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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
I love connecting with history, that is why I travel. One of my
most-sought connections is with ancient history, and there is nothing more ancient than megalithics. In 2006 in particular, I visited the south of England, and got lost in the West Country in the search for ancient ruins. Wonderful experience. One develops an eye for arrangement of stones that is not accidental, and you can be alone with something few if any people have seen. I came across a stone arrangement I never saw before, and I've seen hundreds of megalithics. It consisted of two concentric rings, ten feet apart, with an interior area about ten feet across. http://stepheda.com/England_2006/Day_5.html#13 The close arrangement of the stones is inconsistent with stone circles, and I've seen no concentric stone circles apart from Stonehenge. Yet there are two rings of stones, so these do not appear to be kerb stones of a burial mound whose mound stones have been removed. The most similar thing I've seen are some tombs near Culloden, Balnualan of Clava, with two concentric rings of kerb stones with a mass of fill stones between them: http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...f_Clava.html#8 But, Culloden and Cornwall are so far apart, I know from experience seeing megalithics, that it is doubtful a cultural mixing occurred, and if it did, where are the fill stones? Offhand, it could also look like a fort on the Dun Carloway model. But the space between the rings, at ten feet, is too larger, and the interior space, ten feet across, is too small. http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...way_Broch.html So: this is probably my favorite megalithic site, because of the mystery behind it and its uniqueness. Does anyone have an explanation for it? What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. -- Dan Stephenson http://stepheda.com Travel pages for Europe and the U.S.A. (and New Zealand too) |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
On 2/17/2013 9:08 AM, Dan Stephenson wrote:
http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...way_Broch.html So: this is probably my favorite megalithic site, because of the mystery behind it and its uniqueness. Does anyone have an explanation for it? No idea. If you find an explanation, please share it. What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
S Viemeister wrote:
On 2/17/2013 9:08 AM, Dan Stephenson wrote: [] What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. Of those I've seen, my favourite too, also for its location. David -- (*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate www.davidhorne.net (email address on website) "[Do you think the world learned anything from the first world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009) |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . . -- Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote:
What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . . Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae! |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
S Viemeister wrote:
On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote: What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . . Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae! First time I visited, we wandered around the site at midnight in June. That was the 80s, not sure if you can still do that? David -- (*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate www.davidhorne.net (email address on website) "[Do you think the world learned anything from the first world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009) |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
On 2/18/2013 12:48 PM, David Horne wrote:
S Viemeister wrote: On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote: I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . . Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae! First time I visited, we wandered around the site at midnight in June. That was the 80s, not sure if you can still do that? Don't know - we were there in the 90s, in the middle of the day. |
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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
David Horne wrote:
S Viemeister wrote: On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote: What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . . Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae! First time I visited, we wandered around the site at midnight in June. That was the 80s, not sure if you can still do that? David They've tightened up access. I envy you the site at midnight in June! -- Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad |
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Kilmartin What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
On 2013-02-18 10:53:51 -0600, S Viemeister said:
On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote: What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already. The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney. It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy. I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . . Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae! A smaller farmstead, but older (5500 years old) is Knap of Howar on Papa Westray. I took the short flights from Kirkwall. Overall I was very impressed with the megalithic density in Orkney. I am curious if that is because it intrinsically had a high density - perhaps due to isolation as an island, it grew stronger than the mainland, or if due to being an island, it was less encrouched-on by farmers tilling fields or stones robbed for cottages. Another megalithic-dense area is Kilmartin, in Scotland. I stayed at a B&B right across the road from the main sites: several stone circles and alignments, and several tombs of all kinds. And there are several megalithics in the immediately vicinity. I used the stonepages.com web site for research to find all these places. The first seven pages are from the Kilmartin area: http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...ics_Index.html Now that I check my sources, I see the Isle of Lewis has a lot of magnificant megalithics, too. -- Dan Stephenson http://stepheda.com Travel pages for Europe and the U.S.A. (and New Zealand too) |
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Kilmartin What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)
Another megalithic-dense area is Kilmartin, in Scotland. I stayed at a
B&B right across the road from the main sites: several stone circles and alignments, and several tombs of all kinds. And there are several megalithics in the immediately vicinity. I used the stonepages.com web site for research to find all these places. The first seven pages are from the Kilmartin area: http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...ics_Index.html You probably stayed in the same place we did. There is a remarkable variety of different kinds of ancient structures there, and the local museum does a good job of interpreting them. It's very easy to get to by public transport. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- e m a i l : j a c k @ c a m p i n . m e . u k Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland mobile 07800 739 557 http://www.campin.me.uk Twitter: JackCampin |
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