Marble Hill Monuments

Ireland has a wealth of historical monuments that show a rich and deep history of the early settlers and migratory people, unfortunately many have been destroyed or lost over time. These include wedge tombs, often facing westwards and noted as having a straight facade, a trapezoidal shaped chamber, highest at the front, with an outer walling that forms a u-shaped or a straight rear all covered by round to oval cairns. Both cremation and unburnt human remains were thought to be deposited in Wedge tombs. Schulting (2008) argue on the basis of new radiocarbon dates and a review of the other dates that Wedge Tombs came into use during the period 2540-2300  BC.

Wedge Tombs At Marble Hill

At Marble hill in Galway there are some remaining monuments still visible to this day, . For Marble Hill Wedge Tomb pictures see the photo gallery.

Marble hill South Wedge Tomb  chamber is over 7m in length 1.3m tall and 1.6m wide, with traces of a portico.

Marble Hill North Wedge Tomb now comprises just three stones above the soil level. The tomb is located 200m from the south wedge tomb.

marblehill_wedge_tombs

Marble Hill Wedge Tombs shown on a Irish Historic 6″ map.

Further reading:
Schulting, R., Sheridan, A., Clarke C., and Ramsey C.B. 2008. Largantea and the dating of Irish Wedge Tombs, JIA XVII, 1017.