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Chambered Cairn
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The translation of the site's name may be the evocative 'Hill of the dark/black grove'. In common with many prehistoric sites, Bryn Celli Ddu stands near water - the Afon Braint (named after Brigantia?) and also near two Llwyn Onn s - (ash groves - how Welsh do you want! though apparently they're not planted with ashes any longer).
Excavations at the site have shown that before the present structure there was a bank with a standing stone(stones?) in the middle. Archaeologists found a series of large stones and a filled in hole, which they think may be the remains of a monolith and its socket - the toppling and destruction could have been symbolic in some way. Ronald Hutton suggests that the original henge may have been destroyed to build the passage grave on top of it "to pool the ritual force of both sorts of structure". He also describes (in 'Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles') how an ox sacrifice was deposited in a pit just in front of the entrance.
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Posted by Rhiannon
7th June 2002ce
Edited 20th June 2006ce
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