Ballon Hill facts for kids
| Coordinates | 52°44′22″N 6°46′34″W / 52.73944°N 6.77611°W |
|---|---|
| History | |
| Founded | 2200 BC |
| Periods | Bronze Age |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Private |
| Public access | No |
| Reference no. | CW013-124 |
Ballon Hill is an ancient site in County Carlow, Ireland. It's a special place from the Bronze Age, which was a time long, long ago. This hill was mainly used as a burial ground. It's located near the small village of Ballon, County Carlow.
What is Ballon Hill?
Ballon Hill is an important archaeological site. This means it's a place where people study old human history. It sits on a small hill close to Ballon village. The site is so important that it's listed as an Irish National Monument.
For a long time, people used Ballon Hill to bury their dead. This happened mostly during the Bronze Age. We only started to learn about the hidden parts of the site in the 1800s. More recently, scientists used cool technology like Lidar to find even more features. Lidar uses lasers to create detailed maps of the ground.
History of Discoveries
People started burying others at Ballon Hill around 2200 BC. That's over 4,000 years ago! We know there were at least three burial spots from that time.
In the mid-1800s, two people named John James Lecky and J. Richardson Smith dug up parts of the site. They worked there from 1853 to 1855. During their digs, they found a huge amount of pottery. It was one of the biggest collections of ancient pottery ever found in Ireland!
The site was most active between 2020 BC and 1920 BC. This means many people were buried there during that 100-year period.
Where are the Finds Now?
Today, much of the pottery found at Ballon Hill is kept in museums. You can see some of it at the National Museum of Ireland. Other pieces are in the British Museum in London.
In 1997, the Carlow County Museum received a special gift. Someone donated a razor knife and two smooth, polished stones. These items came from one of the graves found at Ballon Hill.
Modern Research
In 2012, a new project started called the Ballon Hill Archaeology Project. Its goal was to study the site again using modern tools. Groups like the Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society helped pay for this work.
They used Lidar and other advanced surveying methods. This helped them create detailed maps without even digging. The project shared its findings in a report in 2014. They also published an article in a science magazine called the Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. This new research helps us understand even more about this amazing ancient site.
