Dr. Muiris O’Sullivan

And I think that's an extraordinary sort of a piece of activity, so to speak, by someone back in the Stone Age. And they have done this repeatedly, so presumably they had techniques. I think if you place that then onto a larger scale with the megalithic tombs, they knew how to handle stone.

And I think that's an extraordinary sort of a piece of activity, so to speak, by someone back in the Stone Age. And they have done this repeatedly, so presumably they had techniques. I think if you place that then onto a larger scale with the megalithic tombs, they knew how to handle stone.

But what's maybe spectacular and maybe remarkable about all of this is that going back to their—who they were and so forth— We have no evidence that these people lived in strong houses of any type, or stone houses even in the case of Ireland.

But what's maybe spectacular and maybe remarkable about all of this is that going back to their—who they were and so forth— We have no evidence that these people lived in strong houses of any type, or stone houses even in the case of Ireland.

But what's maybe spectacular and maybe remarkable about all of this is that going back to their—who they were and so forth— We have no evidence that these people lived in strong houses of any type, or stone houses even in the case of Ireland.

They seem to have lived in relatively flimsy buildings as far as we can make out, and yet they went from that to building these enormous megalithic structures. There's a sort of a dichotomy, so to speak, in the actual daily life of these people as we know it or as we don't know it. And then these remarkable structures they've left behind.

They seem to have lived in relatively flimsy buildings as far as we can make out, and yet they went from that to building these enormous megalithic structures. There's a sort of a dichotomy, so to speak, in the actual daily life of these people as we know it or as we don't know it. And then these remarkable structures they've left behind.

They seem to have lived in relatively flimsy buildings as far as we can make out, and yet they went from that to building these enormous megalithic structures. There's a sort of a dichotomy, so to speak, in the actual daily life of these people as we know it or as we don't know it. And then these remarkable structures they've left behind.

I think so, yeah. They certainly would have used, I think, these types of things because they couldn't otherwise have done it, I think. You know, certainly they were using ramps, I suspect. The other thing is that in other places, in Brittany and so forth, where they were dealing with large stones, I'm thinking of the tableau de Marchand there where there was a sort of alignment there beside it,

I think so, yeah. They certainly would have used, I think, these types of things because they couldn't otherwise have done it, I think. You know, certainly they were using ramps, I suspect. The other thing is that in other places, in Brittany and so forth, where they were dealing with large stones, I'm thinking of the tableau de Marchand there where there was a sort of alignment there beside it,

I think so, yeah. They certainly would have used, I think, these types of things because they couldn't otherwise have done it, I think. You know, certainly they were using ramps, I suspect. The other thing is that in other places, in Brittany and so forth, where they were dealing with large stones, I'm thinking of the tableau de Marchand there where there was a sort of alignment there beside it,

that you're able to see evidence of them dealing with the stone, so to speak. Whereas in the case of these passage rooms, they didn't leave traces behind of the types of ramps or whatever they were using to build these monuments. I've seen various attempts to explain how they might have done it. You know, as you say, scaffolding ramps.

that you're able to see evidence of them dealing with the stone, so to speak. Whereas in the case of these passage rooms, they didn't leave traces behind of the types of ramps or whatever they were using to build these monuments. I've seen various attempts to explain how they might have done it. You know, as you say, scaffolding ramps.

that you're able to see evidence of them dealing with the stone, so to speak. Whereas in the case of these passage rooms, they didn't leave traces behind of the types of ramps or whatever they were using to build these monuments. I've seen various attempts to explain how they might have done it. You know, as you say, scaffolding ramps.

some people have suggested that the interior might have been filled with something like sand and then the thing built on top of it. But I always think that all of that is very well, but ultimately someone had to take away these things, this scaffolding or sand. And you needed to predict what would happen at that stage, I think. And I think that's the genius of these people.

some people have suggested that the interior might have been filled with something like sand and then the thing built on top of it. But I always think that all of that is very well, but ultimately someone had to take away these things, this scaffolding or sand. And you needed to predict what would happen at that stage, I think. And I think that's the genius of these people.

some people have suggested that the interior might have been filled with something like sand and then the thing built on top of it. But I always think that all of that is very well, but ultimately someone had to take away these things, this scaffolding or sand. And you needed to predict what would happen at that stage, I think. And I think that's the genius of these people.

In the case of the corbeled roof at Newgrange, as you know, it's this high high, cobbled roof, ending with a flat stone across the top. The way this cobbling was done is that, first of all, the stones leaned slightly outwards and downwards, so there's a slight angle in them. And the weight of each of these stones was behind, so to speak.

In the case of the corbeled roof at Newgrange, as you know, it's this high high, cobbled roof, ending with a flat stone across the top. The way this cobbling was done is that, first of all, the stones leaned slightly outwards and downwards, so there's a slight angle in them. And the weight of each of these stones was behind, so to speak.

In the case of the corbeled roof at Newgrange, as you know, it's this high high, cobbled roof, ending with a flat stone across the top. The way this cobbling was done is that, first of all, the stones leaned slightly outwards and downwards, so there's a slight angle in them. And the weight of each of these stones was behind, so to speak.