An ancient wooden idol was found in the Irish marshes

In Ireland, archaeologists have found a wooden statue of a pagan deity more than 1600 years old. The artifact rested at the bottom of a swamp near the town of Gortnacrannagh. According to the beliefs of the ancient Celts, the marshes were a link between the world of the living and the world of the dead. The Irish word portaigh means "swamp", as well as "passage", "portal". In swamps and other reservoirs, the Celts hid sacrificial objects, and sometimes sacrificed bodies (bog bodies). The idol was discovered by employees of Archaeological Management Solutions, who are conducting a study of the territory before the construction of a new road.

The item is made of oak wood. On the surface there are several parallel recesses located all over the idol. In Ireland, such artifacts are extremely rare, about ten such objects of worship have been found in the country. The latest find in Gortnakrannakh is one of the largest, the length exceeds 2.5 meters. The idol was made shortly before the arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland. Next to the archaeological site, there were also animal bones and a ritual dagger, which give reason to believe that ritual sacrifices were carried out in this place.

Now the artifact is undergoing a conservation process for further preservation, then it will be transferred to the National Museum of Ireland. It is planned to create a copy of the idol for further study and demonstration. Archaeologists hope to make more discoveries during the preparatory work before the construction of a new highway.