Townleyhall passage grave

UNESCO World Heritage site in County Louth, Ireland

53°43′16″N 6°27′05″W / 53.721150°N 6.451253°W / 53.721150; -6.451253Typechamber tombPart ofBrú na BóinneHistoryPeriodsNeolithic
UNESCO World Heritage Site
TypeCulturalCriteriai, iii, ivDesignated1993 (17th session)Part ofBrú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the BoyneReference no.659IrelandRegionEurope and North America

Townleyhall passage grave is a chamber tomb located around 2 km north of Dowth tomb. It is part of the megalithic complex of Brú na Bóinne in County Louth, Ireland.

It is located outside the World Heritage Site core area but (just) inside the buffer zone.

Side view

Construction

The site was originally a Neolithic settlement but was abandoned by its occupants, perhaps because it was a temporary site serving the construction project or due to the death of a senior member, and turned into a passage grave. Unlike its more famous neighbours in the Boyne valley, the tomb consists of a single chamber that merges with the entrance passage making it an undifferentiated passage grave.

Excavation

Townleyhall was excavated by George Eogan in 1962, work which found Carrowkeel ware pottery providing the first indication that Ireland's passage graves were of Neolithic date. Following this many of the other sites in the area were dug, although the methods used at the time would be considered crude by today's standards.

References

Media related to Townleyhall passage grave at Wikimedia Commons

  • Pictures
  • Images from Knowth.com
Stub icon 1 Stub icon 2

This article relating to archaeology in Ireland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e