Aghnaskeagh Cairns
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Aghnaskeagh Cairns is a chambered cairn and
portal tomb A dolmen () or portal tomb is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the early Neolithic (40003000 BCE) and were som ...
forming a National Monument in County Louth, Ireland.


Location

Aghnaskeagh Cairns are located south of
Slieve Foy Slieve Foy or Slieve Foye ( ga, Sliabh Feá)Slieve Feá/Slieve Foye
, to the west of the N1.


History and archaeology

The two cairns may have been connected by a
gallery Gallery or The Gallery may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Art gallery ** Contemporary art gallery Music * Gallery (band), an American soft rock band of the 1970s Albums * ''Gallery'' (Elaiza album), 2014 album * ''Gallery'' (Gr ...
.


Portal tomb

The northern cairn is a dolmen (portal tomb) with the capstone missing. Two portal stones (2.8 m / 9 ft high) and a back stone remain. Six Bronze Age
cist A cist ( or ; also kist ; from grc-gre, κίστη, Middle Welsh ''Kist'' or Germanic ''Kiste'') is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle Ea ...
burials were later added. Archeologists found
potsherds This page is a glossary of archaeology, the study of the human past from material remains. A B C D E F ...
, cremated bone, food vessels and a blue glass bead on the site, as well as the remains of
blackberries The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family (biology), family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus' ...
under one of the cists, presumably as
grave-goods Grave goods, in archaeology and anthropology, are the items buried along with the body. They are usually personal possessions, supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into the afterlife or offerings to the gods. Grave goods may be classed as a ...
.


Chambered cairn

The southern cairn is a chambered cairn with four
cist A cist ( or ; also kist ; from grc-gre, κίστη, Middle Welsh ''Kist'' or Germanic ''Kiste'') is a small stone-built coffin-like box or ossuary used to hold the bodies of the dead. Examples can be found across Europe and in the Middle Ea ...
s at the eastern end. Excavations revealed cremated bone, potsherds and scrapers. A burial was also made here in the early Christian era.


References

{{Authority control Archaeological sites in County Louth National Monuments in County Louth