Áine Minogue

In Newgrange, County Louth, there is an ancient tomb with stones covered with ancient Celtic artwork. Once a year, at the Winter Solstice, the tomb fills with light and the beautiful spirals are illuminated. Newgrange predates both Stonehenge and the ancient Pyramids of Egypt.

It is a clear signal that the ancient peoples of Ireland understood the movement of the sun at the Winter Solstice and celebrated this Shortest Day; the Darkest Midnight. Here are thirty-three facts about this fascinating monument. Many Celtic jewelry designs are inspired by the spirals at Newgrange. 

Lots of fun factoids here:

• 1,000 years older than Stonehenge (see Stonehenge slideshow below)
• Discovered in 1969 by laborers searching for building stones
• Charles Campbell was the landowner at the time
• On Campbell's instructions, stones were sought and the entrance discovered
• The mound is in the shape of a kidney 
• Constructed around 3200BC (Stone Age)
• 600 years older than the Giza Pyramids in Egypt
• Covers an area of approximately one acre
• Surrounded by 97 kerb-stones
• Megalithic art on many of the kerb-stones
• Arwork includes spirals, lozenges, zigzags, and other symbols
• These designs are similar to designs found in Brittany (France), at Gavrinis
• Entrance stone has the most famous designs; triple spiral
• Long passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a corbelled roof
• Historians building time estimate (passage tomb): 300 workers 20 years +
• 200,000 + visitors to Newgrange each year
• Most visited archaeological monument in Ireland
• One of the finest European passage-tombs
• Located in the Boyne Valley in a 3 square mile area
• Within this 3 mile area, there are 30 prehistoric monuments
• The stone circle was probably built about 1000 years later (Beaker period).
• Over the entrance passageway is the 'roof box' (allows the light in)
• The roof box aligns perfectly with the sunrise on the winter solstice
• At sunset on the winter solstice, the center of the tomb floods with light
• The illumination lasts about 20 minutes
• You can see the spirals for those 20 minutes....
• The cruciform chamber inside the mound measures 6.5 x 6.2m (21ft 6in x 17ft)
• The corbelled roof stretches 6m (20ft) above the floor
• Considered to have have been the burial place of the Kings of Tara
• Home of King Dagda, leader of the Tuatha De Danann