6,000 year-old megalithic burial mounds with astronomical precision - Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne 659; Irish Harping 01461
What and Why
Brú na Bóinne is a prehistoric human settlement near the town of Drogheda (Irish: Droichead Átha) for the past 6,000 years. One of the most important features of the sites are the magnificent tombs of the Neolithic or Late Stone Age, which demonstrates that this site must had been a special place, where ritual and ceremony played a major role in the lives of local communities during their existence.
The 40 flat-dome-shaped passage mounds or tombs display a sophisticated knowledge of architecture, engineering, astronomy and artistic endeavour with all these pointing to a highly advanced, organised and settled society.
The tombs were built approximately 3,300 years ago and predates the Egyptian pyramids (Arabic: أهرام مصر), but fell into disuse around 2900 BCE, but the areas surrounding the tombs continued to be the focus of ritual until the Bronze Age period (2200 BCE). Large earthen stone henges or posts were constructed in almost perfect circles around the tombs. A cursus, comprising a pair of parallel banks and ditches defining a path or routeway can be seen close to the site called Newgrange (Sí an Bhrú). This trip also reminds me of its uncanny resemblance to the Korean royal Joseon (Korean: 조선) tombs blogged in Seoul (서울) - South bank and those of Stenness, although these mounds are much bigger in size. They are approximately 85 m in diameter and 12 m in height and the grass covering the roof came much later.
While I have used the word 'tomb' in the context to describe the mound, there have been various debates as to its original purpose, including a tomb, a place of worship of some supernatural forces or an astronomically-based worship-site.
One of the most remarkable astronomical part of the tomb is that during the annual winter solstice, the rising sun shines directly along the long passage, illuminating the inner chamber and revealing the carvings inside, notably the triple spiral (called triskelion) on the front wall of the chamber. This passage remains dark during the entire year except during this illumination, which lasts for approximately 17 minutes. The sunlight enters the passage through a specially contrived opening, known as a roofbox, directly above the main entrance. This reminds me of my visit to Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سمبل) which demonstrates almost identical phenomenon.
Today the first light enters about four minutes after sunrise, but calculations based on the precession of the Earth show that 5,000 years ago, the first light would have entered exactly at sunrise and shone on the chamber's back wall with extreme astronomical precision. I have asked my students jokingly to design a similar feature in their engineering design project and no one could manage, and I still could not figure the way to do so neither. This was done back then without any modern tools of mathematics, astronomy and metrology. Today this ceremony has become an Irish lottery and only 50 lucky winners can witness this visual magic a few days annually.
Toponymy
'Brú na Bóinne' means 'palace of the Boyne' in Irish. The name 'Boyne' comes from the River Boyne (An Bhóinn or Abhainn na Bóinne) which is named to worship the goddess Boann (Bóinn) with origin deriving from the words 'white cow (bó fhionn)'.
The site is located within the precinct of the town Donore (Dún Uabhair) which is an anglicisation of its Irish name. The word means 'fort of pride' in Irish.
The site Newgrange is a fairly new name and it means 'new farm' in Old English.
See
Newgrange (Sí an Bhrú)
Newgrange is the only tomb that can be visited. The others are either badly damaged or prohibited for visit. While the site deserves every attention, it is very crowded and more crowded near the mound as this is the one tomb available for entry.
Around the perimeter or the precinct of the mound is a circle of standing stones or henges. Most archaeologists suggest that they were added later, during the Bronze Age, centuries after the original monument had been abandoned.
The Newgrange monument primarily consists of a large mound, built of alternating layers of earth and stones, with grass growing on top and a reconstructed retaining wall of white large cobblestones covering the front part of the circumference.
The tomb, inside and outside, displays some impressive art. One of the most prominent is the graphic triskelion, sculptured on a big piece of rock placed at the entrance. There are some ingenious mathematics on this piece of stone where clear lines divide the stone exactly into half! Another piece of stone at that back shows exactly the same line and defines the central axis of the entire tumulus.
There are different types of similar graphics, including squares and cheverons, all along the passage and the tomb.
Note the roofbox or the slightly elevated passageway from the ground.
The inner dimension of the tomb. As expected it is pitch-black inside and the tomb now is installed with various lightings to artificially mimic the winter solstice phenomenon.
Within the mound is a chambered passage and the above cross-section is referred. At the end of the passage are three small chambers off a larger central chamber with a high corbelled vault roof. Whether it was a burial site remains unclear and debatable although bones and jewellery had been discovered. The guide told us that the ceiling shows no evidence of smoke and hence showed that the site was not permanently used.
These later-erected henges suggest that the tomb site had been in continuous use, after the abandonment of the tomb.
Another tumulus, called the Northern Mound is nearby, but this is beyond access. This mound is a big mound circumferenced with a large number of smaller mounds. We were told that this mound was built to construct an even more precise calendar.
Buy and Do
Celtic harp (Cláirseach)
The Celtic harp (cláirseach) is ubiquitous in Ireland (Éire) and is the country's national symbol, as also used as the emblem of Guinness and Ryanair. Along Temple Bar (Barra an Teampaill) one can see a number of buskers playing the harp, and we have met a number during our drinking session. One of them, pictured above, apparently is a very famous street harper and is seen performing regularly along the stretch.
The Celtic harp is a bit smaller than the conventional orchestral version with fewer strings and hence chords. The triangle of the harp is more pronounced as well. Celtic harps are known to be diatonic; this implies they are only able to perform in a restricted number of signature keys. However, the basic changes normally are accomplished through using semitone levers.
Irish harping has established itself as the main identity of Ireland and inscribed itself as an ICH.
Eat and Drink
Stout (Leann dubh)
Irish are one of the biggest drinkers in the world and the country is ranked 7th in alcohol consumption per capita. No one can escape without a drink in Ireland, especially the famed Guinness stout (leann dubh) , while the Guinness Storehouse is Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath) arguably biggest tourist attraction. The main pub street is the celebrated Temple Bar, which is actually named after the most famous pub along the strip. Please stay sober.
Travel Suggestions and Logistics
The site is just about an hour drive away from Dublin. We took an organised tour, but if you do go there yourself the entrance fee is EUR 6€.
UNESCO Inscriptions
The three main prehistoric sites of the Brú na Bóinne Complex, Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, are situated on the north bank of the River Boyne 50 km north of Dublin. This is Europe's largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art. The monuments there had social, economic, religious and funerary functions.
Irish harping is at the heart of the identity of the people of the island of Ireland. The harp is Ireland’s national symbol and has been played for more than 1,000 years; its bell-like sounds and music captivate all those who hear it and are celebrated in Irish mythology, folklore and literature. Nowadays, instead of a harp hewn from a single piece of willow, strung with wire strings and played with the nails, most contemporary harps are made with various types of hardwood, strung with gut or nylon, and played with the finger tips. While some men and boys play the harp, women, girls and children are the primary practitioners. Related skills are transmitted both aurally and/or by notation in the art music style, and contemporary exponents of the early wire-strung harp are bearers of a precious legacy of music. Contemporary gut-strung harpers have safeguarded the old repertoire and ensured its continuity while responding to evolving harp styles. There has been a major resurgence of interest in harp playing over the past sixty years thanks to a growing appreciation of the harp’s role in Irish identity, language and culture and bearers and practitioners now number around 1,500, a number that is growing steadily. Harp playing has also helped people to embrace diversity and bridge divides.
References
Comments
Please share your thoughts and comments about the blog. If you need suggestions to build a travel itinerary, please let me know. More than willing to help. I would also like to build a bespoke-travel community around UNESCO WHS and ICH.
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