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Rath Meave
Ráth Medb
Enclosure, Belpere, Co Meath - geograph.org.uk - 1760618.jpg
Edge of the enclosure
Rath Meave is located in Ireland
Rath Meave
Location in Ireland
Alternative name Rath Meabe, Rath Maeve
Location Odder/Belpere,
County Meath, Ireland
Coordinates 53°34′00″N 6°36′33″W / 53.566716°N 6.609074°W / 53.566716; -6.609074
Type Embanked enclosure
Part of Hill of Tara complex
Area 3.978 hectares (9.83 acres)
Diameter 230 metres (250 yd)
Circumference 700 metres (770 yd)
History
Material earth
Founded 2000–1500 BC
Periods Early Bronze Age
Cultures Atlantic Bronze Age
Designation National Monument

Rath Meave is a henge located near the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland. It is a National Monument.

Location

Rath Meave is located in the Tara-Skryne Valley, 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) south of the Hill of Tara and 3.4 kilometres (2.1 mi) east of Kilmessan.

Description

The remains of Rath Meave consist of an approximately circular henge, about 700 metres long, enclosing an area of about 4 hectares.

A cut on the north side of Rath Medb's bank, presumably the entrance, is aligned with the oldest site at Tara, the Mound of the Hostages.

History

Rath Meave was constructed during the fourth phase of Tara's building, in the early Bronze Age (c. 2000–1500 BC). This was around the same time as the Mound of the Hostages was used for burials. It takes its name from Medb Lethderg, a Celtic sovereignty goddess who in Irish legend was the wife or lover of nine successive Kings of Tara. Her relationship to the better-known Medb of Cruachan, legendary Queen of Connacht, is unclear; they may be the same character, or one may have inspired the other.

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