Timber circle

The National Monuments Service's description

Located on the E-W ridge of Newgrange and c. 35m W of the kerb of the central passage tomb (ME019-045----). Archaeological excavation (E000261) was conducted during 1984 on the E side of a NNW-SSE field bank in advance of the construction of a temporary roadway. It uncovered the E arc of a timber circle consisting of large inner post-holes (Chord 9m N-S) and an outer ring of usually smaller post-holes (Chord 16m N-S). The larger pits showed signs of burning and had been re-used as post-holes, while the smaller pits contained debris and almost all had post-pits. All the features produce either sherds of Beaker ware, flint debris or cremated remains. A sample (GRN-12828) from one of the larger pits of phase 1 produced a C14 date of 4000 +- 30 bp, which calibrates to 2577-2468 cal. BC while another sample (GRN-12829) from one of the smaller outer pits produced fragments of a Beaker vessel, four flints, a fragment of a stone bowl, and a C14 determination of 3930 +- 35 bp (2562-2299 cal. BC) (Smyth 2009, App. 4, 126). Most of the timber circle (original ext. diam. c. 20-30m) remains unexcavated under a hut or W of the field bank. (Sweetman 1987)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 8 December 2017
Amended: 27 May 2021

References

Smyth, J. (ed.) 2009 Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site: Research Framework. The Heritage Council, Kilkenny.

Sweetman, P. D. 1987 Excavation of a Late Neolithic / Early Bronze Age site at Newgrange, Co. Meath. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 87 C, 6, 283-98.