aww man, thats ancient history...

Cian McLiam

Ye Olde Irish Tank Guy
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A weekend of trekking back over 5,000 years of Irish history just outside my back door is also a great opportunity for a photo op :) The Boyne Valley is about 15 minutes drive from where I live, and I would definitely recommend a visit!

The Boyne Valley is a glacial valley that is of huge historical importance, The Battle of the Boyne was fought here, and it shaped the next few hundred years of Irelands history. Kings and Chieftans held court here and its also the home to the oldest human monuments in Europe.

Newgrange is the biggest of the three great megalithic tombs in the Boyne Valley, and they are over 5,000 years old (3,200 BC), older than Stonehenge and the Giza Pyramids of Egypt.


They were built using massive stone boulders which were brought over 70 miles, anfd its estimated that it would have taken a workforce of 300 men 20 years to build it.

The most amazing thing about Newgrange is that it is the oldest known astronomical observatory.


Once a year, on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, the sun enters a tiny opening above the main door, passes down the tunnel and illuminates the chamber at the centre of the tomb. How early man calculated this so perfectly to coincide with an event that only happens once a year, and was able to construct the tomb as an astronmical instrument with such precision is unknown.
 

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The entrance, with the carved patterns on the boulders outside. The spirals are thought to represent the sun, and the tomb is a place where the sun god came once a year to claim the spirits of the tribal leaders, cremated inside.

You can also see the small opening above the main door, that allows the sun to enter on the winter solstice.
 

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Knowth is not as spectacular but is just as amazing, it is surrounded by large mounds also, their function is unknown.

The latest studies by Archaeologist Martin Brennan claim that the two back-to-back passages at Knowth are aligned to both the sunrise and sunset and are designed to receive beams of light at equinox.
 

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Dowth is the third megalithic tomb, but its in a very sad state. The enterances are closed but some of the ancient stones are being ripped out of the top of the tomb.
 

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This bit of handiwork probably took some guy ages 5,000 years ago! If he knew we could still marvel at his talents in 2004, I'm sure he'd be chuffed :)

Good on ya mate :thumbs:
 

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OMG those are awesome pictures with awesome history behind them... (I love ancient history/art) Thanks for sharing :thumbs:
 
B) Nice pics/history


...seem in amazingly good nick considering how old they are.



:)
 
Ah sure we had Mrs O'Brien round every week for the last 3,000 years to sparkle them up :lol:

Thanks guys :) Your most welcome BG :thumbs:

You can book tickets to go inside the tomb to watch the sun light up the chamber inside the centre of the tomb for the few minutes, once a year, but I think its booked out for the next 10 years or so :)
 
Ken_g_w said:
Ah sure we had Mrs O'Brien round every week for the last 3,000 years to sparkle them up :lol:

Thanks guys :) Your most welcome BG :thumbs:

You can book tickets to go inside the tomb to watch the sun light up the chamber inside the centre of the tomb for the few minutes, once a year, but I think its booked out for the next 10 years or so :)
lol :lol:

Put your name down then?


:)
 

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