Photo credit: Cadw 2021 calendar
Bryn Celli Ddu means 'Mound in the Dark Grove' which is a fitting name for this site. Located on the Welsh island of Anglesey, stands this incredible prehistoric site. Although it might not look like much from the outside, this prehistoric site has been of archaeological interest for many years. Its purpose, like many others on Anglesey, was to pay respect and protect the remains of ancestors.
The burial chamber has been investigated a number of times with the first serious exploration taking place in 1865 with excavations later taking place in 1928-29 which revealed a lot of details about the history of the site. I can only imagine how exciting it would have been to be part of the team that excavated the site!
Appearing to have originated as ritual enclosure around 5000 years ago, the chamber has a long history with items such as human bones being found in the passage to the tomb. Perhaps most interestingly, the bones were found both burnt and unburnt. Other artifacts such as arrowheads and carved stones have also been found at the site. I don’t know about you, but I would love to know what these rituals were, where they originated and what they meant to contemporaries!
However, unlike other sites of this nature on Anglesey, Bryn Celli Ddu is unique as its most unusual feature can only be seen once a year during the summer solstice; as the sun shines down on the tomb's passage way, it illuminates the chamber inside. Bryn Celli Ddu is therefore the only tomb on Anglesey that is accurately aligned with the rising of the sun on the longest day during the year! The exact reason for this remains unknown although some suggestions have been made.
Have you visited Bryn Celli Ddu? It is without a doubt on my 'To Be Visited' list, will it feature on yours?!
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