Lasers have unveiled previously undiscovered prehistoric monuments, including five rare ones, concentrated in an expanse of farmland in rural Ireland. Archaeologists utilized lidar (light detection and ranging) technology to identify these structures in Baltinglass, County Wicklow, in eastern Ireland. Lidar involves an aircraft flying overhead while emitting laser pulses toward the ground, which bounce back to create a topographic map.
This region, occupied during the Early Neolithic (beginning around 3700 B.C.) and the Middle to Late Bronze Age (1400 to 800 B.C.), has revealed scarce evidence of occupation during the Middle Neolithic, spanning 2,000 years between the two periods, until now, as reported in a study published in the journal Antiquity.
Despite damage from agricultural plowing over the years, lidar imaging revealed a three-dimensional landscape dotted with structures, including several “rare” cursus monuments. These large-scale earthwork enclosures, possibly with ritual significance, constitute the largest cursus cluster in both Ireland and Britain.
Initially focusing on Bronze Age hillforts, archaeologists gradually realized the presence of Neolithic monuments in the area, culminating in the lidar survey’s discovery. The identification of four additional cursus monuments is particularly significant, given their rarity in Ireland, where only about 20 such monuments are known, typically occurring in isolation.
These monuments, ranging from 492 to 1,312 feet (150 to 400 meters) in length, were constructed during the Neolithic period without modern tools, underscoring the considerable resources and effort invested in their creation.
Archaeologists speculate on various purposes served by these monuments, including association with significant solar events, agricultural activities, and as “pathways for the dead.” For instance, four of the cursus monuments align with the summer solstice’s rising sun, marking the peak of the growing season.
Moreover, these monuments likely played a role in funeral rituals, serving as processional routes or conduits for the deceased. This discovery sheds light on the Neolithic people’s lifestyle, particularly their transition to agriculture, which became integral to their society.
Future research aims to analyze soil samples from the site to glean insights into the flora and fauna present during the Early Neolithic period.