Loughcrew

Loughcrew ( Loch Craobh Irish ) is a Civil parish and a townland in County Meath.

Loughcrew Cairns

The Loughcrew Cairns (Irish Cairn Cairn Sliabh na Loch Craobh or Caillí ) are a complex of passage tombs. It is located on the ridge of Slieve na Calliagh (Irish Sliabh na Caillí, dt "the hill of the witch "), which is the highest range of hills in County Meath. Receive the remains of some 25 graves ( cairns ). In the megalithic contained some engravings can be seen.

Cairn groups

The Cairns can be summarized in three groups, each is on its own hill in a townland in each of the same name.

• " Carnbane West" (An Carn Bán Thiar ), the densest group with around 13 sites, including the Cairns G, K and L.
• " Carnbane East " (An Carn Bán Thoir ), includes ten Cairns and includes the large and well-preserved " Cairn T".
• " Patrick Town" ( Baile Phádraig ), the smallest group with five sites.

Cairn G is kammerlos. Cairn K and T are dolmens with side chambers, as found for example in the West Kennet Long Barrow or more installations of Morbihan in Brittany as Mane Keriaval. An aisle at the head side and on both sides symmetrically find either two, four or six, more or less closed side chambers. The ceilings of Cairns are designed as corbelled. Cairn K has a menhir inside.

The secured with gate openers Cairns L and T contain great symbolic carvings in good condition. The unprotected Cairns have suffered severely from erosion by rain and many of the engravings are barely recognizable.

They were built at the end of the 3rd millennium and many have been excavated by amateurs in the early 20th century, with many artifacts were lost. In the excavation of the Cairn H in 1943 was found bone objects in the Iron Age La Tène style.

The two closed Cairns can be visited only by appointment ( on arrival).