A 'highly-unusual' discovery of a pre-historic Bronze Age tomb has been unearthed by a farmer on the Dingle Peninsula in Co. Kerry earlier this week.
The farmer was innocently carrying out land reclamation works in the area when he stumbled upon this 'untouched' tomb. It was reported by RTE.ie that the exact area of the discovery has not been revealed as per the request of the National Monument Service so as to avoid attracting people who may wish to come and see the site, which is described as being in a 'vulnerable condition', for themselves.
Whilst working in a digger, the farmer upturned a large stone slab, revealing a slab-lined chamber beneath. An adjoining sub-chamber was the found at what appears to be the front of the tomb according to the report.
Perhaps most curiously, the tomb contained an extremely smooth oval-shaped stone and, somehwat creepily, what appears to be a human bone. The site is current being surveyed by archaeologists from the National Monuments Service and the National Museum of Ireland who hope they will be able to ascertain further details about the origin of the tomb and meaning of the smooth stone which has been taken away for safe keeping by the authorities.
"This tomb appears to be completely untouched and in its original state and contains human remains," archaeologist and place names expert Dr Breandán Ó Cíobháin said to RTE.ie.
"That is very rare. It is an extremely significant find as the original structure has been preserved and not interfered with, as may have occurred in the case of other uncovered tomb," he continued.
Whilst the tomb is estimated to date back to the Bronze Age (2000BC-500BC), experts have said it's possible it could be even earlier as it displays such highly unusual features.
"Given its location, orientation and the existence of the large slab your initial thought is this is a Bronze Age tomb.
"But the design of this particular tomb is not like any of the other Bronze Age burial sites we have here," said expert Mícheál Ó Coileáin. "This is a highly unusual tomb. It's possible that it's earlier but it's very difficult at this early stage to date it," he explained.
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Whilst we eagerly await further details from the surveying
process, the National Museum of Ireland thanked the landowner, and all involved
in the reporting of the find. We can hardly wait to find out more about this
one!
Topics: Ireland