Temples of Stone

Some time around 6,000 years ago, the members of a now long-forgotten tribe dragged and lifted carefully chosen stones into place and built Ireland's 'Temple of Stone'. Over the next 2,000 years hundreds of megalithic tombs were built across the country and then, around 2000 BC, the building stopped and knowledge of what these remarkable structures meant to their builders was lost. After 4,000 years of silence, however, the stones are no longer mute. Every year archaeologists discover more about these enigmatic monuments. Instead of a single, simple explanation of what the megalithic tombs meant to those who built them, there is a multitude of answers. Carleton Jones brings together these varied interpretations to shed light on our ancestors' belief systems and rituals, including their use of symbols, sound, colour and even hallucinatory visions. The world of the megaliths and the megalith builders is brought to life in a fully illustrated, popular format. All key sites in Ireland are discussed and over 100 'Sites Worth Visiting' are listed in the final chapter with photographs, maps and detailed directions to sites.