Poulnabrone Dolmen
Poulnabrone portal tomb · Poll na mBrón
Early Neolithic·Early Neolithic Ireland (Lambay / Burren Neolithic)·🇮🇪 The Burren, County Clare, Ireland
About
About Poulnabrone Dolmen
Ireland's most famous portal dolmen on Burren limestone pavement plateau: two portal stones (1.8 m) supporting 3.7 m capstone over 2.5 m high chamber with sill stone and displaced side stones, within low cairn 10 m. Dated 4200–2900 BCE, excavated 1986–88 revealing remains of 33 individuals (16 adults, 6 children) with grave goods: polished axe, quartz crystal, bone pendant. Radiocarbon anchored Neolithic. Clints and grikes landscape starvation karst setting.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why Burren isolated on high pavement vs valley settlement
Theories
- 01Visibility territorial marker for limestone upland pastoralists
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. 4200–3800 BCE
- Period
- Early Neolithic
- Culture
- Early Neolithic Ireland (Lambay / Burren Neolithic)
- Purpose
- Portal tomb collective burial
- Abandoned
- Late Neolithic
- Rediscovered
- Excavated 1986–88 (Ann Lynch)
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 4200–3800 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1314 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
53.0488° N · 9.1400° W · 70 m · 1 mapped feature
Portal stones
portalTwo 1.8 m portal orthostats supporting capstone
53.0488° N · 9.1400° W
Gallery