Sample Answer - Newgrange

SAMPLE ANSWER - HIGHER LEVEL, 2006, 

QUESTION 1

”Describe and discuss the megalithic site of Newgrange, referring in your answer to location, general
description, structure and decoration AND Discuss the function of Newgrange, referring to the skills and spiritual beliefs of the people who built it”

1.
MARKING SCHEME FOR HIGHER LEVEL, 2006, QUESTION 1
General description - location - structure 15
Description and discussion of decoration 10
Function 5
Reference to skills and spiritual beliefs 10
Sketches 10
Total 50

Intro & Location
Newgrange was constructed over 5,000 years ago, about 3,200 B.C., making it older than Stonehenge
in England and the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Newgrange was built during the Neolithic or
New Stone Age period by a farming community that lived off of the rich land of the Boyne Valley in
county Mayo. It was built near the banks of the river Boyne, and close to two other Neolithic burial
sites; Knowth and Dowth.
Newgrange was discovered in 1962, but the famous roof-box was not discovered until 1963. Excavation
lasted until 1975, at which point it was classi"ed by archaeologists to be one of the "nest examples in
the world of Neolithic Passage Tombs. However, it is believed that the function of Newgrange stretched
far beyond that of a tomb. It is clear that Newgrange was a place of religious, astrological, spiritual and
ceremonial importance.

General Description
Newgrange is a large mound, covering an area of over one acre. At the base there are 97 kerbstones, only
some of which are decorated. e wall above the kerbstones is made of white quartz, which was sourced
from County Wicklow. e mound measures 85 meters in diameter and the tomb inside is 6 meters
high at its tallest point. e passage itself is 19 meters long and has three burial recesses. In each part of
the chamber are stone basins which were possibly used to hold the ashes of the dead along with their
belongings.

Structure
The roof over the main burial chamber shows how advanced the people of Newgrange were at the time
of its construction. They used a technique called corbelling to give Newgrange its unique dome-like
structure, but also to keep the inside chamber water tight. It is a credit to the designers and builders of
Newgrange that the roof still stands perfectly today even without reinforcement. Slabs of stone were
placed on top of each other so that one rested slightly more inwards than the slab underneath, until
they reached at the top, over which a capstone was placed. is created a downward sloping structure,
which drained rainwater off of the roof and into the cairn. As a result of this clever architecture, the
interior of Newgrange remains as dry as ever.

Decoration
Only some of the kerbstones bear any decoration at all, but the most ornately designed kerbstone is
de"nitely “Kerbstone 52 ” which lies directly opposite the entrance to Newgrange on the other side of
the mound. No thorough interpretation or analysis of the stone’s designs has yet been made, but it
could possibly feature representations of the Belt Stars of Orion, and it is possible that the largest “star ”
bored into the stone represents Sirius, the brightest star of the night sky. There is definitely some
astronomical reasoning behind the interpretation of Kerbstone 52.
Apart from Kerbstone 52, probably the most intricately designed piece in Newgrange is the Entrance
Stone. The Entrance Stone is a long, oblong shaped boulder which stands 1.3 meters high and 3.2
meters long. The stone itself is green gritstone, a type of rock deposited by glaciation. The strongly
marked patterns were created on a large scale, the largest spiral measuring 60cm wide. After the design
was completed, the entire surface was pick dressed to expose the colours of the stone. Most of the
design on the front of the stone consists of abstract spiral shapes, divided by a vertical line running
down the centre. On the left of the line are three spiral shapes rotating clockwise and anti-clockwise. To
the left of these are three double banded lozenges surrounded by wavy arcs. To the right of the central
line are two double clockwise spiral shapes, with a double banded lozenge placed beside them. Above
the two spirals are rows of concentric arcs, which are repeated below. It is possible that the three spirals
on the let of the stone symbolise Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, and that the multi-banded wavy
lines underneath represent the River Boyne.

In contrast to these designed pieces are the twelve remaining monoliths which surround Newgrange at a
distance of 15 meters. These individual standing stones were placed at a later date to Newgrange’s
original construction, possibly during the Bronze Age, and they bear no design at all. Originally it is
believed that there were 35 monoliths in total.


Function

Apart from the obvious function as a burial site, it is clear that Newgrange served as a place of religious,
astrological, spiritual and ceremonial importance for the Neolithic people.The New Stone Age people’s
skills and understanding of the solar cycle and patterns of the stars is evident in the construction and
designs of Newgrange. It would seem as though Newgrange itself was built to serve as a type of solar
calendar that marked the beginning of a new year. The fascination with astrology and solar cycles is
exposed once a year on the winter solstice, when sunlight shines down the passage to the burial recesses,
$ooding the tomb with light for 17 minutes. Newgrange's accuracy as a time-telling device is
remarkable when one considers that it was built 500 years before the Great Pyramids and more than
1,000 years before Stonehenge. The intent of its builders was undoubtedly to mark the beginning of the
new year. In addition, it may have served as a powerful symbol of the victory of life over death. This
intrigue with the sun and stars is also apparent in the designs that adorn Newgrange. The Entrance
Stone, Kerbstone 52, and various other stones both inside and outside the tomb, bear patterns and
carvings that are thought to represent constellations and patterns of the night sky.