carrowkeel passage tomb cemetery

The mounds are largely round, except Cairn E (a court-tomb) which is a long oval in shape, and the plans of the graves underneath them vary considerably. Cairns A and P contained nothing, while Cairns H and O had only some box-like cists. Most of the others represent variations on the classic Irish Passage-tomb form; a long passage leading into a chamber which has small chambers at each side and another at the back.

This is the case at Cairns E, G and K, and probably also C, M and N while Cairn F, one of the best, has two chambers on each side. Cairns B and O have the passage widening out into a square or wedge-shaped chamber with no side chambers. Cairn D is so ruined that its shape could not be reconstructed; Cairn L was not excavated but is much ruined.

The material found in the course of excavations included mushroom-headed bone pins, stone hammer pendants and beads, and pottery with jabbed ornament typical of Irish Passage-tombs, and show that the tombs belonged to the Late Stone Age of about 3000 - 2000 B.