Megalithic tomb - passage tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Located c. 120m W of the great mound, Tomb 1C, on a SW-facing slope but c. 20m from the crest of the steep slope down to the River Boyne which is c. 160m to the SW and c. 50m lower at a point where it changes its course from W-E to N-S as it enters the bend of the Boyne. The tomb was identified by the tips of 3 kerbstones, and it was excavated (E000070) as part of the Knowth programme. It comprises the remains of a kerbed mound (diam. c. 10m) with only 5 surviving kerbstones N-E, and the associated mound was represented by a black shale-like soil (max. H 0.2m). Beneath this were the sockets of 12 orthostats representing an undifferentiated passage tomb (dims c. 5m E-W; c. 1m N-S) opening at E. The only artefact recovered was a double hollow-scraper in the mound. Some kerbstones are preserved in situ and others are marked with concrete posts, but there is no reconstruction of a mound and this monument is outside enclosure of the Knowth national monument. (Eogan 1968, 331-6, Site 6; 1984, 45-8, Site 7; 1986, 75)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload: 10 July 2007
Revised: 16 September 2020

See the attached plans:
_1 Cemetery plan, from Knowth 6, Fig. 2:1
_2 Tomb plan from Knowth 1, Fig. 23

References

Eogan, G. 1974 Report on the excavations of some passage graves, unprotected inhumation burials and a settlement site at Knowth, Co Meath. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 74C, 11 – 112.

Eogan, G. 1984 Excavations at Knowth 1. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy.

Eogan, G. 1986 Knowth and the passage-tombs of Ireland. London. Thames and Hudson.