Wedge tomb in Ballynahow More

This monument is located on a level shoulder of rough mountain pasture, on the lower S facing slope of Knocknadobar. There is a commanding view from the site to W, over the estuary of the Ferta river. The tomb is quite well-preserved, consisting of a gallery, open at both ends, with one cap-stone still in situ. It is orientated ENE-WSW and its sides are reinforced by low buttress-stones, set immediately outside. Traces of a low cairn are discernible, particularly on its S side. In the 1930s a separate rear chamber was noted at its E end (NMI). The N side of the 4m long gallery is composed of three stones ranging in height from .7m to .38m; each is set inside the line of the forerunner to W. Four slabs represent the S side, the tallest, at W, standing .77m high; the remainder generally decrease in height towards the rear of the gallery at E. The width of the gallery decreases from 1.5m at W to just under 1m at the E end. Lines of external buttress-stones are set immediately against the side-stones of the gallery; four low orthostats occur on the N side, averaging .3m high and .35m wide, and eight similar slabs are visible on the S side, some of which are embedded in what appears to be cairn material. The cap-stone, located towards the E end of the gallery, rests directly on pad-stones and its ends oversail the sides of the chamber. It is irregularly shaped and measures 2.9m x 1.4m and .15m in average thickness. On its upper surface lies a .35m thick deposit of peaty material. Four other possible roof-stones lie in the immediate vicinity of the site; one occurs within the gallery. These may have been displaced when the tomb was partially dismantled, early in the twentieth century, to free a trapped farm animal (NMI). The above description is derived from A. O'Sullivan and J. Sheehan (compilers), 'The Iveragh peninsula: an archaeological survey of South Kerry'. Cork University Press (1996), no. 72. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 28 July 2013