2nd place An Fhianait

My submission for the ancient civilization challenge: an overview of the hamlet of An Fhianait. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it features a small church and a handful of cottages around the early medieval age (800-1100 AD). Despite the sea spray from the waves crashing on nearby cliffs, it's a sunny day. The cows and sheep are out and men are hard at work. Rye fields – a crop that grows readily in Ireland's cool climate – wait to be harvested. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, a collection of menhirs, or standing stones, seem to glow in the sun. The villagers have since converted to Catholicism but the megalith serves as a reminder of the pagan beliefs of the Gaelic people in centuries past.