Irish Megalithic Tombs, (Shire Archaeology 63), 1990, 2e éd. 2004. -

The practice of building large stone tombs developed in western Europe over six thousand years ago, beginning in Ireland soon after 4000 BC. Around 1600 such 'megalithic' tombs are recorded in Ireland. Many are well known and much visited, such as Newgrange, but other, smaller sites are also of considerable interest for what they tell us about the early occupants of the island. This book provides a concise and easily accessible summary of archaeological research on megalithic monuments. Four main types of tombs are known, and excavation and radiocarbon dating show that most of them were built during the fourth millennium BC. It is clear that these sites were not built solely for burial, but that they were of considerable significance for the societies who built them. This book discusses the various types of tomb, and drawings and photographs illustrate their main features. A short history of the topic is included, together with a glossary of the terms used, a list of sites to visit, and references for further reading. This book was first published in 1990 and has been completely rewritten for the second edition, incorporating much new research on the subject.