Lligwy — Llugwy Chambered Tomb

Lligwy, also spelled Llugwy, is a late Neolithic chambered tomb near Moelfre on Anglesey. Its exceptionally broad capstone, estimated to weigh about twenty-five tonnes, gives the surviving structure a low, compressed appearance. This is an architectural feature, not evidence that the supporting stones are gradually sinking beneath it. The chamber was originally concealed by an earthen mound, so the exposed stonework represents only the internal framework of the burial monument. Excavation in 1908 recovered the bones of men, women and children, along with animal bones, shells, flint objects, pottery and a bone pin. These finds demonstrate communal funerary use and the deposition of material beyond human remains, although they do not reveal a complete ritual sequence. The tomb should also be distinguished from the nearby later settlement of Din Lligwy: their proximity does not make them contemporary structures. Period: Late Neolithic Grid reference: SH5013686037 Protection: Source: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (Coflein), https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/95532 (Open Government Licence). This site data is from the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW), produced by RCAHMW. © Crown Database Right: RCAHMW, licensed under the Open Government Licence 3.0. Banner photo: "Lligwy Burial Chamber in Anglesey" by Kate Heath, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 2.0.