Glantane East facts for kids
Glantane East is a special place in County Cork, Ireland. It's home to some really old stone structures. These are called megalithic monuments, which just means "big stone" structures.
You can find Glantane East about 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) from Millstreet. It sits in the beautiful Keel River valley, on the slopes of Musherabeg mountain. This ancient site includes a wedge tomb, two stone circles, and two stone alignments.
Contents
The Mysterious Wedge Tomb
The wedge tomb at Glantane East is known by local people as "The Flags." It's like a small stone house built a very long time ago.
What is a Wedge Tomb?
A wedge tomb is a type of ancient burial place. It's usually wider and taller at the front and gets narrower and lower towards the back. This one is about 90 centimeters (3 feet) high.
Inside the Tomb
The top of the tomb is covered by a large capstone. This stone is about 2.4 meters (8 feet) square. It rests on two side stones and one back stone. Some of the original double walls are still there. There's also a 40-centimeter (16-inch) stone placed between the two main side stones.
Exploring the Stone Circles
Next to the wedge tomb, there's a fascinating stone circle. Stone circles are groups of standing stones arranged in a circular shape. People built them thousands of years ago for reasons we are still trying to understand.
The Main Stone Circle
This stone circle is almost 5 meters (16 feet) across. It has five stones still standing tall, and six other stones that have fallen over time. Some of these fallen stones are now in a ditch that goes around the circle. This ditch even has some stone facing!
What Was in the Middle?
In the very center of the circle, there's a big hole. Experts think that a large boulder or a special "boulder-burial" might have once stood there.
The Stones and Their Surroundings
The stones that are still standing are between 0.5 and 1 meter (1.6 to 3.3 feet) tall. The whole circle is surrounded by a wide ditch, about 2.5 meters (8 feet) wide, and a low bank.
Tall Pillar Stones
About 8 meters (26 feet) to the southeast of the circle, you'll find two tall, pillar-like stones. One of these has fallen down, but the other still stands as a reminder of the ancient people who built these amazing structures.
