Pentre Ifan - Pembrokeshire
 Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber by Oliver Dixon
Literally meaning Ifan’s Village in Welsh, Pentre Ifan is the site of one of the best preserved and largest monoliths in Wales. The giant capstone that sits atop four supporting columns is 16 feet long and weighs 16 tons. It is believed that the massive stone was not hauled into the place it now sits on, but already rested there when ancient workers began developing the design. Builders would first unearth the stone, then split it in two, flatten the underside with chipping tools, and slowly raise it off the ground by degrees, adding more support until the desired height was reached before inserting the four columns around the edges and removing the other lifts.
It was theorized that the lifted capstone was once part of the entrance to a large burial chamber, but this idea has been replaced with another. Many archeologists contend that it is too big to be a burial chamber. It is argued that this was a work meant to showcase the talent of the masons and their status in the area. Either way, Pentre Ifan stands as an impressive reminder of the capabilities of ancient peoples in designing structures that last to the modern era. |
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