Newgrange is the oldest structure I’ve ever visited. It was built over 5,000 years ago (about 3,200 B.C.) during the Neolithic era, before even Stonehenge or the Great Pyramid of Giza. It’s obvious that Newgrange was crafted by an advanced society which lived in Ireland’s Boyne River Valley (now less than an hour’s drive north of Dublin), but little is know about the people who built it except that they were farmers.
(entrance to the passage tomb at Newgrange)
Newgrange is a carefully designed passage tomb and probably an ancient Temple. The structure covers an acre and has a dome-shaped roof with 97 curbstones along its base, many of which are highly decorated with neolithic art. White and dark granite frame its front face. Newgrange has a single 19 meter long inner passage which leads to a cruciform chamber. Above the entrance to the passage there’s a opening called a “roof-box” which allows dawn’s light to penetrate the chamber on the morning of the winter solstice.
(details of entrance to Newgrange passage tomb, including triple-swirled neolithic art at the stone in front of the entrance)
So at dawn on December 21st, if the day is clear (far from a certainty in Ireland) a narrow beam of sunlight light penetrates the roof-box and gradually reaches the floor of the inner chamber filling it with daylight for about 17 minutes. This careful design indicates the solstice light was highly symbolic and likely of religious importance as cremated remains of the ancestors were placed here, probably to begin their journey to a new life on that day.
(copy of the Newgrange passage tomb in the Visitor’s center; this is the far end of the passage where the cremated remains were placed)
Newgrange is part of a complex of monuments (totaling about 3 dozen) built along a bend of the River Boyne known collectively as Brú na BÓinne. You can only access Newgrange (and enter the tomb and its inner chamber) by guided tour from the Brú na BÓinne Visitor Centre. It’s a very recommended destination, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
(Newgrange, viewed at a distance from Knowth tomb site, situated in the lovely Valley of the Boyne)
Perceptions of time ! Interesting subject.
You do get a little blasé about History when you’re surrounded by it.
This is my local Church. It’s nearly a thousand years old and still in regular use !
GarryRF was kind enough to take me to that church
It’s impressive. People just walk old walls too there like it’s no big deal.
I guess it’s really what you’re used to
It’s interesting how we perceive age. In the U.S., we have few buildings over 200 years old, while in other places buildings older than that are part of the housing stock. And here we have a building of intricate design and decoration old enough that we hardly know any of the history of its builders.
A reminder to us how much there is to see and know that is beyond our daily lives. Thank you for the tour!
Age is relative, isn’t it? I guess they called it the “New World” for a reason.
That’s a beautiful church, Garry, and in such a lovely setting. Maybe you can share more about it with us sometime in a POD or short blog post.
TravelandNature. You’d be surprised at how many people have been saved by that Church.
“Regulars” from hundreds of years ago still attend services and Funerals.
Next door to this Church is a Pub and folks come out to catch the last Bus at Mid-night.
They often see 8 Nuns in white carrying a coffin through the main doors.
Which are still closed – of course!
Walking the “Walls” that enclose the City – maybe 3 miles around – is a local ritual !
At frequent intervals there are Pubs to stop at.
The idea being that you stop at each one , have a drink and proceed to the next.
Its only the hardened drinkers who complete the circuit.
A friend from Anna Maria Island, Florida sent his daughter to stay with us for a while.
Same age as my daughter and they got along like a house on fire !
So when we arrived in Chester I told her our day was walking around the 2000 year old Walls !!
Her reply : “We did History in School – it sucks !”….. “Cant we just drive”
On my first visit to Anna Maria I was amazed that the Pelicans would sit next to you on the pier by Allemande Villas. Like a pet dog.
They would try and steal your bait as you were fishing. But like a good dog they responded to a “Hey you!” and sat watching you.
When I caught my first fish I pulled and fought with the monster!
As I lifted my prize from the water my new Pelican friend flexed his wings.
He glided off the Pier and with great precision removed my catch from the hook!
He passed me by several minutes later and I swear his call was a muted laugh.
I’d been mugged in full daylight.
For those who are interested, we received this link which has some interesting graphics of Newgrange site.
http://www.openuniversity.edu/…he-winter-solstice-a