Engravings on the Stone of the Seven Suns, the most impressive art visible at Dowth today. After Claire O'Kelly.

Sacred Island Carrowkeel Cairn B Cairn E Cairn F Cairn G Cairn K Cairn O Summer solstice Doonaveeragh Village Heapstown cairn Lough Arrow Sheereevagh Caves of Kesh Kesh Cairn Knocknarea Carrowmore Moytura Newgrange Winter Solstice Knowth Satellites at Knowth Art at Knowth Equinoxes Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5 Site 6 Site 7 Site 8 Site 9 Site 10 Site 11 Site 12 Site 13 Site 14 Site 15 Site 16 Site 17 Macalister's Newgrange Cursus at Newgrange Flight of the Pheonix Tom Ray article Loughcrew Equinox sunrise Samhain sunrise Cairn D Cairn H Cairn I Cairn U Cairn S Cairn W Kells Kilmonaster Sheemor Knocknashee Muckelty Hill Boa Island Kilclooney Timoney stones Turoe stone Castlestrange Hill of Uisneach The Glen of Knocknarea Culeenamore Barnasrahy Abbeyquarter Tobernalt Easkey Benbulben Creeveykeel The Labby Rock Tobernaveen Doomore Croughan Sliabh da Ean Tara Fourknocks Croagh Patrick Cong Knockma The Burren Uisneach Rathcroghan Glencolumbkille Inishmurray

Art at Dowth Engravings from Dowth South recorded by William Wilde. Dowth is the least known of the three great mounds in the Boyne Valley, and it's artwork is not well known as a result. The engravings more primitive than at Newgrange and Knowth and seem to be earlier. Some of the designs are very similar to the art from Loughcrew. In total there 38 stones on the site which bear art; 15 kerbstones are decorated, 11 of the stones in Dowth North and 12 stones in Dowth South. Engravings on the orthostat on the right as you enter the chamber of Dowth North. Dowth engravings tend to be circular for the most part, with a few spirals and wavy lunar squiggles. The most impressive engravings which can be seen today are on the Stone of the Seven Suns, the front and back of which are illustrated below. This kerbstone is found almost directly opposite the entrance to Dowth North, and like K1 and K52 at Newgrange, divides the mound in two. It was probably used in the setting out of the site. There are five sun wheels laid out horizontaly across the stone, one being below the others; there are two more rayed circles, and two un-rayed circles. There is also what Martin Brennan described as a calibration offset on the top left of the stone. Engravings on the back of the Stone of the Seven Suns. The chamber of Dowth South has two complete engraved surfaces, which as Brennan demonstrated, interact with the beam of light from the setting sun on the winter solstice. The stone below is placed at the back of the circular chamber. The setting sunbeam just misses it, illuminating the next stone to the right; so perhaps in the symbolic language of the builders, this design represents night and darkness?

HISTORIC PICTURE....... A shaft of sunlight beams into the Dowth chamber at 3.00 p.m. yesterday, revealing the engravings which researcher Martin Brennan claims were the basis of a sophisticated sundial used 5,000 years ago.