Sunday, 14th November 2004

Ever since I first saw images of the carvings on the backstones of this passage tomb I have wanted to visit it. One problem with finding it is that the OS map has it marked as standing stone! The other is that the townland name doesn't appear on the map either.

I had a good chat with the farmer before walking across to the stones - a useful excercise as they are quite difficult to find.

The short pasage and open, oval chamber are set into a considerable amount of the cairn, hich is in turn covered in gnarled and twisted trees. These have offered some protection to the carvings. Both of the backstones of the chamber are carved but the lozenge pattern on the lefthand one has nearly vanished due to erosion and lichen growth.

Thankfully the other carving, a beautiful pattern of swirls, is in better condition. This motif simulates a comb-in-clay-type effect. There is a circle of fine concentric rings in the centre from either side of which two loops of lines extend (not a very good description really). This 'image' is often protrayed as representing a face or even an owl.

It's hard to predict how long these markings will last, so I recommend going to see them as soon as possible. Who'd have thought the carvings on the nearby standing stone would have all but disappeared in just 20 years!

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