Stone circles can be found all around the United Kingdom. These structures range in size and most commonly hold connections to folkloric tales or practices, and are usually regarded as being sacred. Many theories have been crafted over time concerning stone circles. However, their true known origins are vague and open for interpretation, which makes them a complex topic to discuss and research. By linking stone circles in various places in the United Kingdom and their connections to folktales, cultural practices, and other various meanings, we are able to draw information regarding the importance of stone circles and begin to expand our understanding of a significant part of Britain and Ireland’s ancient material culture. Stone circles
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The six stone circles vary in structure and are concentrated in compact area. A distinguishable grouping of stone circles is a double ring of squat boulders called, “Fingal’s Cauldron Seat”. The outermost circle of 14 stones jaggedly forms around an almost perfect inner circle of 8. These stone circles are one of the smallest rings on Marchrie Moore, however they feature the most vivid legend. It’s common to find stone circles being linked with legendary figures and giants, and with this particular set of stone circles, they are connected with a story about the Irish giant and hero Fingal. The primary folktale states that the stones were erected in a circular manner to support the cooking cauldron for the giant Fingal. And the stones on the outer portion of the circle feature inner rings were presumably for Finn to tie his dog up to the stones while eating his meal. As James Bryce an Irish geologist stated, “A block, on the south-east side of the outer circle, has a ledge perforated by a round hole, which is well worn on the edges, and said to have been formed for the purpose of fastening the favourite dog Bran of the giant aforenamed”(Bryce …show more content…
Some have suggested that the stone circles align with a portion of the skyline, which aligns with the sun on Midsummer’s morning. The stone circles are positioned in such a way to indicate when the longest day of the year is arriving and leaving, and to indicate when winter is coming and when agricultural practices should be attended to. Moving onward, we can draw more information about this topic by examining the Orkney Islands, an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. Several stone circles stand along these different islands and a few of these monoliths I found to be the most interesting were, “The Standing Stones of Stenness”, and the “Ring of
The six stone circles vary in structure and are concentrated in compact area. A distinguishable grouping of stone circles is a double ring of squat boulders called, “Fingal’s Cauldron Seat”. The outermost circle of 14 stones jaggedly forms around an almost perfect inner circle of 8. These stone circles are one of the smallest rings on Marchrie Moore, however they feature the most vivid legend. It’s common to find stone circles being linked with legendary figures and giants, and with this particular set of stone circles, they are connected with a story about the Irish giant and hero Fingal. The primary folktale states that the stones were erected in a circular manner to support the cooking cauldron for the giant Fingal. And the stones on the outer portion of the circle feature inner rings were presumably for Finn to tie his dog up to the stones while eating his meal. As James Bryce an Irish geologist stated, “A block, on the south-east side of the outer circle, has a ledge perforated by a round hole, which is well worn on the edges, and said to have been formed for the purpose of fastening the favourite dog Bran of the giant aforenamed”(Bryce …show more content…
Some have suggested that the stone circles align with a portion of the skyline, which aligns with the sun on Midsummer’s morning. The stone circles are positioned in such a way to indicate when the longest day of the year is arriving and leaving, and to indicate when winter is coming and when agricultural practices should be attended to. Moving onward, we can draw more information about this topic by examining the Orkney Islands, an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland. Several stone circles stand along these different islands and a few of these monoliths I found to be the most interesting were, “The Standing Stones of Stenness”, and the “Ring of