Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb |
|
|---|---|
| Native name Irish: Tuama Dinge Pháirc Ráth Bhrannaibh |
|
view of the tomb, standing in a field
|
|
| Type | wedge-shaped gallery grave |
| Location | Rathfranpark, Killala, County Mayo, Ireland |
| Elevation | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Built | c. 2500–2000 BC |
| Official name: Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb | |
| Reference no. | 633 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb is an ancient burial place in County Mayo, Ireland. It's a special type of tomb called a wedge-shaped gallery grave. This means it's a long, narrow stone structure. It's also recognized as a National Monument. This means it's a very important historical site in Ireland.
Where is Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb?
This ancient tomb is found about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) northwest of Killala village. It sits in a beautiful spot. From the tomb, you can see the Palmerstown River. You can also look out over Killala Bay.
When Was This Tomb Built?
The Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb is very old. It was built a long, long time ago. This was around 2500 to 2000 BC. That means it's about 4,000 to 4,500 years old! It was built during the Copper or Bronze Age. These were times when people started using metal tools.
There used to be a stone circle near the tomb. But in the 1950s, these stones were moved. They were sadly placed on top of the wedge tomb.
What Does the Tomb Look Like?
The Rathfranpark Wedge Tomb has a main chamber called a gallery. This gallery is more than 3 meters (10 feet) long. It is also about 2 meters (6.5 feet) wide. The side walls of the tomb are made from large boulders. Some of these stones are as tall as 1.8 meters (6 feet).
The tomb is built in a special direction. It points from the east-northeast (ENE) to the west-southwest (WSW). This means the ENE end of the tomb points towards the sun. It lines up with where the sun rises during the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year.
