Ireland’s earliest Neolithic society had an elite ruling social class similar to Inca god-kings and Egyptian Pharaohs, and they were allowed to interbreed. The findings were based on genetic analysis of the remains of an adult male found buried deep in the 5,000-year-old passage tomb at Newgrange, Co Meath. Universally incest has been abhorred throughout history, but was socially acceptable among certain elite ruling classes – typically royal dynastic families. And by breaking the generally accepted norms of society, the ruling class separated themselves from the general population. Newgrange man’s burial was heavily ritualised, and his tomb was placed in line with the winter solstice solar alignment.

Source: Irish Independent June 17, 2020 16:07 UTC