Ulster Museum director details 'puzzle' to move ancient Co Armagh Tomb

A tomb older than Egypt's pyramids has secured a permanent new home on display at the Ulster Folk Museum.

The 6,000-year-old tomb, which dates back to the Neolithic era, was discovered in Ballintaggart, Co Armagh.

It was excavated from its original location due to the risk of destruction by the expansion of a neighbouring quarry in 1966.

Laurence Flanagan, the then keeper of antiquities at Ulster Museum, was able to save the tomb's stones and reconstruct it outside the south Belfast attraction.

When Ulster Museum was renovated in 2006 the stones were put in storage at Ulster Folk Museum, and they stayed there until earlier this year when the restoration project began.

William Blair, director of collections at National Museums NI, said they are delighted to be able to reconstruct the Ballintaggart Court Tomb.

Mr Blair told UTV it was very difficult to move the stones and described it as a "major logistical exercise."

"We he had to basically 3D scan each and every stone and make a model to actually understand how all of the elements fit together...we were then able to draw on some of the original archeological drawings made in 1966, so it was almost like a puzzle."

National Museums NI was assisted by Restoration Works Ltd and archaeologists from Queen's University Belfast in reconstructing the tomb stone by stone over recent months.

Researchers from the Centre for Community Archaeology at Queen's created models of each of the stones.

Mr Blair said: "It is a brilliant illustration of how the museum can connect Ulster's unique heritage spanning thousands of years to the present day. We are grateful to our project partners for their input and support."

The ancient structure is one of more than 400 court tombs in Ireland which have a distinctly northern distribution.

They predate the pyramids in Egypt and offer a unique insight into Ireland's ancient past.

Dr Greer Ramsey, curator of archaeology at National Museums NI, explained the historical background of the tombs.

He said that large burial structures, similar to the shape and size of the Ballintaggart Court Tomb, became more popular in Ireland as people began to create permanent settlements.

"Court tombs take their name from a semi-circular arc of upright stones marking the entrance to the burial chambers," he said.< "The Neolithic period, to which they belong, was revolutionary as it marked the end to a nomadic or hunter-gatherer way of life.

"New settlers arrived about 6,000 years ago, bringing with them farming skills and many of the plants and domestic animals we are familiar with today.

"With a more secure food supply, people could live for longer in one place and invest in larger, more permanent structures, such as tombs."

The Richmount Rural Community Association, Portadown, has also been integral to the process of reconstituting and making the ancient tomb accessible to the public again.

Chairman of the association Joe Garvey added: "It's important that people can understand the rich local history of County Armagh through the Ballintaggart Court Tomb, or Giant's Grave as it is known locally.

"We're proud to be involved in seeing it reconstructed at the Ulster Folk Museum where people will be able to enjoy it for generations to come."

The tomb will stand prominently at the Ulster Folk Museum, providing an important new layer of pre-history at the Co Down attraction.

The reconstruction of the tomb arrives at a significant time for the Ulster Folk Museum, coinciding with the announcement of investment plans, which include expanding public access to the collection and heritage assets.

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