ROUGH STONE MONUMENTS 



The megalithic monuments of Ireland are 

 extremely numerous, and are found in almost 

 every part of the country. They offer a particular 

 interest from the fact that though they are of few 

 different types they display all the stages by 

 which the more complex were developed from the 

 more simple. It must be remembered that most 

 if not all the monuments we shall describe were 

 originally covered by mounds of earth, though 

 in most cases these have disappeared. 



The simple dolmen is found in almost all parts 

 of the country. Its single cover-slab is supported 

 by a varying number of uprights, sometimes as 

 few as three, oftener four or more. It is of great 



CZD" 



Fig. 5. Type-plans of (a) the round dolmen ; (b) the 

 dolmen with portico ; [c) the rectangular dolmen. 



importance to notice the fact that here in Ireland, 

 as elsewhere in the megalithic area, e.g. Sardinia, 

 we have the round and rectangular dolmens in 

 juxtaposition (Fig. 5, a and c). 



Occasionally one of the end-blocks of the dolmen 



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