Return to the menu Bantry

'21701792622','stonesa','irl'); //--> Return on the page "Ireland"

Ireland: testimonies of the age of the Bronze
The sites of Beara's peninsula
Standing Stone (Menhir), Ogham Stone, Stone Circle , Neolithic Grave (Dolmen)

Version française


Standing Stones (or menhir in Breton).

Standing stones are numerous in Celtic areas. They go back up to a period spreading out of the age of the bronze ( 1500 ) in the arrival of the first Christians. Their function is not exactly known, but hypothéses is numerous: grave, religious site, commemorative stone of important, even simple event stands out with territory or terminal of ancient road.

Marina tries to raise the stone

Beara's peninsula

Ogham Stones

Ogham Stone is a particular case: they contain registrations in a simple alphabet but a suit of 20 signs. These signs are formed by one in five lines, rights or obliques, situated on both sides by a median line.
In the case of Ogham stones, the median line is a fish bone of the stone. They are read in the bottom at the top. It is certain that these signs are widely later than the implementation of stones, and date first centuries of our era.
The appelation Ogham or Ogam comes from the name of the Celtic god Ogma, the god of the Literature and the Eloquence, the son of the goddess of the Wisdom, Brig.


The detail of the signs Ogham of Ballycrovane's stone with the interpretation of the last word of the registration:
TURANIAS
The Ogham stone of Ballycrovane:

It is situated in 3km in the North of Eyeries, in the peninsula of Beara, in 300m of a small port.
The Ogham stone of Ballycrovane is the highest of Europe with her 5.2m and perhaps the most beautiful.

The registration was interpreted:
AVI MAQI-DECCEDDAS TURANIAS
Or: of the son of Decched, from Torain


The Ogham stone of Ballycrovane

The alphabet Ogham used on Ballycrovane stone is called " Beth-Luis-Fearn ", of the name of the first three letters

Stone circles

Stone circles were built between 1500 and 500 before JC. They have between 5 and 19 stones. Often a central stone is present and the lowest stones are steered towards the southwest, contrary to the higher 2 which bound a portal. Gravestones are found inside or near the circle. The hypotheses of use are varied: religious or funeral rites, look-out post of the sun or the moon, the huge calendar.

Ardgroom stone circle:

It is situated in the North of Beara peninsula, 2km east of Ardgroom ( Dhà Dhrom's ) village

Ardgroom circle measures 7,5m of diameter.

It contains 9 stones up and 2 slept. The gate is formed by 2 stones of 2m of height steered towards the North - northeast.
Original characteristic: stones are cut sharp.

In 6m of the circle an outside stone of 2,5m of height is steered, not towards the centre as in the other sites, but tangentiellement towards the south edge of the circle; an unrefined pavement connects the circle with this outside and continuous stone farther.

O=çàutside stone of Ardgroom


Neolithic grave

Neolithic grave of Kilough

Situated in 4,5 km in the southwest of Alihies, near the extremity of Beara's peninsula

Return to Bantry

Version française
Return on the page "Ireland"