34643

34613

34612

34611

34610

34608

34670

Gorteanish stone circle is located near the southern coastline of the Sheep’s Head Peninsula in west county Cork. The monument is a good example of an multiple stone circle of the Cork/Kerry type, probably built during the later Bronze Age. The design is a sub-circular arrangement of eleven stones, 7.5–9m in internal diameter, prominently sited on a small ridge overlooking Dunmanus Bay. Seven of the circle stones had fallen prior to the earliest record of this site from the 1990s. The circle seems to be aligned on the rising and setting sun of the summer and winter solstices respectively. This orientation is created by a large axial stone on the south-west side opposite two tall portal stones that mark a north-east entrance. A large boulder in the interior pre-dates the circle. There is a boulder-burial of Bronze Age date adjacent to the south-west side of the stone circle. The remains of ancient field walls are visible on this ridge close to the circle.

The site was excavated over two months in summer 2023 by archaeologists from University College Cork. Pit sockets with packing stones were identified for all eleven stones, which are sedimentary rocks of local origin. Excavation uncovered a large pit of uncertain use at the centre of the circle. White quartz was scattered with religious intent inside the circle and at the adjacent boulder-burial. A small slab-covered pit near the centre of the circle also contained white quartz. No human remains or prehistoric artefacts were found in the stone circle excavation.

The adjacent boulder-burial was also excavated. This is a broken blocky boulder resting on three smaller stones, with an opening on its lower northern side. No burials or early artifacts were found during the excavation of this structure. White quartz pebbles were scattered with religious intent at the monument. Charcoal found inside the structure is radiocarbon dated 1279–1121 BC, when the stone circle is also likely to have been built. This is consistent with radiocarbon results for excavated stone circles and rows in the region, monuments that are closely associated with boulder-burials, many of which were built c.1200–900 BC.

The stone circle and boulder-burial were fully restored after excavation using the original stones. The site is now open to the public as a new heritage interest the Sheep’s Head Way walking trail.

34586

34578

34518