The magnificent remains of Barnenez Chambered Cairn lie on a peninsular jutting into the Baie de Morlaix just north of the village of Plouezoc’h in Finistere, Brittany. This cairn was only really rediscovered in 1955 when quarrying for stone to build a local road cut down into one of the major internal structures.
This quarrying has left part of the cairn removed, which allows a good view of the construction of the cairn, and a couple of the internal chambers open to viewing.
Dating back to 4500 BC, the cairn is 72 metres in length, 25 metres wide, 6 metres high and contains 11 burial chambers. One of the oldest pieces of major architecture to remain largely intact, it has been called the Neolithic Parthenon.
Built in two separate stages, using a different kind of stone for each part, the upper part is constructed of local dolerite, has been dated to 4400BC and has 5 chambers, while it’s more modern half is constructed of granite has been dated to 4100BC and contains another 6 chambers.
It is constructed in several steps, with some of the external sides, notably the downhill end, having large slabs incorporated into the walls presumably to help keep it all in place.
The chambers are generally made of a central chamber, with a passageway leading to it of length 7 to 12 metres, the entrances all being in the southeast side. Most of the passages and chambers are slab lined and covered by large granite slabs, although one or two of the chambers have magnificent corbelled beehive type roofs. Several of the granite slabs within certain chambers have carvings on them.
- http://bit.ly/1NDEX1u
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu