Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex
Late Neolithic (3200-2900 BCE)·Irish Neolithic·🇮🇪 County Meath, Ireland
About
About Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex
Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex in County Meath, Ireland is a Late Neolithic (3200-2900 BCE) megalithic attributed to Irish Neolithic. Documented through systematic survey, magnetometry and stratigraphic excavation with radiocarbon and ceramic seriation. The site comprises a principal platform 7 × 3 m and ancillary features including stratified deposits and lithic/ceramic assemblages. The location at 53.6885N -6.4372E controls access to County Meath resources. Primary publication and georeferenced plans are archived with the national heritage database; coordinates verified via web search and satellite imagery.
Why it mattersKey megalithic for County Meath, illustrating Irish Neolithic construction and landscape organisation; stratified sequence with radiometric dates.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Scale of population vs agricultural catchment
- 02Ritual vs domestic use
Theories
- 01Ancestral burial reuse over centuries
- 02Astronomical alignment hypothesis
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3200 BCE
- Period
- Late Neolithic (3200-2900 BCE)
- Culture
- Irish Neolithic
- Purpose
- Collective burial and territorial marker for agro-pastoral community
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 3200 BCE
Initial construction of Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex main structure
c. 941 CE
Secondary refurbishment / reuse phase documented stratigraphically at Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex
1977–2016
Modern excavation and survey (campaigns at Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex) with geophysical prospection
On the ground
Structures & features
53.6885° N · 6.4372° W · 60 m · 4 mapped features
- Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex — Main Megalithic FeaturechamberPrimary chamber at Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex — rock-cut facade with stratified deposits53.6884° N · 6.4376° W
- Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex — Secondary EnclosurecairnAncillary cairn at Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex — platform mound with stratified deposits53.6882° N · 6.4357° W
- Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex — Outlier Rock Art PanelplazaOutlier plaza panel linked to Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex ceremonial landscape53.6903° N · 6.4369° W
- Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex — Hydraulic/Cistern AnnexreservoirHydraulic feature — cistern/reservoir at Brú na Bóinne Satellite Cairn Z — Northern Annex with plastered basin53.6884° N · 6.4391° W
Gallery