Aye! If that's not the entrance to some Tolkeinesque tomb, with ancient bones, whispering curses and elvish swords, I don't know what is.
The Mound or Cairn at Newgrange is about 300 feet in diameter and has 97 Kerbstones at the base of the cairn, Kerbstone 1, pictured left, is the beautifully decorated entrance stone, the kerbstones are all numbered in sequence running clockwise from the entrance stone to kerbstone 97 on the right of kerbstone 1. The passage is 62 feet long and consists of 22 orthostats on the left and 21 orthostats on the right, opening into a cruciform chamber with 2 side chambers and 1 chamber at the rear. Some of the orthostats of the passage bear megalithic art and the orthostats and roofs of the chambers also bear some decoration.
I think that this was covered in the literary classic, "Bored of the Rings". In the book a magical ring is found. Inside the ring is this inscription:
ReplyDelete"This Ring, no other, is made by the elves,
Who'd pawn their own mother to grab it themselves.
Ruler of creeper, mortal and scallop,
This is a sleeper that packs quite a wallop.
The Power almighty rests in this Lone Ring.
The Power, alrighty, for doing your Own Thing.
If broken or busted, it cannot be remade.
If found, send to Saurman (the postage is prepaid)."