Maughanasilly Stone Row facts for kids

Maughanasilly Stone Row is an ancient line of stones in County Cork, Ireland. It is a special place called a National Monument. People built it a very long time ago, during the Bronze Age. This amazing site helps us learn about the past.

Where to Find Maughanasilly Stone Row

This ancient stone row is in a beautiful spot in County Cork, Ireland. It sits on the eastern side of a hill called Knockbreteen. The site is about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) north of a village named Kealkill. There is also another stone circle nearby at a place called Illane.

History of the Stone Row

Maughanasilly Stone Row was built during the Bronze Age. This was around 1600 to 1500 BC. That means it is over 3,500 years old! People used these stones to study the sky. They were interested in how the sun and moon moved.

How Ancient People Used the Stones

The people who built the stone row used it for archaeoastronomical purposes. This means they used it like an ancient observatory. They watched the sky to track things like lunar standstills. These are special times when the moon reaches its highest or lowest points in the sky. They also used the stones to mark the equinoxes. An equinox is when day and night are almost equal in length.

What Archaeologists Found

In 1977, a scientist named Ann Lynch dug up the area. She found shallow pits around the stones. Inside these pits, there were small quartz pebbles. She also discovered two flint scrapers. These tools were likely used by the people who built the stone row.

What Maughanasilly Stone Row Looks Like

The Maughanasilly Stone Row has five stones that are still standing tall. There is also one stone that has fallen over. The stones are lined up in a direction from northeast to southwest. The tallest stone is about 1.35 meters (4.4 feet) high. It is very heavy, weighing around 8 tonnes!