Ballymacdermott Court Tomb facts for kids

Ballymacdermot Court Tomb is an ancient stone tomb found on Ballymacdermot Mountain in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It is about two miles away from the town of Newry. This special place is protected by the government as a "scheduled monument."

This tomb was built a very long time ago, between 4000 and 2500 years before the Common Era. That means it's over 4,500 years old! It is close to other old stone structures from the Stone Age, like Ballykeel Dolmen and Clontigora Cairn.

What is Ballymacdermot Court Tomb?

Ballymacdermot Court Tomb is a type of ancient burial site. It was built using very large stones. These tombs were used by people who lived during the Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age. They are important clues about how people lived and buried their dead thousands of years ago.

Discoveries at the Tomb

People have explored the Ballymacdermot Court Tomb more than once. They wanted to learn about its history and what might be inside.

Early Digs

The first time the tomb was dug up was in 1816. A man named John Bell from Killevy Castle worked with the landowner, Jonathon Seavers. They told a local magazine that they found a pot. Inside the pot were small pieces of bone. This suggests the tomb was used for burials.

Later Investigations

The tomb was explored again in 1962 by archaeologists A. E. P. Collins and B. Wilson. They found more evidence of human remains that had been burned. They also found old tools made of flint and pieces of pottery.

The archaeologists noticed that some of the large stones in the tomb had been moved. Local people told them a surprising story. They said a U.S. Army tank had accidentally disturbed the stones during the Second World War!