Giant's Ring, Belfast, United Kingdom

The Giant's Ring is a henge monument at Ballynahatty, near Shaw's Bridge, Belfast. It dates from the Neolithic period and was built around 2700 BCE. It is near the Shaw's Bridge crossing of the River Lagan, a point which has been used as a crossing of the river since at least the Stone Age. The original purpose of the monument was most likely as a meeting place or as a memorial to the dead.

The site consists of a circular enclosure, 180 m in diameter and 2.8 hectares in area, surrounded by a circular earthwork bank 3.5m high. At least three of the five irregularly spaced gaps in the bank are intentional and possibly original. East of the centre of the enclosure is a small passage tomb with a vestigial passage facing west. There were reports of other tombs outside the enclosure, but there is no trace of these.

References:

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Prehistoric and archaeological sites in United Kingdom

User Reviews

Dee Fusco (18 months ago)
Beautiful forest walks around the area of this historic site. There is parking at the site or alternatively you can park at either Shaws Bridge or Minnowburn and enjoy following the river Lagan through beautiful forest pathways. Ned’s meadow is a nice little place to explore enroute, especially in the summer when it is blooming with wild flowers.

Sarah Richardson (19 months ago)
Impressive dolman inside a large henge. There is a lovely country park nearby that you can walk to, with a river.

Jonathan Murphy (2 years ago)
Very cool prehistoric tomb. Nice walk. Worth doing.

L H L (2 years ago)
This site has so much history and was here before the pyramids were built. The large stones in the middle are what remains of a passage tomb (a grave) and some believe that human sacrifices were carried on here. It stands the test of time and the desecration that people bring to it, with dignity. I wish people would not bring their dogs, this is a historic and religious site and should be respected.

Nicole Hollis (2 years ago)
I thought it was lovely - one of many local monuments but this one has a large raised hillock all around it which we walked. A few friendly dog walkers, but otherwise very quiet and peaceful. ?

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The stone church of Gamla Uppsala, built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.

Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.

The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.

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