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Knowth Eastern Passage

The eastern tomb at Knowth is cruciform in plan, like Newgrange, but its passage is far longer: about 40 metres (131 feet). Inside the chamber a decorated basin stone sits in a side recess, and carved lintels and orthostats show the density of megalithic art that makes Knowth exceptional within Brú na Bóinne.

Interior of the Knowth eastern passage, long stone walls and lintels with shafts of light on the floor. Knowth Eastern Passage leads to a cruciform chamber with a magnificent corbelled roof.
Looking into the corbelled stone roof of the Knowth eastern chamber, stacked slabs narrowing overhead. Corbelled roof of the eastern chamber at Knowth.
Horizontal lintel stone in the Knowth eastern chamber carved with a continuous zigzag line. Megalithic art inside the eastern chamber at Knowth.
Close view of the Knowth eastern chamber basin stone with concentric carved circles and side grooves. Basin stone inside the eastern chamber at Knowth.
Visitor in a hard hat crouching in the Knowth eastern chamber beside an orthostat carved with lozenge motifs. Knowth Eastern Chamber.

Laser scan of Knowth passage tomb

Laser scan of Knowth passage tomb.

Knowth Eastern Passage and Chamber

The eastern passage and chamber inside the great mound at Knowth is cruciform (cross-shaped), like the passage and chamber at Newgrange. The passage is 40 metres (131 feet) long, over double the length of the Newgrange passage.

The basin stone is in the right recess of the chamber. Orthostat 54, the stone at the back of the recess, is richly engraved with symbols. The eastern passage and chamber were re-discovered in 1968 by the archaeologist George Eogan.

More detail and Eogan's account of the discovery: Knowth eastern passage rediscovery.

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