United Kingdom

Giant's Ring

Neolithic henge near Belfast, c. 2700 BCE

Location

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Historical Context

About

The Giant's Ring is a henge monument at Ballynahatty, near Shaw's Bridge, Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was originally preserved by Viscount Dungannon. The inscribed stone tablet on the wall surrounding the site which details Viscount Dungannon's interest was carved by Belfast stonecarver Charles A Thompson about c.1919. The site is a State Care Historic Monument and has ASAI (Area of Significant Archaeological Interest) status. The site consists of a circular enclosure, 180 m (590 ft) in diameter and 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres) in area, surrounded by a circular earthwork bank 3.5 m (11 ft) high. At least three of the five irregularly spaced gaps in the bank are intentional and possibly original. East of the centre of the enclosure is a small passage tomb with a vestigial passage facing west. There were reports of other tombs outside the enclosure, but there is no trace of these.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

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Horse racing use

18th century

Inscribed tablet carved

c. 1919

Excavation of adjacent ritual site

early 1990s

Construction

c. 2700 BC

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Burial and Funerary Structures

Tombs
category

Religious and Ritual Structures

Ceremonial Platforms
category

Artistic and Decorative Features

Inscriptions
category

Environmental and Natural Features

Landscaped EarthworksArtificial Mounds
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Reference

Details

Country

United Kingdom

Coordinates

54.54° N, -5.95° E