Heritage sites, Archaeological discoveries, History of Archaeology

Skellig Michael

Location

Kerry

Country

Ireland

Year of Research

1996

Culture

This basic complex, perched since about the 7th century on the steep sides of the rocky island of Skellig Michael, some 12 km off the coast of south-west Ireland, illustrates the very spartan survival of the first Irish Christians.
Since the great remoteness of Skellig Michael has until recently discouraged visitors, the site is extremely well preserved.
The commission decided to inscribe the nominated assets on the basis of cultural criteria (iii) and (iv) considering that the site is of outstanding universal value being an exceptional, and in many respects unique example of an early religious settlement deliberately sited on a pyramidal rock in the ocean, preserved because of a amazing environment.
It illustrates, as no other site can, the limits of a Christian monasticism characterizing much of North Africa, the Near East and Europe.