|
Ireland's MegalithsValley of the KingsBy Lori AlexanderDuring my first months in Ireland, I could hardly walk through a field without stumbling over an archaeological relic. It wasn't long before I realized my new home was plunked in the middle of some of the finest Neolithic examples in Ireland.
My eldest son, then a lad of five, begged to join my explorations. We soon discovered that strolling through the hay atop the Hill of Tara, in the middle of a bright afternoon was far different than standing alone in January inside a black, 5000 year old burial chamber. The purpose of the domes remains unknown. What is indisputable is that the mounds held the remains of human burials and grave offerings. Some were sited to capture the progression of the solstices. Beyond that, what belief was once held, or ceremonies performed at the mounds, is lost to us. Brun Na Boinne Heritage Centre offers guided tours of Newgrange and Knowth., and runs like a well-oiled machine no matter the press of the crowd. Behind the organization of tour-time stickers and time limits hides a determination to preserve the monuments while keeping them as hands-on as possible. At Brun Na Boinne, even the most casual visitor can't help being bowled over by the sheer massiveness of the megaliths, and the realization that human hands once moved the gigantic slabs over miles of wilderness and water. With the help of a full-scale model of a tomb interior, and the recreation of a prehistoric camp, visitors are given a feel for life in a Neolithic settlement.
Newgrange is a colossal mound once believed to have been completely dressed in reflective white stone. The mound was so skilfully built that in the 5000 years it's stood, its roof has never leaked. Once inside, guides recreate the winter solstice. The artificial lights are dimmed, and the simulated sun rises and sets through the carefully aligned gaps in the stone. Only then is the weight of the slabs, and the precision of the builders truly appreciated. After hearing of my trips to Brun Na Boinne, a local friend mentioned a site uncrowded at the height of the tourist season, and deserted during the winter. Four Knocks, Na Fuarchnoic, was the pilgrimage I'd come to believe was possible only in my mind's eye. The oldest known representation of a human face was said to guard its entrance. What had inspired the artist at Na Fuarchnoic, The Cold Hills, and not the prolific artists of Knowth, who had concentrated on the seemingly abstract? In January, Four Knocks appeared nothing more than a sign, and a high stone step separating road from hedge and field. Peering through the gap, we couldn't see beyond the long, muddy track walled on one side by a chain linked fence, and a stretch of thick burnt gorse along the other.
Armed with electric lights, I hesitantly opened the heavy iron door and entered into the wide single chamber, where the remains of sixty-five burials and cremations, and an assortment of pottery and jewellery had been found. We traced the carved, swirling symbols, and eventually located the legendary carved face, which peered up at us through shaggy bangs. Except for the sounds of our breathing, and the crunch of gravel, Na Fuarchnoic was eerily silent. The fields were empty of livestock. No one passed by with hound or pony. My eldest son insisted on holding the key throughout our visit. I insisted on wedging the door wide until we exited. Being isolated, and alone inside a cemetery thousands of years old was more than a little spooky. Newgrange, Tara, and Four Knocks are in close proximity and easily explored within a single day, from a Meath or Dublin base. Be advised that Bru na Boinne is extremely busy during the summer months, and an early arrival is recommended. June through 15 September hours of operation 9 AM-7 PM. Discounts for both Bru na Boinne and the Hill of Tara are available through supporting the Duchas Heritage Service: http://www.heritageireland.ie or email info@heritageireland.ie The key to Four Knocks is held by Mr Fintan White, and is available until 6 PM. Travel from Four Knocks towards Kilmoon, turning left at the crossroad, and continue approximately one mile. The house has a double driveway entrance, and is located in the right hand side. The low stonewall is clearly marked, "WHITE" Lori Alexander Images by Lori Alexander and Brian Pullman |
|
TM
The austerity of the
prehistoric domes drew me again and again. Dating back to between 3000 and
2500 BC, the mounds were built by stacking immense boulders and piles of
earth. The tombs vary in complexity and size, from haystack-sized chambers
reached by a single passage to barn-sized centrals ringed by satellites of
chambers, recesses and alcoves. 
Knowth's tour weaves
through grassy mounds and enormous boulders. Roughly ninety of the giant
stones are engraved with spirals and swirls, and stand sentry over the mound
entrances. Visitors are invited to crawl though the "Viking Escape Tunnel".
Black and low, it can only be navigated on hands and knees, and even then
it's a head scraper. The tunnel is suspected to have served as an escape
route during times of danger. 
I urged my
sons down the path, which opened onto a grassy mound surrounded by Meath
farmland, and we found ourselves free to explore the 5000-year-old site.