Thread by @RobertBohan

Thread: Today on the Winter Solstice, one of the oldest traditions on the planet is played out at Newgrange, Ireland. Newgrange is older than the Pyramids & Stonehenge & was built between 3500-3200BC. Let’s take a look at this World Heritage Site & Solar Clock

As the sun rises on the Solstice it passes through a lightbox at the entrance to the tomb & travels down the 60ft passageway to a central chamber marking the shortest day of the year.

I’ve got a dodgy immune system so was delighted to get a booster shot last week so I decided to have a celebratory offer for UK & Ireland. When you buy an original ink drawing you can choose two more free!

It forms part of the World Heritage Site, Brú na Bóinne on the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland. Newgrange, Knowth & Dowth are the key passage graves. With Newgrange being the critical site.

Every year a modern lottery takes place to allow a small group of people see the sun enter through the lightbox above the portal to the passage grave & travel to the centre. This is the oldest solar clock in the world. The waiting list is extremely long.

Here’s a view of the entrance. In front is a decorated kerb stone. It has been postulated that the carvings relate to the sun. Behind is the doorway, the lintel & the smaller light box through which the Solstice sun rise passes.

The Complex boasts one of the greatest collections of megalithic art in Western Europe. Spirals, lozenges & other forms decorate the many kerb stones around the site. From time to time new examples are rediscovered. Stone was brought from as far away as Wicklow & the Mournes

Newgrange is probably the most studied of the Neolithic sites in Europe - as a result it is used as a reference site for others which do not have the that level of academic or scientific research behind them. Newgrange dates from between 3500-3400BC (based on carbon dating)

Newgrange was rediscovered in 1699AD & quickly came to the attention of historians. They often concocted bizarre theories (a process which continues with New Age people today). Mitchell & Ryan’s (1997 + updates) is the best resource to understand landscape in IRL (also Harrison)

In 1882 the site became a protected Ancient Monument. By 1890, conservation was begun. Between 1962-75 a comprehensive archaeological survey took place. Here are some early images before the restoration of the site.

Despite not being able to prove conclusively what the Complex was for we do know that offerings were left at the site for millennia. These included Roman coins & jewels as well as much earlier items

A good overview of the history & archaeology of the site is on the National Museum site: museum.ie/Archaeology/Th…

At the end of the passageway a stone basin made of granite from the Mournes is found. This has the cremated remains of humans inside it. There has been speculation that these were offerings to Gods, regal remains or some other ceremonial form - we will probably never know

The exciting thing about Newgrange is that there is always something new to be discovered. This year aerial images highlighted previously unknown forts & tombs within the Complex which came to light under the weather conditions in the Summer

Here’s more on my special offers! I ship my work worldwide from Ireland. Offer ends 4th January

Where possible I have used my own images or those available in public resources. The images are employed for educational purposes & under fair use. If one of these images belongs to you please let me know whether you would like me to acknowledge that or delete.