著者

服部 研二

出版者

香蘭女子短期大学

雑誌

香蘭女子短期大学研究紀要 (ISSN:02865521)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.45, pp.65-121, 2003-02-01

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In Ireland there are various types of the megalithic tombs. Passage tombs, which are distributed along the Atlantic coast of Western Europe, are one type. In particular in Ireland, huge and sophisticated passage tombs exist. Newgrange and Knowth are typical ones. In this paper, the functions of such huge passage tombs are examined. I give an account of Newgrange and Knowth, referencing to the excellent books, "Newgrange---Archaeology, art and legend" written by M. J. O'Kelly and "Knowth and the passage-tombs of Ireland" written by G. Eogan, because most Japanese readers do not know them very well. Based on their findings, I examine them. Newgrange and Knowth are called tombs, but I believe they are not so much tombs as temples. Huge and elaborate structures like Newgrange and Knowth could in fact be considered the megalithic temples. Therefore, their directions are very significant. Newgrange is oriented toward the winter solstice, and Knowth toward the autumnal and vernal equinoxes. This suggests strongly that the principal rites held there were related to the periodicity, i. e. death, rebirth, fertility and harmony. From this point of view it is possible that we interpret the meaning of some of the megalithic arts, artifacts, for example, the stone basins, the stone objects like phallus and etc. and the structures of these tombs. 〓 the human beings have been aware of the periodicity of the world since the upper palaeolithic. Naturally, they would know the importance of both male and female in the reproduction. We can see the rites based on the recognition of the periodicity of the world in many places and times on the earth. Many of them are also related to fertility rites. In Japan there are some sites which have the standing stones similar to the phallus in Jomon period. The people who constructed them would hope for their fertility, and probably be conscious of the periodicity, too. In the north east of India some tribes call the stone structure like dolmen a female, and the standing stone a male. Many similar examples may give a hint when we study some of the stone structures in Western Europe. In many places in the world prehistoric men constructed the buildings where they held rites based on their cosmology. Newgrange and Knowth were examples of the most sophisticated temples in the prehistoric times in the world. G. Eogan suggests the Irish passage tomb culture influenced Scotland and Wales. In addition to it, I suppose that there is a possibility that it also influenced Stonehenge in Wessex in the south of England. Stonehenge is different from passage tombs in appearance, but the structure resembles them in essence, and some kinds of artifacts are similar. In this sense the passage tombs in Wales may hold the key. After all Ireland was one of the cultural, and especially religious centers in Western Europe about 5000years ago.