Lough Gur Wedge Tomb in County Limerick |
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The Wedge Tomb, (also known as the Giant’s Grave) is situated on the N512 16km southeast of Limerick and about half a kilometer south of the Grange Stone Circle within sight of Lough Gur. The tomb consists of a gallery, 8.5m long, which is orientated roughly SW-NE. The gallery is sub-divided into a small western chamber, known as a portal, and a main chamber by a large stone, called a septal slab. The septal slab is built into the side walls of the grave and completely seals off the main chamber. The portal measures 1.75m long and it narrows inwards. It was probably 1.3m in height. A large stone found immediately to the west was most likely a collapsed end stone. The main chamber is 6.5m long and it declines in height from west (1.35m) to east (0.7m). The capstones are large and generally rest on the side walls. The internal walls were constructed of large stones called orthostats, the external walls consist of relatively thin flags and the area between them was packed with earth and small stones. Although no outer kerb of stones was found it is likely that the tomb was originally covered by a cairn. The human remains were fragmentary and it was obvious that the site had been disturbed. A report from 1833 regarding the tomb stated that ‘an old woman had resided in it for many years and on her death the covering stones were thrown off and it was left in its present state by ‘money diggers’ who only found some burned bones in an old jug that surely was not worth one brass farthing’. During the excavation, the bones of at least 8 adults and 4 children were found. Unusually the majority of the bones were not cremated. Most of the bones came from the main chamber but also from the wall filling and outside the chamber. Some cremated human bones were found. Cremated bone, probably human, was excavated from a small cist grave in the western chamber. Most of the pottery found in the excavation is what is known as Beaker ware. This was type common in the Early Bronze Age (about 2,500 BC). It may have been used to hold either the remains of the dead or food and drink for their journey to the next world. |
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