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© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Boutsikas et al. (eds.), Advancing Cultural Astronomy, Historical & Cultural
Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64606-6_7
The North Sky and the Otherworld:
Journeys of the Dead in the Neolithic
Considered
Frank Prendergast
1 Introduction
There is a curious but relevant similarity in the endeavours of early nineteenth century surveyors in Ireland and the builders of Neolithic passage tombs long before
them. Albeit of very different chronologies and purpose, both constructed cairns on
the summits of hills and mountains making each prominent on the skyline and with
views of the distant horizon.
In 1826, one of the 39 survey stations used for the principal triangulation of
Ireland was constructed on the summit of Slieve Donard, Co. Down. This is the
highest peak in the Mourne Mountains (elevation 853 m above mean sea level) and
affords great vantage over the surrounding landscape, Irish Sea and south-west
Scotland (Fig. 1). Triangulation involved angle and distance measurement to dimensionally scale the network of these sparse control points, a critical reference frame
for the new maps of the island published at the then unprecedented scale of 6 in. to
1 mile. The task for the surveyors on Slieve Donard involved laying a square stone
‘megalith’ measuring 3.5 ft. × 3.5 ft., marked with a bored hole in the centre. Next,
the ‘Great Theodolite’ was positioned to enable observation of the angles to outlying similar stations. On completion, a vertical timber pole mounded by a dedicated
cairn of loose stones was built over the slab to enhance its long range visibility
(Clarke & James, 1858: 35). Height and associated intervisibility with other primary control stations on distant peaks were the principal attributes of this scientific
infrastructure. Unluckily, Slieve Donard was also the location for a pair of Neolithic
cairns set 237 m apart, one of which was delimited by contiguous transversely-set
kerbstones making it a likely passage tomb. These were the highest such extant
F. Prendergast (*)
College of Engineering and Built Environment, Technological University Dublin,
Dublin, Ireland
e-mail: frank.prendergast@tudublin.ie
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
E. Boutsikas et al. (eds.), Advancing Cultural Astronomy, Historical & Cultural
Astronomy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64606-6_7
The North Sky and the Otherworld:
Journeys of the Dead in the Neolithic
Considered
Frank Prendergast
1 Introduction
There is a curious but relevant similarity in the endeavours of early nineteenth century surveyors in Ireland and the builders of Neolithic passage tombs long before
them. Albeit of very different chronologies and purpose, both constructed cairns on
the summits of hills and mountains making each prominent on the skyline and with
views of the distant horizon.
In 1826, one of the 39 survey stations used for the principal triangulation of
Ireland was constructed on the summit of Slieve Donard, Co. Down. This is the
highest peak in the Mourne Mountains (elevation 853 m above mean sea level) and
affords great vantage over the surrounding landscape, Irish Sea and south-west
Scotland (Fig. 1). Triangulation involved angle and distance measurement to dimensionally scale the network of these sparse control points, a critical reference frame
for the new maps of the island published at the then unprecedented scale of 6 in. to
1 mile. The task for the surveyors on Slieve Donard involved laying a square stone
‘megalith’ measuring 3.5 ft. × 3.5 ft., marked with a bored hole in the centre. Next,
the ‘Great Theodolite’ was positioned to enable observation of the angles to outlying similar stations. On completion, a vertical timber pole mounded by a dedicated
cairn of loose stones was built over the slab to enhance its long range visibility
(Clarke & James, 1858: 35). Height and associated intervisibility with other primary control stations on distant peaks were the principal attributes of this scientific
infrastructure. Unluckily, Slieve Donard was also the location for a pair of Neolithic
cairns set 237 m apart, one of which was delimited by contiguous transversely-set
kerbstones making it a likely passage tomb. These were the highest such extant
F. Prendergast (*)
College of Engineering and Built Environment, Technological University Dublin,
Dublin, Ireland
e-mail: frank.prendergast@tudublin.ie