Poulnabrone Portal Tomb

Poulnabrone is a portal tomb located at one of the highest points of the Burren. The portal tomb consists of upright stones supporting a large capstone. Another large stone on the ground to the rear of the monument was likely a second capstone which may have covered the back of the structure.

The remains of 33 males and females have been found here dating from 3800-3200 BC. A newborn was also discovered at the monument, however their remains date to the Early Bronze Age between 1750 – 1420 BC.

Poulnabrone is now believed to be a marker representing the beginning of tribal land during the Neolithic period.

During the excavation of the monument, archaeologists discovered that the bones of the bodies, apart from the newborn, were all in a jumble. Likely, these remains were initially left to decay somewhere else before being moved to the megalithic monument. We are unsure as to why these people were chosen to be buried here, however, some interesting pieces such as a bone pendant, part of a mushroom-headed bone pin, a polished stone axe, two stone disc beads, two large quartz crystals, flint and chert scrapers, arrowheads, as well as 60 shards of coarse pottery were found, indicating that the people laid to rest here were considered special in death.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014