Bones in ‘ritual place’ date back 3,600 years

A hillwalker’s chance discovery of bones in a Mayo mountain chamber has led to the identification of ancient rituals carried out more than 4,500 years ago.

Scientific and archaeological analysis of the remains discovered by Michael Chambers on Bengorm Mountain two years ago show they were placed there around 1,200 years apart, some as early as 3,600 BC.

Rather than a burial place, osteoarchaeologist Linda Lynch said it was a ritual place where bodies were placed to decompose.