Passage tomb art (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

This monument is depicted as a black dot on the revised 1908 edition of the OS 6-inch map where it is shown located on the S side of a field boundary running ENE-WSW. According to O'Kelly this stone was originally located 'on the headland at the edge of the field, but was pushed into the drain to get it out of the way. Immediately on the other side of the fence are three ancient mounds (ME019-040----; ME019-041----); ME019-042----)' (O'Kelly 1967, 45). This large stone (H 1.98m; Wth 1.22m; max. T 1.06m) has a broad heavy base and is flat on one face and bulbous on the other side. The top right hand corner of the flat face is decorated with 'a well-made single spiral of five revolutions, the outermost curve having a free end. To the left and below the spiral are two roughly-made devices. One of them appears to be an attempt at a simple maze pattern, the other perhaps the same or a pair of concentric circles. Below them is a serpent-like device, rather difficult to see. the serpent's head is a shallow, circular cup-mark. Slightly to the left and just below the first curve of the serpent is another shallow cup mark. Just below the latter and a little to the right of it is another simple maze pattern. Towards the bottom right, there is a single shallow cup-mark. On the back of the stone and low down is a well-made spiral of eight revolutions. Its external free end has disappeared because a small lamina has flaked off the surface. A small "satellite" circle is attached to the outer most curve at the bottom' (O'Kelly 1967, 45-6). This stone was removed from the drain and placed upright in the courtyard of the Information kiosk at Newgrange (ibid., 45). (Moore 1987, no. 296) Cross-reference with ME019-128----.

See attached photographs taken from O'Kelly 1967, Pl. 2

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 15 November 2014

References

O'Kelly, M.J. 1967 Two examples of megalithic art from the Newgrange area. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 97, 45-46.