Barclodiad y Gawres

Barclodiad y Gawres (Welsh for 'The Giantess's Apronful'; Welsh pronunciation: [barkˌlɔdjad ə ˈgau̯rɛs]) is a Neolithic burial chamber between Rhosneigr and Aberffraw on the south-western coast of the island of Anglesey in North Wales.^[1] It is an example of a cruciform passage grave, a notable feature being its decorated stones. Similar graves and marks exist across the Irish Sea in the Boyne Valley.^[2]

Excavations

Full excavations were performed in 1952–53, after which the chamber was re-roofed with concrete and covered with turf to resemble the original structure. During the excavations two cremated young male burials were found within the south-western side-chamber. The central area of the main chamber contained the remains of a fire on which had been poured a stew which had been made with wrasse, eel, frog, toad, grass snake, mouse, shrew and hare, then covered with limpet shells and pebbles.^[2][3]

During the excavations five stones with carvings—spirals, zig-zags, lozenges and chevrons—were discovered. A sixth stone with carvings was discovered in 2001.^[4]

Location

More or less equidistant from Aberffraw and Rhosneigr, it is on the north side of Porth Trecastell, on the Anglesey Coastal Path, and a short walk from the A4080. It is cared for by the Welsh heritage organisation Cadw.

Gallery

• 
  View from the entrance, surf in Cymyran Bay
• 
  View eastwards over Porth Trecastell cove from the side of Barclodiad y Gawres
• 
  The chamber; small adult for scale
• 
  Chevron marks on stone in chamber
• 
  Spiral mark on stone in chamber

See also

• Petrosomatoglyph Wavy lines, spirals, chevrons and lozenge petroglyphs.
• List of Cadw properties

References

External links

• "Barloadiau Y Gawres" (PDF). cadw.gov.wales.
• Map sources for Barclodiad y Gawres

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England	Arbor Low Avebury Barbrook One Birkrigg Boscawen-Un Boskednan Bridestones Brown Willy Cairns Bull Ring Burnmoor stone circles Castlerigg Craddock Moor Devil's Arrows Doll Tor Drizzlecombe Duloe Fernacre Five Wells Gardom's Edge Goodaver Grey Wethers Hoarstones Hordron Edge Hurlers Leper Stone Long Meg and Her Daughters Mên-an-Tol Merry Maidens Mitchell's Fold Mulfra Quoit Nine Ladies Nine Stones, Altarnun Nine Stones Close Pipers Rollright Rudston Monolith Scorhill Stannon Stanton Drew Stonehenge Stripple Swinside Trethevy Quoit Trippet
Northern Ireland	Aughlish Ballynoe Beaghmore Corick Drumskinny Legananny Giant's Ring
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Wales	Barclodiad y Gawres Bedd Arthur Bedd Taliesin Bodowyr Bryn Cader Faner Bryn Celli Ddu Bryn Gwyn stones Capel Garmon Carreg Coetan Arthur Carreg Samson Coetan Arthur Foel Chwern Llanfechell Lligwy Burial Chamber Maen Llia Maen Madoc Meini Hirion Moel Tŷ Uchaf Parc Cwm long cairn Penrhos Feilw Pentre Ifan St Lythans burial chamber Trefignath Tinkinswood Tŷ Newydd Burial Chamber Whetstones
Isle of Man	Manx runestones

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