Ceide Fields

The Ceide Fields, near Ballycastle, Co. Mayo, on the western coast of Ireland, are recognised as one of the oldest and largest Stone Age farming sites in the world, dating back to c. 3700 BCE. The walls that have been discovered so far, rest under a growing blanket bog covering approximately 5 square miles (12.9 sq. km), and the exact size of the site is still undetermined. The fields cover the remains of hundreds of stone age farms, recognised by the sets of parallel walls, some reaching over a mile (1.6 km) long. These long walls are divided into rectangular plots, marking farming communities. Although the fields were found in the 1930s CE, it was not until the 1970s CE that excavation began. Today, the remains of most of the walls are still underground, hidden under the blanket bog, making excavation difficult.