
 This in turn lights up the burial chamber at
dawn on 21 December each year.
 What significance does this date have in
the calendar?

19. Clip from a Newgrange documentary…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVXWZ
kwV0RQ

20. Pair work
What does the existence of these burial sites
tell you about the Neolithic farmers in
Ireland?