O.K. Lets go with the radical for a moment. This will no doubt be met with derision from some quarters, but its based on a great deal of fieldwork and research.
Many of the large stone cairns in south east Ireland have dished interiors. They also have small ante-chambers, and incorporate pits, for want of a better description. These have been described as "wind shelters" in the past, despite the fact that their shelter potential is in most cases zero.
Myself and a colleague, Mr Michael Power, (responsible 10 years ago for discovering the Carrigaruppera-H1 alignment in Coumaraglin on the equinoxes, one of the most spectacular visual alignments in this country) have arrived at the following conclusion. It is not entirely speculative, as evidence in the field is supportive.
We believe it is possible that some form of sky burial was practised in pre christian Ireland, similar to that practised by the Parsee religion and Tibetan Bhuddists. We speculate that bodies were left in the dished interiors of the cairns, which in every instance are in remote locations far from the general population. After carrion had dealt with the flesh, the bones were then retrieved, and subsequently cremated in the stone bowls which can be found throughout these mountains. This would explain the burnt stone, and the size of some of the bowls which are far too small to accomodate entire bodies.
We then think the ashes were interred in the re-arranged rockfields, of which over 5 square kilometres have now been documented, and marked by distinctive stone piles.
This would tie in with the statements by Mitchell and Ryan "that other forms of burial or disposal were practised which left little or no trace on the landscape." It is also a plausible explanation for the features which exist in the upland landscape of south east Ireland. It is at this stage only a theory, but one based on ten years of extensive fieldwork.
It is perhaps deserving of further investigation.
location_on
photo
ondemand_video
forum
description
link