Barrows and Cist Burials / Barraí Fáinneacha agus Adhlachtaí Cistí

Liscooley, Co. Donegal

A cist discovered at Liscooley, Co. Donegal, with the capstone removed to one side. The remains of a crouched burial can be seen within the cist

Photo by B. Raftery. Courtesy of Con Brogan

Liscooley, Co. Donegal
Photo by B. Raftery. Courtesy of Con Brogan

Liscooley, Co. Donegal

A cist discovered at Liscooley, Co. Donegal, with the capstone removed to one side. The remains of a crouched burial can be seen within the cist

Photo by B. Raftery. Courtesy of Con Brogan

Enlarge image

A barrow is a burial mound and these were constructed and/or used at different times between the Neolithic and the Iron Age. Many had a ditch and external bank around them and these are known as ringbarrows. In some cases the area enclosed is flat or only slightly raised. The burials within them can be either cremated or unburnt and are found in cists (box-like constructions formed of stone flags) or pits beneath or within the mound.
Cist burials can also be found individually or in small cemeteries without any mound or enclosing element and often contain pottery vessels dating from the Early Bronze Age.

Cooga, Co. Tipperary

Small ringbarrows, such as this example at Cooga, Co. Tipperary, could be difficult to recognise in long grass and virtually impossible to spot from the ground if they have been ploughed over

Courtesy of Con Brogan

Cooga, Co. Tipperary
Courtesy of Con Brogan

Cooga, Co. Tipperary

Small ringbarrows, such as this example at Cooga, Co. Tipperary, could be difficult to recognise in long grass and virtually impossible to spot from the ground if they have been ploughed over

Courtesy of Con Brogan

Enlarge image

Ás Gaeilge:

Is éard atá i gceist le barra ná carn adhlactha agus thógtaí a leithéid agus/nó bhaintí úsáid astu ag amanta difriúla idir an Aois Neoiliotach agus an Aois Iarainn. Bhíodh díog agus banc cré eachtrach thart ar chuid mhór acu. Barraí fáinneacha a thugtar orthu. I gcásanna áirithe tá an talamh atá timpeallaithe cothrom nó ardaithe beagáinín. D’fhéadfadh gur taisí créamtha nó neamhdhóite atá curtha iontu agus bíonn siad i gcistí (rudaí cosúil le boscaí déanta as leacacha cloiche) nó i bpoill thíos faoi nó taobh istigh den charn.
Bíonn adhlacthaí cistí le feiceáil ina n-aonar nó i reiligí beaga gan aon charn nó aon rud eile timpeall orthu agus go minic bíonn soithí potadóireachta iontu ón gCré-Umhaois Luath.