Хойд Ирландын түүхэн дэх томоохон зан үйлийн цогцолборын нэг хэсэг болох эртний дурсгалыг археологичид олж нээлээ.
Белфаст хотын ойролцоох “Ballynahatty” зан үйлийн цогцолбор газраас дор хаяж 4000 жилийн настай чулуун тойрог илэрчээ. Queen’s University Belfast-ийн судлаачид агаарын гэрэл зурагт тулгуурлан газар тариалангийн талбайн доор нуугдсан уг байгууламжийг олж тогтоосон байна. Малтлагын явцад уг дурсгалыг хожуу неолит буюу хүрэл зэвсгийн үед хамаарахыг баталжээ.
Уг төслийг “Community Archaeology Programme Northern Ireland” (CAPNI) байгууллага, “National Lottery Heritage Fund”-ийн санхүүжилтээр хэрэгжүүлж байна. Судлаач Брайан Слоаны тайлбарласнаар, 19-р зуунд газар тариалангийн үйл ажиллагааны улмаас уг дурсгалын ихээхэн хэсэг эвдэрч сүйдсэн байжээ. Хэдийгээр одоогоор оршуулгын шинж тэмдэг илрээгүй ч уг чулуун тойргийг шашны зан үйл, цугларалтад зориулан ашигладаг байсан байж болзошгүй гэж үзэж байна.
Малтлагын ажилд орон нутгийн сайн дурынхан болон сургуулийн сурагчид идэвхтэй оролцсон нь түүхийн үлдэгдлийг тодруулахад чухал хувь нэмэр оруулжээ. Үйл ажиллагааны явцад нэгэн сурагч эртний сумны зэв олсон нь малтлагын онцлох үйл явдлуудын нэг болсон байна. Судлаачид уг чулуун тойргийг Белфаст орчмын эртний түүхэн ландшафт дахь байр суурийг нарийвчлан судлахаар үргэлжлүүлэн ажиллаж байна.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
A previously unknown stone circle dating back at least 4,000 years has been uncovered near Belfast, giving archaeologists a new piece of one of Northern Ireland’s largest prehistoric ritual landscapes. The discovery was made after aerial photographs revealed cropmarks that hinted at something hidden beneath the fields.
The excavation is taking place within the Ballynahatty Ritual Complex, an area that already includes around 50 known archaeological monuments. Led by Queen’s University Belfast, the project has brought together archaeologists, community volunteers, and local schoolchildren to investigate what the aerial images suggested was a much larger site than previously thought.
Archaeologists have already confirmed that the cropmark belongs to a Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age stone circle. The excavation is being carried out through the Community Archaeology Programme Northern Ireland (CAPNI) with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Aerial Photos Revealed Hidden Clues
The discovery started with a closer look at aerial photographs of the area. The images showed a series of cropmarks extending beyond the archaeological features that were already known, suggesting that the Ballynahatty Ritual Complex stretched farther than researchers had realized.
Brian Sloan, from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University Belfast, said those images encouraged the team to investigate the field. Excavation quickly confirmed that the buried feature was a prehistoric stone circle.
Sloan also pointed to earlier excavations carried out by Barrie Hartwell during the 1990s. That work uncovered what became known as a “Neolithic Temple” at the Giant’s Ring, including a large timber circle with an internal excarnation platform believed to have been used for processing dead bodies.
“We came across aerial photography of the area and noticed a number of crop marks in the field, which suggested the Ballynahatty Ritual Complex extended further than we first thought.” He said. “We decided to dig deeper and work with community volunteers and schoolchildren to try to piece together the area’s hidden history.”
A Monument Shaped By History
The excavation has shown that the newly identified monument dates to the Late Neolithic or Early Bronze Age. So far, archaeologists have found no evidence linking the site to burials.
Queen’s University Belfast says the field forms part of the wider Ballynahatty Ritual Complex, which covers the southern end of the Malone Ridge. Sloan explained that much of the stone circle was damaged during the 19th century when farmers dismantled ancient monuments that stood in the way of agricultural work.
Stone circles are still something of a mystery. Sloan said they would have required a great deal of effort to build, but archaeologists still debate exactly how they were used.
“The function of stone circles remains a bit of a mystery. A great deal of effort is required to construct them, but what they were actually used for is open to debate. There is a chance that they were used for religious ceremonies, gathering at certain times of the year,” he explained.
He noted that some sites, including Beaghmore in County Tyrone, also feature celestial alignments that could have been used as a prehistoric calendar.
Volunteers Helped Uncover The Ancient Site
The excavation has involved community volunteers and schoolchildren over the past month, giving local residents the opportunity to take part in the archaeological work. Despite periods of heavy rain and scorching heat, participants continued working alongside the research team.
“It has been fantastic to work alongside community volunteers and schoolchildren to try to piece together the history that lies beneath us. They have battled both heavy rain and scorching sunshine over the last few weeks, and we’re delighted with what they’ve helped uncover,” Sloan said.
One of the highlights came when Harper, a pupil from Finaghy Primary School, discovered a broken arrowhead during the excavation. The project is still underway, and archaeologists continue to investigate the newly discovered stone circle and its place within the wider prehistoric landscape surrounding Belfast.
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