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"A fascinating insight into Ireland's ancient burial sites" - Irish Independent |
Established
16/3/2000 |
|
Newgrange
standing stones
| Down
the fields from Newgrange,
near the river Boyne, there are two large standing stones, marked
as sites C and D on the archaeological maps
of the Brú na Bóinne area. The one nearest to Newgrange,
stone C, is the larger of the two, and is the only one visible from
Newgrange. |
|
Stone
C was excavated, according to archaeologist Clare O'Kelly*, by Shee
and Evans in 1965. The stone has been cleverly fenced off by the
landowner to prevent scratching by cattle. This photo shows the
huge size of the stone.
*(Illustrated Guide to Newgrange, 1967, 1971, John English &
Co.) |
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| From
the east, stone C appears much thinner. This is typical of standing
stones which I have seen - most of them have a broad axis and a thin
one. |
|
| Newgrange
stone C viewed from the north. From here the ground rolls away to
the south towards the banks of the river Boyne. In the background,
mound B can be made
out near the right edge of this photo. |
|
In
this view, the river Boyne can be made out to the right of stone
C.
In
1912, George Coffey* described stone C as follows: "On the
brow of the steep bank which rises at some distance behind these
grave-mounds a great block of compact sandstone grit has been set
on end, and forms a most remarkable standing stone ("C"),
similar to, but larger than, those set round the great mound. It
measures 10 feet high, and is 17 feet in girth."
*(Newgrange
and other incised tumuli in Ireland, 1912, 1977, Blandford Press) |
|
| This
is stone D, located further east from stone C, and in the next field.
It is quite a bit smaller than its counterpart. Coffey says: "In
the adjoining field a similar standing-stone will be found; but it
is not so large". |
 Viewed
from the east, one could be excused for thinking that stone D resembles
a face – certainly a nose and mouth are easily distinguished.
Again this view shows how the stone's N-S axis is much thinner than
the E-W. |
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| From
the north the long axis is obvious again. There is plenty of lichen
growth on the stone, but it has not suffered deterioration due to
cattle scratching. |
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