A court docket tomb older than Egypt’s pyramids has secured a everlasting new home on show on the Ulster Folk Museum.
The 6,000-year-old tomb, which dates again to the Neolithic period, was found in Ballintaggart, Co Armagh.
It was excavated from its unique location as a result of danger of destruction by the growth of a neighbouring quarry in 1966.
Laurence Flanagan, the then keeper of antiquities at Ulster Museum, was capable of save the tomb’s stones and reconstruct it exterior the south Belfast attraction.
When Ulster Museum was renovated in 2006 the stones have been put in storage at Ulster Folk Museum, and so they stayed there till earlier this yr when the restoration undertaking started.
William Blair, director of collections at National Museums NI, mentioned they’re delighted to have the ability to reconstruct the Ballintaggart Court Tomb.
“It is a brilliant illustration of how the museum can connect Ulster’s unique heritage spanning thousands of years to the present day. We are grateful to our project partners for their input and support,” he mentioned.
The historic construction is one in every of greater than 400 court docket tombs in Ireland which have a distinctly northern distribution.
They pre-date the pyramids in Egypt and supply a singular perception into Ireland’s historic previous.
Dr Greer Ramsey, curator of archaeology at National Museums NI, defined the historic background of the tombs.
He mentioned that enormous burial buildings, much like the form and measurement of the Ballintaggart Court Tomb, grew to become extra well-liked in Ireland as individuals started to create everlasting settlements.
“Court tombs take their name from a semi-circular arc of upright stones marking the entrance to the burial chambers,” he mentioned.
“The Neolithic period, to which they belong, was revolutionary as it marked the end to a nomadic or hunter-gatherer way of life.
“New settlers arrived about 6,000 years ago, bringing with them farming skills and many of the plants and domestic animals we are familiar with today.
“With a more secure food supply, people could live for longer in one place and invest in larger, more permanent structures, such as tombs.”
The Richmount Rural Community Association, Portadown, has additionally been integral to the method of reconstituting and making the traditional tomb accessible to the general public once more.
Chairman of the affiliation Joe Garvey added: “It’s important that people can understand the rich local history of County Armagh through the Ballintaggart Court Tomb, or Giant’s Grave as it is known locally.
“We’re proud to be involved in seeing it reconstructed at the Ulster Folk Museum where people will be able to enjoy it for generations to come.”
The tomb will stand prominently on the Ulster Folk Museum, offering an essential new layer of pre-history on the Co Down attraction.
The reconstruction of the tomb arrives at a major time for the Ulster Folk Museum, coinciding with the announcement of funding plans, which embody increasing public access to the gathering and heritage property.
National Museums NI was assisted by Restoration Works Ltd and archaeologists from Queen’s University Belfast in reconstructing the tomb stone by stone over recent months.
Researchers from the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen’s created fashions of every of the stones.
These fashions have been then 3D scanned, permitting for a full 360-degree examination of every of them, so that they may very well be precisely located and put in on website.
The Ballintaggart Court Tomb is within the rural space of Ulster Folk Museum. Access is included as a part of basic admission to the museum. For extra info and to guide tickets go to ulsterfolkmuseum.org.
