Hill of Tara

To the north, still within the enclosure, is the "Mound of the Hostages," a passage grave dating from 1800 B.C. in which were found the remains of 40 cremated corpses. On their accession the kings of Tara were accustomed to take hostages from the noble families of their kingdom, in order to ensure their loyalty. After their death, certainly not always natural, they were buried in the Mound of the Hostages.

South of the Rath of the Kings we come to another earthwork, the Rath of King Laoghaire, and abutting it on the north is the Rath of the Synods (second-fourth century), a living area, once surrounded by a ring-wall, which was badly mutilated at the beginning of this century by British Israelites seeking the Ark of the Covenant.

Farther north two parallel earthworks 600ft/180m long and 100ft/30m apart have a depression between them, traditionally identified as the Banqueting Hall. An old print shows a banquet in progress, with the high king's guests seated in order of rank and dignity. Archaeologists believe, however, that this feature may have been the ceremonial approach to a cult site. To the west of the Banqueting Hall lie other earthworks known as the Rath of Gráinne and the Sloping Trenches, probably cult sites.