The Creation of Knowth and Dowth

The megalithic passage tombs Knowth and Dowth have a long history.  These immense structures are estimated to have been built in the Neolithic around 3345 BC. These tombs appear to have similar construction and, one might assume, similar uses.  They are both situated in prominent places in the landscape and they both have the defining passages which lead to tombs.  A large percentage of the two hundred and twenty nine recorded passage tombs occur in the Boyne valley (Mitchell and Ryan 2001).  Both tombs contain two of these passages, it is uncertain if these were constructed as the same or different times.  Two of these passages, one in each mound, are cruciform.  One passage in Dowth has a circular pattern which is considered unusual.  The eastern chamber in Knowth has a corbelled roof. This is a series of flat rocks placed in a spiral pattern, creating a waterproof ceiling.  In both of these mounds there are many kerb stones.  These are the large stones which make up not only the border around the mounds but also line the passages in the tombs as well (Stout 2002). 

Many of these enormous stones have a great deal of Neolithic art.  This art called megalithic art and involves the chipping away at the surface of the giant stones which form the base of these mounds.  Knowth has the largest amount of Neolithic art in Western Europe.  A total of 250 stones at Knowth have formal decoration (Eogan 1986).  One of the most common themes in this art is a spiral or serpentine form.    The drawings at Dowth are much less finished than those at Knowth or Newgrange, another Neolithic megalithic passage tomb.  In all of these passage tombs “hidden art” has been discovered.  It is theorized that this art, often on the back or underneath of the large kerb stones was put there for ritual, sacred, or magical purposes (Stout 2002). 

Many of the stones used in the construction of these massive mounds also came from far away.  The large kerb stones, of which there are 66 visible stones at Dowth and of which there are over six hundred stones in all three major passage tombs, Most likely came from up the coast, near Clogher Head, from the mounds and may have been partially transported on large sledges in heavy forest.  Five other types of stone found at Knowth and Newgrange, another large passage tomb, consisted of granodiorite, granite cobbles, gabbro siltstone cobbles, and quartz.  The distance this stone traveled, often in excess of forty miles, and the amount of stone transported, over 200,000 tons, makes these mounds very unusual (Stout 2002). 

The burials in these tombs are often cremations.  On both of these sites huge stone basins have been discovered which seem that they may have served as a place to deposit the remains of cremated dead.  Knowth has 18 smaller passage tombs which surround it.  These tombs also contain some Neolithic art, although it is much less skilled than the art found at the main mound, and burials (Stout 2002).  Some of these cremations also had burial goods, some of which may be considered ritual in nature.  Most of these burial goods were items; such as beads, rings, pins, and pendants, which could be used for personal ornamentation.   The inclusion of pottery in burials seems to have been common but not consistent.  Indeed there is little discernable pattern in the grave goods at Knowth, which is where most of this information originates (Eogan 1986). 

Knowth is the largest of these passage tombs and has been thoroughly excavated and studied.  The most recent excavation was conducted under George Eogan  in beginning in 1962.  The site of Knowth took almost forty years to excavate (Stout 2002).  Dowth, while similar in size to Knowth, was only partially excavated in 1847.  The result of this excavation is a large gash running down the center of this mound from the west.  The east side of Dowth is largely unexcavated and undisturbed.  The amount of labor which was required to construct these tombs suggests a high amount of social control (Stout 2002). 

Reuse of Ritual Space

                During the Iron Age Knowth again came to be used as a ritual space and a place for burial.  Knowth was enclosed by two concentric ditches and it was also peppered with burials.  Iron Age burials near the Boyne are largely simple unmarked graves; however the grave goods are not insignificant (Mitchell and Ryan 2001).  There are thirty-five burials at Knowth, most of which are female.  Thirty one burials are in pits and four in cists.  These burials range from the period between 190 BC and 250 AD.  Two of these burials are of great interest. These burials are two decapitated males who were buried with gaming pieces, bone dice, and a few bronze rings.  A pegged board game was also found.  It is theorized that these men may have been executed for cheating at a betting game (Stout 2002). 

Living in a Special Place

                Soon after the burials at Knowth and a few at Dowth ceased both sites became settlements.  Knowth has the remains of thirteen wooden houses and some pavement, as well as nine souterrains.  These stone built tunnels served as refuge during an attack, escape routes out of the community, and/or storage for foodstuffs which kept better in cool dark places.  In many ways a souterrain may be viewed as a glorified refrigerator, however the number of souterrains at Knowth point to the community there being of great importance.  The settlements at Knowth were built over the lower ring of the previous ditch during the late eighth or early ninth century.  Part of a tuyere or furnace was also found at Knowth, which suggests that bronze may have been cast there.  There was also some iron slag and furnace casts, which indicates that iron was smelt there as well.  This metal work also suggests that the community at Knowth was most likely high status.  Souterrains are also present at Dowth, one of the souterrains there was built into the already existing passage (Stout 2002). 

Transfer of Sacred Space

                There is evidence that there may have been a Christian cemetery at Knowth and there was a church and a holy well at Dowth.  The Annals of the Four Masters listed a church at Dowth as one of those burned by Diarmait  Mac Murchada in 1170 (Nicholls 1998).  There is also a Missal known as the Dowth Missal from the twelfth century which supports the idea that there was a church at Dowth early on.  The holy well at Dowth still exists today and is known as St. Bernard’s well.  Letters from the ordnance survey in 1836 recorded a holy well called Tober san Mana also known as St. Anne’s well.  Excavations at Knowth revealed the farming buildings of a Cistercian grange associated with Mellifont Abbey.  The Cistercians were a monastic group which was wide spread through out Ireland (Stout 2002).   

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