Overview:

: Céide Fields is a 5,000-year-old archaeological site located in County Mayo, Ireland. The site, which dates back to the Neolithic period, is composed of a series of stone walls that enclose a vast area of marshland. These ancient monuments, which are Ireland’s oldest known field systems, are thought to be the oldest known man-made landscape in the entire world. Céide Fields also include a Neolithic tomb called a court cairn, as well as the remains of a large Mesolithic settlement. The site is a popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Ireland
Prominent Features:

, located near Ballycastle, Co. Mayo, the Céide Fields are the oldest fields in the world, dating back to at least five and a half millennia. The fields are actually a network of enclosures, walls, field systems and mounds, covering an area of almost 5 km². It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is one of the most important archaeological sites in Ireland. The Céide Fields are believed to have been built by a Stone Age farming community, and contain evidence of specific agricultural techniques being used, as well as a form of metal-working. The main features of the site include a series of Bronze Age and Iron Age walls, likely used for separating livestock, and a large cairn dating from the Neolithic period. Céide is a reminder of the remarkable agricultural achievements made by our predecessors, and the importance of land stewardship in sustaining our planet. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Ireland.

History:

, the Céide Fields are one of the world’s oldest known fields, dating back to 3,500–3,800 BC. The Céide Fields were discovered in the 1930s by Patrick Caulfield, a schoolteacher and amateur geologist. Caulfield noticed how certain rock outcrops in the north Mayo landscape bore a pattern of geometric stone walls and other structures, all of which were aligned east and west. He visited again and again, and gradually revealed two field systems in the bog; one on an upland plateau, the other stretching towards the coast. Céide Fields encompasses over sixty square kilometers of blanket bog and contains the largest Stone Age monument in the world. Archaeologists believe these stone walls and various other structures were built using Neolithic tools such as stone axes, antlers and deer horns, and even fires aided in the clearing of the land. The evidence suggests that this was a purposeful and deliberate construction by humans of the time, rather than a natural formation. The primary purpose of the fields appears to have been for agriculture. Analysis of pollen records and layers of charred grains hint at grains that were cultivated on the ancient land. Caulfield realized that possibly the field pattern he had found was a result of the people farming the land rather than a more natural erosion. In addition to the Stone Age monuments, Céide Fields contains a range of additional archaeological sites from a variety of periods in Ireland’s history. These sites include megalithic tombs, ringforts, medieval churches, Early Christian chapels, cairns and the remains of a 17th century hacienda. Today, Céide Fields is a Unesco World Heritage Site. The existing site can be toured from the Céide Interpretative Centre nearby, and visitors can take part in nature walks and explore the numerous archaeological excavations occurring in the area. The site has also become an important source of education, providing interactive classes and activities to primary and secondary school children, encouraging them to learn more about Ireland’s history. Visit one of the famous monuments of Ireland with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Céide Fields are 5,000 years old, making them the world’s oldest known field system. 2. Céide Fields reflect an intensive farming system, pre-dating the Pyramids at Giza. 3. The stone-walled fields are located on the coast of the Erris Peninsula in County Mayo and cover 32 sq. km. 4. The stones were used to delineate the individual plots in the field system. 5. The farmers worked the limestone soils using only stone tools and wooden digging sticks. 6. Remnants of thatched stone huts, used 700 years ago, can still be found. 7. The stones, overgrown with moss, have helped to preserve a record of Ireland's oldest landscape. 8. Céide Fields contains a Visitor Centre which hosts numerous activities for educational and recreation purposes. 9. On the site, visitors can also explore Iron Age stone tombs, Bronze Age burial mounds, and a number of megalithic stone monuments. 10. In 1985, Céide Fields was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the historical monuments of Ireland, it tells the story of a bygone era