Archaeological Treasures

Stone Crosses.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

There exits many examples of Carlow’s wonderous archaeological past. The Ogham Stone, the Dolmen, numerous Rock Arts, Stone Crosses and Grave Slabs, Cairn and Standing Stones are a rich testimony to this.

According to the Sites Monument Records of 1993 County Carlow has over one thousand archaeological sites. It also has a collection of between 5 and 700 items housed in the National Museum of Ireland. A number of the key sites are open to the public to visit such as the Browneshill Dolmen, the Nine Stones at Mount Leinster, the ecclesiastical sites of St Mullins and Old Leighlin Cathedral and Castles such as Carlow to name but a few places.

Brownshill Dolmen.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

Rock Art.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

Ogham Stone.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

Standing Stones.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

The Bronze Axe Head, forms part of what is locally referred to as the Jackson Collection, a nineteenth century collection of local artefacts. The origin of the axe is unknown but it was more than likely found in County Carlow.

Bronze Axe Head.
[ photo: County Museum. ccm 80-57. ]

Irish Elk.
[ photo: County Museum. ]

The twelve foot skeleton remains of an Irish Elk that lived between 8 and 10,000 BC. It was found in a nineteenth century bog in Tullow.