Bryn Celli Ddu, Neolithic passage tomb in Anglesey, United Kingdom
Bryn Celli Ddu is a Neolithic passage tomb on Anglesey with an octagonal burial chamber measuring about 8 feet (2.4 m) across. A narrow corridor about 28 feet (8.5 m) long runs through an earthen mound to reach this central chamber.
The structure began as a ritual gathering place with a stone circle and later transformed into a passage grave around 2000 BC. Excavations in 1928 uncovered multiple construction phases that documented how the site changed over time.
This burial site held deep meaning for the people who lived here, as they placed tools and carved stones with their dead to honor them. The care taken in these practices shows how important funeral rituals were to Neolithic communities.
The site is easily accessible via footpaths from the A4080 road, and you can enter and explore the burial chamber directly. Wear sturdy shoes as the ground is uneven and parts of the passage have low clearance overhead.
During the summer solstice, sunlight streams down the passage and illuminates the central burial chamber. This effect reveals that the builders had carefully studied how the sun moves throughout the year.
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