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Craigs Dolmen (also known as the Broad Stone) is situated three miles north of
On the other side of the road and 800m south-west is a small passage tomb. Seven close, tall uprights support a flat capstone measuring 210x160cm. On the south-west side, two fallen stones may be the remains of a short passage. No cairn survives.
Shadows and Stone - Photographs of Craigs Dolmen
{{coord, 54, 59, 36.90, N, 6, 28, 42.76, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Archaeological sites in County Antrim Megalithic monuments in Ireland
Rasharkin
Rasharkin (),Placenames Database of Ireland
(see archival records) is a small village, townla ...
, (see archival records) is a small village, townla ...
County Antrim
County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, ) is one of six counties of Northern Ireland and one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of and has a population o ...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
, close to a minor road, at a height of 200m on the Long Mountain. Craigs Dolmen passage tomb is a State Care Historic Monument in the townland
A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...
of Craigs, in Borough of Ballymoney, at grid ref: C9740 1729.
Features
It features a big capstone on seven upright stones and is wrongly assumed to be adolmen
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 somet ...
, actually being a Passage tomb
A passage grave or passage tomb consists of one or more burial chambers covered in earth or with stone, and having a narrow access passage made of large stones. These structures usually date from the Neolithic Age, and are found largely in Wester ...
. Lightning broke the capstone in 1976. It was restored in 1985, and excavation revealed that the chamber was the remnants of a passage tomb at the time. It was most likely erected before 2000 BC, although it was re-used for burial throughout the Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
.
The large capstone over the entrance and the first chamber of this 3-chambered tomb was re-erected using an upright stone at the rear which probably was not an original feature. The almost semicircular forecourt faces south-east. The Broad Stone was only a popular place for meetings and assemblies.
Nearby site
On the other side of the road and 800m south-west is a small passage tomb. Seven close, tall uprights support a flat capstone measuring 210x160cm. On the south-west side, two fallen stones may be the remains of a short passage. No cairn survives.
See also
*List of archaeological sites in County Antrim
List of archaeological sites in County Antrim, Northern Ireland:
__NOTOC__
A
*Aghalee, Church and graveyard, grid ref: J1275 6548
* Aghalislone, Rath, grid ref: J2599 6792
* Aghalislone, Barrow, grid ref: J2549 6825
* Aldfreck, Enclosure with ...
References
External links
Shadows and Stone - Photographs of Craigs Dolmen
{{coord, 54, 59, 36.90, N, 6, 28, 42.76, W, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Archaeological sites in County Antrim Megalithic monuments in Ireland