Mystery surrounds Burren settlement excavated by archaeologists
When a prehistoric people built a large settlement in the Burren up to 3,000 years ago, why did they choose a mountain-top with no running water?
Was it the closest point to a sky god, or was the location selected for some type of ancient gathering or “Dáil”?
“Truly one of the most enigmatic places in Irish prehistory” is how N... continues...
"The articles presented here contain a complete record of the prehistoric monuments of northern Clare which were surveyed, described and illustrated by Thomas J. Westropp. The articles were originally published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland between 1896 and 1916".
News items from 1999 on the discoveries in The Burren.
Check out the audio files. Archaeologists, historians and thr local farmer talk about the excavations, finds and significance of The Burren
There are 10 wedge tombs tombs in Parknabinnia townland, 7 of which are recorded in The Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland, along with 1 court tomb, 1 passage tomb, 5 cairns, 2 unclassified megalithic tombs/structures and 2 cists.
In the neighbouring townland of Leana there are 5 wedge tombs (2 of which are recorded in the Survey), 3 cairns and 1 unclassified megalithic structure. Further north in Commons North townland are 2 wedge tombs (both recorded in the Survey) and a cairn.
Alongside all of this have been found prehistoric farmsteads and enclosures, a true prehistoric landscape that when you're exploring around there you makes you wonder what more it has has to reveal.
This landscape deserves much more than a cursory visit, but as can be seen from what's written above, it doesn't give up its secrets easily. I've been here three times now, but like much of the Burren, I can't say I really know the place.
This was confusing. So there are 3 wedge tombs in Baur South townland, one of which is recorded as Cl. 26 in the Survey of the Megalithic Tombs of Ireland, and there is one wedge tomb in Baur North townland, recorded as Cl 25.
The tomb with the co-ordinates of the main site here is one of those that is unrecorded in the Survey. It's the tomb that was visited by Carl, and by myself. I've uploaded two not-very good shots of it.
The tomb depicted here by Bogman, CianMcLiam and Megaman is Cl. 26., the tomb with mini-tomb within its chamber. I didn't make it to that one today, but I did make it to the small, ruined one that is at the bottom of the farmtrack that Carl mentions in his fieldnotes.
Baur North, which I've seen mistaken for the barn-side tomb, can also wait for another day.