Miosgán Meadhbha,[1] anglicized Miosgan Meva and also called Maeve's Cairn,[2] is a large cairn on the summit of Knocknarea in County Sligo, Ireland.[3] It is thought to conceal a passage tomb from the Neolithic (New Stone Age).[4] It is the largest cairn in Ireland, excepting those at Brú na Bóinne in Meath.[5]
The cairn is about 55 metres (180 ft) wide and 10 metres (33 ft) high.[6] The cairn is flat-topped and several kerbstones can be seen on the northern side. It is believed to date to around 3000 BCE.[1] Archaeologist Stefan Bergh, in his book Landscape of the Monuments (1995), suggests that a large hollow some way to the west of the cairn was the quarry from which the stones were taken.[6]
The cairn is a protected National Monument. In recent years, archaeologists have warned that the cairn is being eroded by hikers climbing on it and moving or removing stones. The large number of climbers is leaving scars on the cairn and may be destabilizing the tomb inside.[7][8] Irish folklore holds that it is bad luck to damage or disrespect such tombs and that doing so could bring a curse.[9][10]
^ abcScarre, Christopher (2002). Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe: Perception and Society During the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. Routledge. p. 145. ISBN978-0415273145.
^Bergh, Stefan (2000). "Transforming Knocknarea: The Archaeology of a Mountain". Archaeology Ireland. 14 (2): 14–18. ISSN 0790-892X.
^"History of Knocknarea". Go Strandhill. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
^. Sligo.ie. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
^ abBergh, Stefan (1995) Landscape of the monuments. A study of the passage tombs in the Cúil Irra region, Co. Sligo, Ireland. Stockholm: Riksantikvarieämbetet Arkeologiska Undersökningar ISBN9171929452
^"Hikers putting 5,000-year-old Co Sligo cairn at risk". The Irish Times, 13 January 2019.
^. 29 September 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
^Sarah Champion & Gabriel Cooney. "Chapter 13: Naming the Places, Naming the Stones". Archaeology and Folklore. Routledge, 2005. p.193
^Doherty, Gillian. The Irish Ordnance Survey: History, Culture and Memory. Four Courts Press, 2004. p.89
^Ó hÓgáin, Dáithí. Myth, Legend & Romance: An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. pp. 294–295
Media related to Maeve's Cairn at Wikimedia Commons
miosgán, meadhbha, anglicized, miosgan, meva, also, called, maeve, cairn, large, cairn, summit, knocknarea, county, sligo, ireland, thought, conceal, passage, tomb, from, neolithic, stone, largest, cairn, ireland, excepting, those, brú, bóinne, meath, alternat. Miosgan Meadhbha 1 anglicized Miosgan Meva and also called Maeve s Cairn 2 is a large cairn on the summit of Knocknarea in County Sligo Ireland 3 It is thought to conceal a passage tomb from the Neolithic New Stone Age 4 It is the largest cairn in Ireland excepting those at Bru na Boinne in Meath 5 Miosgan MeadhbhaAlternative nameMaeve s CairnNational Monument of IrelandOfficial nameQueen Maeve s Tomb Knocknarea Reference no 153The cairn is about 55 metres 180 ft wide and 10 metres 33 ft high 6 The cairn is flat topped and several kerbstones can be seen on the northern side It is believed to date to around 3000 BCE 1 Archaeologist Stefan Bergh in his book Landscape of the Monuments 1995 suggests that a large hollow some way to the west of the cairn was the quarry from which the stones were taken 6 The cairn is a protected National Monument In recent years archaeologists have warned that the cairn is being eroded by hikers climbing on it and moving or removing stones The large number of climbers is leaving scars on the cairn and may be destabilizing the tomb inside 7 8 Irish folklore holds that it is bad luck to damage or disrespect such tombs and that doing so could bring a curse 9 10 Miosgan Meadhbha is Irish for Meadhbh s heap 1 Meadhbh is a queen of Connacht in Irish mythology who is believed to have originally been a sovereignty goddess 11 References Edit a b c Scarre Christopher 2002 Monuments and Landscape in Atlantic Europe Perception and Society During the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Routledge p 145 ISBN 978 0415273145 Meascan Mheabha Miosgan Meva Placenames Database of Ireland Bergh Stefan 2000 Transforming Knocknarea The Archaeology of a Mountain Archaeology Ireland 14 2 14 18 ISSN 0790 892X History of Knocknarea Go Strandhill 18 January 2013 Retrieved 26 April 2014 Ancient Places Sligo ie Archived from the original on 26 April 2014 Retrieved 26 April 2014 a b Bergh Stefan 1995 Landscape of the monuments A study of the passage tombs in the Cuil Irra region Co Sligo Ireland Stockholm Riksantikvarieambetet Arkeologiska Undersokningar ISBN 9171929452 Hikers putting 5 000 year old Co Sligo cairn at risk The Irish Times 13 January 2019 Sligo Weekender Thousands of feet are destroying our heritage 29 September 2007 Archived from the original on 29 September 2007 Retrieved 2 December 2015 Sarah Champion amp Gabriel Cooney Chapter 13 Naming the Places Naming the Stones Archaeology and Folklore Routledge 2005 p 193 Doherty Gillian The Irish Ordnance Survey History Culture and Memory Four Courts Press 2004 p 89 o hogain Daithi Myth Legend amp Romance An encyclopaedia of the Irish folk tradition Prentice Hall Press 1991 pp 294 295 Media related to Maeve s Cairn at Wikimedia CommonsCoordinates 54 15 31 N 8 34 29 W 54 2587 N 8 5746 W 54 2587 8 5746 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Miosgan Meadhbha amp oldid 1106580033, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
