Image 1 – Newgrange and the Brú na Bóinne

floodplain

Aerial view of the Boyne floodplain to the south of Newgrange passage tomb.

From 5,000 years ago Neolithic farming

communities built a range of impressive

monuments across this landscape that

is designated as the Brú na Bóinne

World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Recent discoveries will transform our

understanding of this archaeological

landscape.

(Photo: National Monuments Service)

Image 2 – A designed Neolithic landscape

View of three henge monuments on

the River Boyne alluvial terrace south-

west of Newgrange passage tomb.

The photograph dramatically captures

the configuration of three large circular

ceremonial enclosures (diameters

range between 130m to 200m).

This use of space for ritual gatherings

and religious celebrations indicates a

conscious use of space by the builders.

The arrangement of the three massive

henge enclosures suggests that the

construction and use of all three may

have been conceived as a single design.

These henges are likely to date to the

late Neolithic around 2900 BC.

(Photo: National Monuments Service)

Image 3 – The ‘Geometric Henge’

High contrast image of newly

discovered henge at Newgrange.

Discovered by Anthony Murphy and

Ken Williams, this enclosure displays a

remarkable and sophisticated

geometric design. The evidence

obtained raises many questions in

terms of its function and form.

Adjusting the high-resolution digital

imagery has sharpened the contrast of

the cropmarks of the buried features,

allowing greater appreciation of the

geometric design and layout of the

enclosure.

Two concentric rings of post-holes

surround the inner enclosure formed by

a series of segmented ditches. An

elaborate series of ditches and post

holes in a rectangular setting can be

seen at the bottom of the image while

the projection at the top is likely to

mark an entrance feature.

(Photo: National Monuments Service)

Image 4 – Newgrange henge complex at Site B

Another group of henges south-east of

Newgrange passage tomb.

Located on the lowest terrace of the

floodplain south of the Newgrange

passage tomb, a pair of henge or ritual

enclosures is located close to a mound

which is thought to cover a passage

tomb (known as Site B).

A smaller circular cropmark in the

foreground depicts an enclosure which

is also likely to have had a ritual

function.

At well over 100m in diameter, the

scale of the large enclosures, each

marked by cropmarks indicating a wide

bank and a well-defined outer ditch, is

evidence of the communal effort and

resources that would have been

required in their construction.

As gathering places they would have

provided large arenas for ceremonial

activities.

(Photo: National Monuments Service)

Image 5 – Prehistoric timber post enclosure

Prehistoric enclosure south of

Newgrange passage tomb.

About 500m south-west of Newgrange passage tomb, this high resolution image shows a double ring of post-holes about 30m in diameter enclosing an arrangement of four huge post-holes with entrance features to the east. The entrance is enhanced by two parallel lines, probably also once marked by large timber posts. The image also shows markings indicating an outer enclosure, around 80m in diameter, enclosing the smaller features. The site might have served as a mortuary enclosure. (Photo: National Monuments Service)

Image 6 – Prehistoric ritual roadway or

massive enclosure?

The image shows cropmarks indicating

the presence of palisade trenches (c.

25m apart) curving around the

mortuary enclosure.

The extent and function of these

features are particularly intriguing.

The parallel linear features form an arc

that can be traced for a distance of c.

200m across the field of crops. If the arc

is part of a circular enclosure, it would

be of a massive scale, almost 400m in

diameter. Alternatively, these features

may form part of a processional

routeway leading to the terraces of the

Boyne River floodplain and its henges.

(Photo: National Monuments Service)

Image 7 - Further ritual design at Newgrange

This ceremonial enclosure is one of three in a row on the floodplain terrace on the Boyne River. It lies south of Newgrange passage tomb and immediately west of the henge reported to the Department by Mr Murphy and Mr Williams. Originally identified by Dr Steve Davis of UCD and Dr Kevin Barton, the recent NMS aerial survey has identified incredible cropmark detail, not previously seen.

The dominant enclosing feature is a single line of enclosing rectangular pits. The lighter cropmark contiguous with this line of pits indicates the position of a broad outer bank. The high resolution image raises questions. Do the dark cropmarks indicate pits or are they concentrations of closely set timbers? Centrally placed within the enclosure is a circular mound with traces of a small surrounding ditch. This central ‘H’ feature is a line of pits with smaller ditches or pits forming its terminals.

(Photo: National Monuments Service)