V-shaped passage grave
Encyclopedia
V-shaped passage graves are a type of megalithic chamber tomb
found in parts of Atlantic Europe
including Ireland
and the Channel Islands
. They date to between 3500 and 2500BC.
They are similar to Wedge-shaped gallery grave
s in that in plan they have a narrow entrance that widens out inside into a burial chamber. The entrance passage and the burial chamber are distinguished by sill
stones however meaning that they are part of the passage grave
tradition.
In some cases a small sub chamber leads off from the main chamber.
Examples include La Varde and Le Creux es Faies on Guernsey
.
Chamber tomb
A chamber tomb is a tomb for burial used in many different cultures. In the case of individual burials, the chamber is thought to signify a higher status for the interree than a simple grave. Built from rock or sometimes wood, the chambers could also serve as places for storage of the dead from one...
found in parts of Atlantic Europe
Atlantic Europe
Atlantic Europe is a geographical and anthropological term for the western portion of Europe which borders the Atlantic Ocean. The term may refer to the idea of Atlantic Europe as a cultural unit and/or as an biogeographical region....
including Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. They date to between 3500 and 2500BC.
They are similar to Wedge-shaped gallery grave
Wedge-shaped gallery grave
A wedge-shaped gallery grave or wedge tomb is a type of Irish chamber tomb. They are so named because the burial chamber itself narrows at one end , producing a wedge shape in elevation. An antechamber is separated from the burial area by a simple jamb or sill, and the doorway generally faces west...
s in that in plan they have a narrow entrance that widens out inside into a burial chamber. The entrance passage and the burial chamber are distinguished by sill
Sill plate
A sill plate or sole plate in construction and architecture is the bottom horizontal member of a wall or building to which vertical members are attached. Sill plates are usually composed of lumber. It usually comes in sizes of 2×4, 2×6, 2×8, and 2×10. In the platform framing method the sill plate...
stones however meaning that they are part of the passage grave
Passage grave
thumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
tradition.
In some cases a small sub chamber leads off from the main chamber.
Examples include La Varde and Le Creux es Faies on Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
.