Ballymacgibbon Cairn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ballymacgibbon Cairn |
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| Native name Irish: Carn Bhaile Mhic Giobúin |
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| Type | cairn |
| Location | Ballymacgibbon North, Cross, County Mayo, Ireland |
| Elevation | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Height | 10 m (33 ft) |
| Built | 4000–2500 BC |
| Official name: Ballymacgibbon Cairn | |
| Reference no. | 251 |
Ballymacgibbon Cairn is an ancient stone mound found in County Mayo, Ireland. It is a special place, protected as a National Monument of Ireland. This cairn is a fascinating example of prehistoric building.
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Where is Ballymacgibbon Cairn?
Ballymacgibbon Cairn sits on top of a hill. It is about 1.4 kilometers (less than a mile) west of a village called Cross, County Mayo. This location gives it a great view of the surrounding area.
When Was Ballymacgibbon Cairn Built?
Scientists believe Ballymacgibbon Cairn was built a very long time ago. This was during the Neolithic period. The Neolithic period is also known as the New Stone Age. It lasted from about 4000 to 2500 BC. This means the cairn is thousands of years old!
So far, no one has dug up the cairn to study it. This is why we don't know all its secrets.
Who Might Have Built It?
A famous historian named William Wilde had an idea about the cairn. He thought it was built by a mythical king. This king was called Eochaid mac Eirc. William Wilde believed the cairn celebrated a big battle. This battle was known as the Battle of Moytura. These stories are part of ancient Irish legends.
What Does Ballymacgibbon Cairn Look Like?
The cairn is a very large mound made of limestone rocks. It measures about 30 meters (almost 100 feet) across. Imagine a circle of rocks that big!
Features of the Cairn
The main mound is surrounded by a lower, smaller mound. You can also see some large stones called kerbstones. These stones form a kind of edge around the cairn. Some of these kerbstones have interesting lines or scratches on them. We don't know what these marks mean.
The sides of the cairn are very steep. The top of the cairn is flat. This flat top is a clue for archaeologists. It suggests that the cairn might contain a passage grave. A passage grave is an ancient burial chamber. It has a long stone passage leading into a central room.
Nearby Structures
On the north side of the cairn, you can see the remains of an old lime kiln. A lime kiln was used to heat limestone. This process made lime, which was used in building or farming. This kiln was built much later than the cairn itself.
