Newgrange, the 5,000-year-old Co. Meath site that has attracted countless tourists for the “illumination of its passage and chamber by the winter solstice sun,” is currently being searched for more passageways, according to RTE.
Although many disagree about the Neolithic site’s original purpose, a common belief is that it was used for religious reasons when the room was flooded with light.
The site encompass a large mound containing a chambered passage, at the end of which three small chambers lie off of a larger central chamber. Researchers are hoping to discover a second passage which is also aligned with the solstice event, like the main passage, which is “synonymous with sunrise on the winter solstice and light entering the chamber,” according to the Independent.
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Located at the Brú na Bóinne World Heritage Site, the team of researchers from Ireland and Slovakia will be utilizing the technique of microgravity survey, a non-invasive method used to detect under the surface density variations. According to the Federal Highway Administration, it is performed by making various measurements of gravity at certain points on the ground surface, and researchers will be using equipment which is new to Ireland for the task.
Microgravity survey has been successfully used in Egypt to identify passages and chambers in pyramids, according to the report.
According to Dr. Conor Brady, an archaeologist at the Dundalk Institute of Technology, "The absolute best-case scenario would be to demonstrate there is an undiscovered passage and chamber within Newgrange because the mound has not been fully excavated."
Brady believes that "it is technically possible there is something there.”
Adding to his optimism is the fact that Knowth and Dowth, the neighboring mounds to Newgrange, both have two passages as well.
3 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.S.Connolly | Nov 03, 2011, 02:21 PM EDT
Extrenmely interesting, but not surprising because the ancient people were so inheritantly superior in intelligence, which continues today with the modern Irish. I have a very LARGE complaint that I can't find a tour that just focuses on the 11 ancient sites at all. Driving myself is out and having a personal guide/driver is too costly for me. Are there any tours that have this type of venue for the history seeking Irish-American?
ellenfromcork | Oct 24, 2011, 07:32 PM EDT
My daughter and I were at Newgrange some years ago and it's a powerful place still. It's amazing the depth of knowledge of astronomy and geometry and mathamatics that the old ones had to construct the site.( and no computers or calculators to help them!!)
PatriciaMarya | Oct 24, 2011, 01:42 PM EDT
This is so exciting and I love the fact that it is a co-plan with the two countries of my parent's heritage working together! I watched the wonderful series on our PBS called "Secrets of the Stones" that went into the history of Newgrange and to learn that it is older than both the Pyramids in Egypt and Stonehenge in England was quite thrilling. Also to be able to use modern technology that will not cause any damage, makes me wish I could have studied to be a scientist. Hope some day to see for myself and the icing would be to be there on December 21!