Dowth
is the only one of the three major Brú na Bóinne
mounds which has not been excavated in recent times. Much of the
big kerbstones remain buried, with only the tops exposed. During
some Victorian style archaeology in the 1850s, major damage was
caused to the top of the mound, and two stone passages were found,
but thankfully the kerb remains intact. Some of the stones which
are exposed have some beautiful artwork on them. The best example
is kerb 51, also known as the "Stone
of the Seven Suns" but there are more. Some of the art
is photographed below, and many of these designs and patterns
have not been seen by the general public.
A
spiral on a kerbstone on the southern side of Dowth.
Concentric
semicircles nicely lit by the sun on the southern side.
A
snake-like zig-zag on the rear of kerb 51 (the Seven
Suns stone).
This
art almost looks like a warped ground plan of Newgrange.
It can be found on the rear of Kerb 51.
This
'calibrator' appears on the top of the 'Stone of the Seven
Suns', kerb 51, on Dowth's eastern side.
Archaeologists
might refer to this as 'pick dressing' which appears on
the surface of kerb 51.
The
Stone of the Seven Suns painted with torchlight.
A
view of the exposed kerbstones on the south side of Dowth.
There
is a rayed circle and an 'S' shape on this stone.
This
almost perfect circle is on a kerb on the south of the mound.
A
spiral at Dowth. This art could be up to 5,500 years old.
Knowth
kerbstones: a comprehensive photographic collection of Knowth's
megalithic art. Inside Newgrange: some
of the megalithic art inside Newgrange. Meaning of the art:
Is there an astronomical meaning to the Stone Age carvings?
Prehistoric engravings on the stones at Dowth
