Creevykeel Court Tomb by Cat Shatwell

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Description Creevykeel Court Tomb,Co.sligo, Ireland.There are over 350 known court-tombs in the whole of Ireland, but only five are in the south. Creevykeel, adjoining the Sligo-Bundoran road 2.4km (1-1/2 miles) NE of Cliffony, is certainly the most impressive and has been thoroughly restored. Located within a wedge-shaped cairn, this tomb was originally about 61 m (200 ft) long. At the eastern end is the main entrance, through a small passage, which leads into an oval forecourt. Originally paved, the forecourt is very large : 17 x 10 m (56 x 33 ft). Close inspection shows a change in size of the orthostats ending the court, as if they might have been built in more than one phase. The tomb continues on beneath a lintel stone through two successive chambers, where four cremations have been found. Even further on are the remains of a possible three more burial chambers. During Hencken's excavations of 1935, a chalk ball was discovered at Creevykeel, it is an item similar to those found in Brittany, which may be a further confirmation that court-tombs often slightly pre-date passage-tombs. Other grave goods included Neolithic pottery, leaf-shaped flint arrowheads, hollow scrapers, and polished stone axeheads.

Cat Shatwell, Co.Armagh
Member Since March 2010
Artist Statement