Maughanasilly Stone Row

Maughanasilly Stone Row is a stone row and National Monument located in County Cork, Ireland.^[1][2][3][4]

Maughanasilly Stone Row
Native name Galláin Fhearann Mhacha na Sailí (Irish)
Location of Maughanasilly Stone Row in Ireland
Type	stone row
Location	Maughanasilly, Kealkill, County Cork, Ireland
Coordinates	51.770430°N 9.386835°W / 51.770430; -9.386835
Elevation	122 m (400 ft)
Built	c. 1600–1500 BC
National monument of Ireland
Official name	Maughanasilly Stone Row

Location

The stone row is located to the northeast of Lough Atooreen, on the eastern slopes of Knockbreteen, 2.3 km (1.4 mi) north of Kealkill. Another stone circle is at Illane, 1.1 km (0.68 mi) NNE of Maughanasilly.^[5][6]

History

Maughanasilly Stone Row was erected during the Bronze Age, c. 1600–1500 BC, making it contemporary with the Indo-Aryan migrations and the rise of Shang China, the New Kingdom of Egypt and Mycenaean Greece. It was used for archaeoastronomical purposes, for making observations of lunar standstills and equinoxes.^[7][8]

It was excavated in 1977 by Ann Lynch.^[9][10] Shallow pits were found with quartz pebbles scattered around. Two flint scrapers were also found.^[11][12]

Description

There are five standing stones and one prostrate stone, aligned approximate NE-SW.^[13] The tallest stone is 1.35 m (4 ft 5 in) high and weighs about 8 tonnes.^[14]