Island Wedge Tomb

Island Wedge Tomb is a wedge-shaped gallery grave and National Monument located southeast of Mallow in County Cork, Ireland.[1][2][3][4]

Island Wedge Tomb
Native name
Irish: Tuama Dingeach an Oileáin
Plan of Island Wedge Tomb
Typewedge-shaped gallery grave
LocationIsland, Mallow,
County Cork, Ireland
Coordinates52.067672°N 8.579597°W / 52.067672; -8.579597
Builtc. 2500 BC
Official nameIsland Wedge Tomb
Reference no.502
Location of Island Wedge Tomb in Ireland

Location

Island Wedge Tomb is located 9.3 km (5.8 mi) southeast of Mallow.[5][6]

History

Wedge tombs of this kind were built in Ireland in the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age, c. 2500–2000 BC.[7] Carbon-14 dating indicated activity in the time range of 1412–1308 BC and suggested that the gallery and outer wall were constructed in Early Bronze Age, with later enhancements. Evidence of cremated burial was found in several areas of the main chamber, as well as worked flint and scrapers. Also found were a spindle whorl and two glass beads. Three lots of cremated bone were found in the chamber but two were too small for meaningful interpretation. The third, in a pit towards the rear, was probably a 60-70-year-old female.[8]

The tomb was excavated and partially restored in 1957. Some cremated bones were found during the excavation, located towards the end of the gallery.[9]

Description

The gallery of this tomb is oriented SW–NE. It is divided into a portico and main chamber enclosed in a U-shaped outer wall surrounded by an oval cairn measuring 11.5 m (38 ft) long by 9.7 m (32 ft) wide. It has double walls and an entrance marked with two large orthostats.[10]

References
  1. "Island".
  2. "Island Wedge Tomb".
  3. Weir, Anthony (1 January 1980). Early Ireland: a field guide. Blackstaff Press. ISBN 9780856402128 – via Google Books.
  4. McNally, Kenneth (1 January 2006). Ireland's Ancient Stones: Megalithic Ireland Explored. Appletree. ISBN 9780862819965 – via Google Books.
  5. Halpin, Andrew; Newman, Conor (1 January 2006). Ireland: An Oxford Archaeological Guide to Sites from Earliest Times to AD 1600. Oxford University Press. p. 517 – via Internet Archive. Island Wedge Tomb mallow.
  6. O'Kelly, Michael J.; O'Kelly, Claire (6 April 1989). Early Ireland: An Introduction to Irish Prehistory. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521336871 – via Google Books.
  7. Mathieu, James R. (1 January 2004). Exploring the role of analytical scale in archaeological interpretation. Archaeopress. ISBN 9781841716190 – via Google Books.
  8. Wilson, Mike. "Island Wedge Tomb ~ mega-what.com Ancient Sacred Places".
  9. "Island Wedge Tomb".
  10. Schorr, Frank. "Island Megalithic Tomb".
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