Dr. Muiris O’Sullivan

They don't seem to have been quarried. You know, there may have been outcrops that were quarried, but they weren't, you know, the entire stone is not a quarried stone. It may have been broken off an outcrop or something like that. They're massive stones, and this is what gives its name.

In the case of the Boyne Valley, you know, there are, I can't remember the number, but hundreds of these massive stones were collected to build the megalithy tombs. And that in itself is an enormous amount of labor, as you can imagine.

In the case of the Boyne Valley, you know, there are, I can't remember the number, but hundreds of these massive stones were collected to build the megalithy tombs. And that in itself is an enormous amount of labor, as you can imagine.

In the case of the Boyne Valley, you know, there are, I can't remember the number, but hundreds of these massive stones were collected to build the megalithy tombs. And that in itself is an enormous amount of labor, as you can imagine.

Well, the megalithic tradition was very much part of Western Europe, and it seems to have emerged around the same time that farming arrived. Now, there are megaliths in other parts of the world, like Japan and so forth. I think we'll just leave those aside and just deal with the Western European ones. That's okay.

Well, the megalithic tradition was very much part of Western Europe, and it seems to have emerged around the same time that farming arrived. Now, there are megaliths in other parts of the world, like Japan and so forth. I think we'll just leave those aside and just deal with the Western European ones. That's okay.

Well, the megalithic tradition was very much part of Western Europe, and it seems to have emerged around the same time that farming arrived. Now, there are megaliths in other parts of the world, like Japan and so forth. I think we'll just leave those aside and just deal with the Western European ones. That's okay.

And these ones in Western Europe, I think they spread from North Africa, certainly the Mediterranean islands, Iberia, France, especially Brittany, and then up into Ireland, Britain, some of the Scandinavian countries as well. So it's quite an extensive area. And within that, there is this passage tomb tradition, this particular type of tomb that has a passage leading into a chamber.

And these ones in Western Europe, I think they spread from North Africa, certainly the Mediterranean islands, Iberia, France, especially Brittany, and then up into Ireland, Britain, some of the Scandinavian countries as well. So it's quite an extensive area. And within that, there is this passage tomb tradition, this particular type of tomb that has a passage leading into a chamber.

And these ones in Western Europe, I think they spread from North Africa, certainly the Mediterranean islands, Iberia, France, especially Brittany, and then up into Ireland, Britain, some of the Scandinavian countries as well. So it's quite an extensive area. And within that, there is this passage tomb tradition, this particular type of tomb that has a passage leading into a chamber.

And they're actually found across most of that area as well. But certainly in the Irish context, they are the most famous ones. And of course, in Britain, Orkney, especially Mace Howe, and the various other ones there in Orkney.

And they're actually found across most of that area as well. But certainly in the Irish context, they are the most famous ones. And of course, in Britain, Orkney, especially Mace Howe, and the various other ones there in Orkney.

And they're actually found across most of that area as well. But certainly in the Irish context, they are the most famous ones. And of course, in Britain, Orkney, especially Mace Howe, and the various other ones there in Orkney.

Both of them are very well known, and there seems to be a certain connection as well between Orkney and the Boyne Valley in the Stone Age, in the Neolithic. And of course, we're dealing with a period around 5,000 years ago. These tombs, especially the ones in the Boyne Valley, appear to have been built maybe sometime around 3,300 B.C., 3,200 B.C.,

Both of them are very well known, and there seems to be a certain connection as well between Orkney and the Boyne Valley in the Stone Age, in the Neolithic. And of course, we're dealing with a period around 5,000 years ago. These tombs, especially the ones in the Boyne Valley, appear to have been built maybe sometime around 3,300 B.C., 3,200 B.C.,

Both of them are very well known, and there seems to be a certain connection as well between Orkney and the Boyne Valley in the Stone Age, in the Neolithic. And of course, we're dealing with a period around 5,000 years ago. These tombs, especially the ones in the Boyne Valley, appear to have been built maybe sometime around 3,300 B.C., 3,200 B.C.,

And the Orkney ones are approximately the same time as well. And there seems to be some linkage because... And I'm switching from Newgrange to Nouth here for a second. I'm sorry about this. Just at Nouth, it's a more extensive arrangement of tombs because as well as the big mound at Nouth...

And the Orkney ones are approximately the same time as well. And there seems to be some linkage because... And I'm switching from Newgrange to Nouth here for a second. I'm sorry about this. Just at Nouth, it's a more extensive arrangement of tombs because as well as the big mound at Nouth...

And the Orkney ones are approximately the same time as well. And there seems to be some linkage because... And I'm switching from Newgrange to Nouth here for a second. I'm sorry about this. Just at Nouth, it's a more extensive arrangement of tombs because as well as the big mound at Nouth...

You have 18 smaller ones, but also within the big mound at Nouth, you had two tombs, an east and a west tomb. And within the east tomb at Nouth, there was a very spectacular mace head found, which was featured in the Stonehenge exhibition in the British Museum a couple of years ago. And that may said, everything about it would suggest that it may well come from Britain and maybe from Orkney.