Beaghmore - Function

Function

Possibly the site could mark a focal point for religious and/or social gatherings. Some archaeologists believe that the circles have been constructed in relation to the rising of the sun at the solstice, or to record the movements of the sun and moon acting as observatories for particular lunar, solar or stellar events. Three of the stone rows point to the sunrise at the time of the solstice and another is aligned towards moonrise at the same period. However, most of the remains at Beaghmore do not indicate very accurate alignments upon specific astronomical features.

Because of the number of stone cairns on the site it is possible that at least part of the function of the site was burial. Some cairns have been found to hold cremated human remains, occasionally contained in a small cist. But not all the cairns have burial remains and they could have had other purposes, or perhaps are simply accumulations of surplus stones.