West Cork Field Trip: Drombeg

Last post of the field trip, I swear!  Sorry, it was a really long and amazing day!

Stone Circle

Remains of a House

Our final stop was Drombeg.  It has a stone circle, the remains of a fulachta fiadh, and the remains of a house.  The stone circle was likely used for ritual practices and there are two stones that are believed to represent the male and female forms.

Our Professor Talking to us about Drombeg

However, our professor says that this might just be dirty minded archaeologists.  Who knows though?  There is a definite entrance to the stone circle and there is a certain alignment with the stones and solar cycles.  Later, it is believed that it was actually used as a place to hold mass.

Various Offerings Left by Visitors

In the center there was an axial stone where different people left different offerings.  Pretty much whatever they had in their pockets.  Since I had not change nor any trinkets to leave, I left my hair tie there.  Our professor said that under the stone, there were the remains of a man who was possibly sacrificed, but we'll never know for certain.

Remains of the Fulacht Fiadh

The fulacht fiadh was used to cook meat.  There was a well to get water.  The water would be placed in the trough.  Stones would be heated in the hearths and then placed in the water to boil it.  After the water was boiling, meat would be cooked in it.  This process has been recreated, and it has been proven to be quite effective.

Me at Drombeg

Drombeg is a Bronze Age Site and even though I like old history, I have never before liked prehistory so much.  I actually felt oddly connected to Drombeg and took care to touch each of the 17 stones in the stone circle.  I can't explain the connection, but it did make me think of the song 'Swimming to the Other Side':

We are living 'neath the great Big Dipper
We are washed by the very same rain
We are swimming in the stream together
Some in power and some in pain
We can worship this ground we walk on
Cherishing the beings that we live beside
Loving spirits will live forever
We're all swimming to the other side