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Dohlmans,
County Clare, Ireland
This area has some of the finest
archaeological megalithic tombs in Ireland, if not in Western Europe.
There are relics of human habitation dating back almost 6000 years and
the most famous is the vortal tomb, or portal dolman, at Poulnabrone. In
this area alone there are more than 60 wedge tombs, the densest
concentration in Ireland. There are also numerous examples of raths
(earthen ring forts) and stone cashels. This area is also rich in
historical ecclesiastical sites.
There are over seventy megalithic tombs in in The Burren, the most well
known and most easily accessible being Poulnabrone. It was excavated in
1968 and found to contain the remains of "between 16 and 22 adults
and 6 juveniles, including a newborn baby". Radiocarbon dating
suggests that the burials took place 3800 and 3200 BC. The Neolithic
community would have been much larger than this and there are easier
ways to bury the dead, so Poulnabrone is generally considered to contain
the remains of special dead and to have been a center for ceremony and
symbolism.
Over 90% of the tombs in The Burren are Wedge Tombs, named for their
wedge-shaped plan. They are narrower and lower towards the rear, with
the broader side facing towards the setting sun. Evidence of late Bronze
age inhabitants has been found in Gleninsheen town land, most
importantly the golden Gleninsheen Collar. It was found by a farmer in
1932 and can be seen in the National Museum in Dublin.
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Clonmacnoise
- The
Burren - The
Dohlmans - Cliffs
of Moher
Dublin - Glendalough
- Fanore
- More
Highlights
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