Shadows Fall on Newgrange in Ireland
by Mark E Tisdale
Title
Shadows Fall on Newgrange in Ireland
Artist
Mark E Tisdale
Medium
Photograph - Photo
Description
One of my final stops as my time in Ireland wound down in 2010 was the ancient site of Newgrange, part of the Bru Na Boinne. This area is home a number of ancient chamber tombs and other prehistoric sites like Newgrange, which has been restored somewhat to its original appearance in antiquity.
The site came highly recommended to me and I'm glad that not only was I able to go but I had a spectacularly sunny day to visit this ancient site.
For the armchair historian or archaeologist, Newgrange was a dream to visit. Newgrange was already in use before the Pharaohs even dreamed of building the great pyramids. That puts it on a scale in time with our most ancient civilizations. Unfortunately where we know much of the stories of the ancient Egyptians from their hieroglyphs, there's little left to tell us the story of the people who built Newgrange or what to them was significant about orienting it such that sunlight enters the dark chamber tomb around the shortest days of winter. While there may have been rich meaning to the symbols still visible on the rocks, today it's lost on us.
It was that mystery that was firmly in mind just before I left that inspired this photo. I loved the contrast of the ancient chamber tomb in the light of day while the dark shadows of a tree reached before it. It felt very symbolic of the secrets this site holds.
Note; Newgrange is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.
Uploaded
November 21st, 2012
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