SOME FANTASTIC 19th CENTURY PHOTOS OF IRISH ARCHAEOLOGY SITES: his fantastic collection of photos, which are taken from the archives of Victoria & Albert Museum, show a number of Irish archaeological sites as they appeared at the end of the 19th century/start of the 20th century. The majority of images were taken by Robert Welch who was a noted Belfast based photographer: SOURCE: voicesfromthedawn/dowth/ irisharchaeology.ie/ IMAGES: bravoreligioustours IMAGE 1: Entrance into the passage tomb Brú na Bóinne 3,500BC (Newgrange), Co. Meath, 1900, by Hogg, A R © Victoria and Albert Museum 3,500BC IMAGE 2: Brú na Bóinne today Image 3: The entrance into the passage tomb at Dubhadh (Dowth), Co. Meath by Hogg, A R, 1900 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Image 4:megalithic.co.uk. The entrance today. This is the earliest and the only one (so far) not to be ransacked, vandalised and travestied by archaeologists. It was partly excavated in 1847 though it had been pillaged (by Vikings and earlier looters) long before that. THE LEGEND OF DUBHADH: DOWTH: CO.MEATH: The legend of Dubad (Dowth) in the Metrical Dindshenchas, derived from earlier oral traditions that may have first been written down in the eleventh century. This “place-name tale” explains that Ireland was being devastated by a disease (“murrain”) killing its cattle; only seven cows and a bull were left alive. The King of Ireland therefore commanded all his men to gather and work for one day to build a platform “in the likeness of Nimrod’s [Babel] tower”reaching to the sky in an attempt to end the plague. The king’s sister, a sorceress, offered to make the sun stop in its tracks so that the men would have an endless day to complete their task. But the king was overcome with lust and committed incest with his sister. Her spell was broken by this transgression, day became night, and the men gave up their task and went home. The tower was never completed, and the place was ever after called “Darkness.” Here is the translation of the original Dindshenchas verses: There is another tale — ’tis known to me — of that hill, which Dubthach possesses: it was made, though great the exploit, by Bresal Bodibad. In his time there fell a murrain on kine in every place in Ireland, except for seven cows and a bull that increased strength for every farmer in his time. By him is built the solid hill in the likeness of Nimrod’s tower, so that from it he might pass to heaven, — that is the cause why it was undertaken. The men of all Erin came to make for him that hill — all on one day: the wight exacted from them hostages for the work of that day. His own sister said to him, she would not let the sun run his course; there should be no night but bright day till the work reached completion. His sister hies her on her way strongly she makes her druid spell: the sun was motionless above her head; she checked him on one spot. Bresal came (lust seized him) from the hill unto his sister: the host made of it a marvel: he found her at Ferta Cuile. He went in unto her, though it was a crime, though it was violation of his sister: on this wise the hill here is called Ferta Cuile. When it was no longer day for them thereafter (it is likely that it was night), the hill was not brought to the top, the men of Erin depart homeward. From that day forth the hill remains without addition to its height: it shall not grow greater from this time onward till the Doom of destruction and judgment.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 13:55:25 +0000
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