Coffey — Prehistoric Cenotaphs. 19 



One of the most conclusive examples of a prehistoric cenotaph, 

 probably the most conclusive, occurs in Ireland. It is the principal 

 cairn in the prehistonc cemetery on the Loughcrew Hills, Co. Meath. 

 The remains of twenty-eight cairns can still be counted in this im- 

 portant cemetery. The larger cairns are chambered, and in most cases 

 have well-defined passages leading to the chambers. They are sur- 

 rounded at the base by a curb of large stones laid end to end, within 

 which the cairn is heaped, and the construction is in all such cases 

 well and clearly defined. In the two largest of the chambered caii-ns, 

 "l" and "t," the boundary stones are sharply curved in at the 

 entrances, so that the entrances are clearly marked on the circle of the 

 boundary stones. 1 This feature maybe also seen in the great tumulus 

 of New Grange, but it is more strongly marked at Loughcrew. Cairn 

 "l" is 135 feet in diameter, and the entire length of passage and 

 chamber measures 29 feet: Cairn "x," 11.5 feet in diameter, and 

 passage and chamber, 28 feet. 



These, as stated, are the largest chambered cairns, but they are 

 exceeded by the dimensions of the unchambered Cairn "d," the 

 largest in the cemetery, which reaches 180 feet in diameter. 



This cairn is surrounded by a precisely similar curb of great 

 stones, which likewise is curved-in apparently to mark an entrance to 

 the cairn. 



It is important to note the bearings of the passages to the chambered 

 cairns in the cemetery. 



In ten cases with well marked passages, they are given by Conwell 

 as follows : — 



Cairn f. 



E. 



10, 



N. 



„ H. 



E. 



10, 



S. 



n I- 



E. 







„ J. 



E. 



10, 



S. 



„ K. 



E. 



15, 



N. 



„ L. 



E. 



20, 



s. 



,, s. 



W. 



10, 



IN". 



n T. 



E. 



10, 



S. 



„ U. 



E. 



20, 



s. 



n V. 



E. 



20, 



s. 



Thus, with the exception of S., the passage of which facea west, 



1 The references are to Conwell's " Discovery of the Tombof Ollamh Fodhla," 

 Dublin, M'Glashan & Gill, 1873 ; a somewhat romantic essay, but reliable for 

 descriptive details. I have checked the descriptions and measurements on th& 

 ground. 



C 2 



