Townleyhall passage grave

Townleyhall Tomb

Tuama Pasáiste Halla an Toinlígh
Townleyhall Tomb from the air
Shown within Ireland
Location	valley of the River Boyne
Region	County Louth, Ireland
Coordinates	53°43′16″N 6°27′05″W
Type	chamber tomb
Part of	Brú na Bóinne
History
Periods	Neolithic
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, iii, iv
Designated	1993 (17th session)
Part of	Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne
Reference no.	659
Ireland
Region	Europe and North America

Townleyhall passage grave is a chamber tomb located around 2 km north of Dowth tomb. It is part of the megalithic complex of Brú na Bóinne in County Louth, Ireland.

It is located outside the World Heritage Site core area but (just) inside the buffer zone.

Side view

Construction

The site was originally a Neolithic settlement but was abandoned by its occupants, perhaps because it was a temporary site serving the construction project or due to the death of a senior member, and turned into a passage grave. Unlike its more famous neighbours in the Boyne valley, the tomb consists of a single chamber that merges with the entrance passage making it an undifferentiated passage grave.

Excavation

Townleyhall was excavated by George Eogan in 1962, work which found Carrowkeel ware pottery providing the first indication that Ireland's passage graves were of Neolithic date. Following this many of the other sites in the area were dug, although the methods used at the time would be considered crude by today's standards.

External links

Media related to Townleyhall passage grave at Wikimedia Commons

• Pictures
• Images from Knowth.com