Pentre Ifan

Pentre Ifan is the most famous megalithic monument in Wales. It is the remains of a Neolithic portal tomb from around 3500 BC for the communal burial of the dead. It may have been used for a time and then sealed. Originally, the chamber was covered by a mound of stones. However, these stones were removed a long time ago, so the original covering is missing.

The enormous capstone, which rests on only three supporting stones, is five metres long and probably weighs over 16 tonnes.

Excavations have revealed that the chamber lies in a large oval pit dug into the shallow slope. There were dry stone walls on the sides, covered with a few large slabs. From the remaining traces, the length of the embankment can be estimated at 36 metres. The area of the forecourt was obviously sealed with carefully stacked stones, which then had to be cleared away again for each burial.