 Carrowmore Megalithic Tombs |
by
Ransboro N.S. |
More of our Work | Activities | Google MAP |
| The largest cemetery of megalithic
tombs in Ireland is the Carrowmore tombs. It has over 60 tombs and
if you stand in the middle of one tomb, it feels like you are
surrounded by mountains. The tombs are spread out over 3.8 sq km. There are over 30 megalithic tombs visible there. If you look at the capstone on the tomb called Listoghil on the right day at the right time, a pattern can be seen. Listoghil is the highest point in Carrowmore. Listoghil has been dated to about 3600 BC. Carrowmore is all about the stone age dead. One white cottage has a megalithic tomb on either side of the house. The tombs are made so carefully it shows the stone age people showed great respect for the dead. The Carrowmore tombs are older than the pyramids. There is a wild rabbit living in tomb 1. Some tombs excavated by the Swedish team, have people buried with babies. Also a couple of tombs have over 60 people ! Most people were buried with jewelry and tools or cereals as the stone age people believed in the after-life. One tomb at Carrowmore is shaped like a cross. Most boulder circles contain 30 – 40 boulders. |
 |
||
 |
Carrowmore is the largest cemetery of
megalithic tombs in Ireland and is also among the country's oldest, with monuments ranging from five and a half thousand to six and a half thousand years old. Archaeologists have recorded over 60 tombs of which 30 are visible. A restored cottage houses an exhibition relating to the site. Access to the tombs may be difficult for people with disabilities. Visitors are advised to wear shoes suitable for walking on uneven terrain. Guided tours:Max no: 40. Duration: 45 mins - 1 hr. Leaflet: English leaflet and guide book for sale. Self - guiding information in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Japanese, Hungarian, Czech, Danish, Russian, Portuguese, Basque and Irish. Location: 5km from Sligo / Dublin road off the N4 at N4 - R292 junction 4km from Sligo town centre: follow R292 Strandhill Bus route: Bus Eireann from Sligo town, Monday to Saturday |
||