Labbacallee wedge tomb

Labbacallee wedge tomb ("Leaba Caillighe" in Irish, meaning "The Hag's Bed") is a large pre-historic burial monument, located 8km (5 miles) north-west of Fermoy and 2km (1.25 miles) south-east of Glanworth, County Cork, Ireland. It is the largest Irish wedge tomb.cite book | last=Weir, A| year=1980 |title=Early Ireland. A Field Guide | publisher=Blackstaff Press | location=Belfast | pages=p118] (Grid Ref: 770 020, Latitude: 52.169838N Longitude: 8.336886W [cite web | title=Labbacallee | work=The Megalithic Portal | url=http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6333481 | accessdate=2008-06-14] )

Features

The site has three large capstones which slope downwards towards the back, the largest being 780cm long and weighing 10 tonnes. The gallery below is made up of a large rectangular chamber, with a small one behind it, divided by a slab. The gallery is triple-walled, buttressed at the back by three slabs set parallel to the axis of the tomb. To the front of the gallery are the remains of a large rectangular, unroofed, antechamber, which is wider than the gallery and separated from it by a large slab. Outside this there was a further row of stones running off at an angle, but few of the original stones remain.cite web | title=Labbacallee Wedge Tomb | work=Discover Ireland | url=http://www.discoverireland.ie/di/resultsengine/IndividualResultTCS.aspx?touristItemID=49741 | accessdate=2008-06-14]

Excavations

In 1934 excavations revealed a number of inhumations, fragments of a late Stone Age decorated pot, and fragments of bone and stone. Local folklore associates the site with the Celtic Hag-Goddess Cailleach Bheur, and when during the excavations the site was found to contain the remains of a woman. Although the body had been positioned within the tomb, her skull was found outside of it.

References

*Noonan, Damien (2001). "Castles & Ancient Monuments of Ireland", Arum Press. ISBN 1 8541 0752 6

External links

* [http://www.megalithicireland.com/Labbacallee.html Megalithic Ireland - Photographs of Labbacallee wedge tomb]
* [http://www.megalithomania.com/show/image/4590 Megalithomania - Site plan and photographs of Labbacallee Wedge Tomb]
* [http://www.ancientireland.org/labbacallee/index.htm Ancient Ireland - Photographs of Labbacallee - Leaba Callighe - Hag's Bed]