Brú na Bóinne –the palace or mansion of the Boyne- is the name given to one of the world’s most important archaeological landscapes and is a World Heritage Site. The area is about 8 km inland from Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland and describes an area where the River Boyne meanders into a dramatic loop or bend. Brú na Bóinne is dominated by the spectacular Neolithic passage tombs of Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth.
Of these great monuments, the best known is Newgrange. Dating to 3200BC, the monument is renowned for the precision of its winter solstice sunrise alignment. Recent research into the alignment has captured high-resolution images of the solar illumination of the burial chamber during the days spanning winter solstice.
In this lecture, the construction of the monument, its orientation and its wider significance will be discussed. Also explored will be the impact of broadcasting the winter solstice sunrise live from inside the chamber to a worldwide audience during the recent pandemic.
Speaker: Clare Tuffy worked for The Office of Public Works in Ireland at Brú na Bóinne and Newgrange for over 40 years. She will share her intimate knowledge of the monument, her experience of so many Winter Solstices and discuss what it means to us now.
The lecture is on the 6th December, free and via Zoom. For more info and to book, please go to :
Archaeology Online: Newgrange, it’s all about the light
Archaeology Online is a joint venture between BACAS, BAAS, BGAS and Bristol Museums.