Aghnaskeagh Cairns facts for kids
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Carna Áth na Sceach
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 Location in Ireland
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| Location | Aghnaskeagh, Jenkinstown, County Louth, Ireland |
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| Region | Cooley Peninsula |
| Coordinates | 54°03′41″N 6°21′29″W / 54.061279°N 6.357918°W |
| Type | chambered cairns |
| History | |
| Material | limestone |
| Founded | c. 4000–2500 BC |
| Periods | Neolithic |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Emyr Estyn Evans |
| Public access | yes |
| Official name | Aghnaskeagh |
| Reference no. | 326 |
Aghnaskeagh Cairns are ancient stone structures found in County Louth, Ireland. They are a special type of National Monument. These monuments include a chambered cairn and a portal tomb. They were built a very long time ago, during the Neolithic period. This was between 4000 and 2500 BC.
Contents
Where to Find Aghnaskeagh Cairns
The Aghnaskeagh Cairns are located in County Louth, Ireland. You can find them about 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) south of Slieve Foy. They are also west of the main N1 road.
History and Discoveries
Archaeologists believe these two stone structures might have been connected. They could have formed a longer passage or gallery. This area holds many secrets from ancient times.
The Portal Tomb
The northern part of Aghnaskeagh Cairns is a dolmen, also known as a portal tomb. A dolmen is a type of single-chamber tomb. It is usually made from two or more standing stones. A large flat capstone rests on top. At Aghnaskeagh, the capstone is now missing.
- What remains: Two tall portal stones are still standing. They are about 2.8 meters (9 feet) high. There is also a back stone.
- Later burials: Six Bronze Age burials were added here later. These were cist burials. A cist is a small stone-lined coffin or box.
- Archaeological finds: When archaeologists explored the site, they found many interesting items. They discovered pieces of pottery, also called potsherds. They also found cremated bone, which means bones that were burned. Food vessels and a blue glass bead were also uncovered.
- Special discovery: Under one of the cists, they even found the remains of blackberries. These were likely placed there as grave-goods. Grave-goods are items buried with someone to help them in the afterlife.
The Chambered Cairn
The southern part of Aghnaskeagh Cairns is a chambered cairn. A chambered cairn is a mound of stones. Inside, there are one or more burial chambers. This cairn has four cists at its eastern end.
- Archaeological finds: During excavations, archaeologists found more cremated bone and potsherds. They also discovered scrapers. Scrapers are tools made of stone. They were used for tasks like cleaning animal hides.
- Later burial: Interestingly, another burial was made in this cairn much later. This happened during the early Christian era. This shows the site was important for a very long time.
