List of menhirs
The following is an alphabetical list of menhirs by subcontinents and nations.
Africa
Horn of Africa
Ancient standing stones are found throughout the
In northeastern Somalia, on the coastal plain 20 km to Alula's east are found ruins of an ancient monument in a platform style. The structure is formed by a rectangular drystone wall that is low in height; the space in between is filled with rubble and manually covered with small stones. Relatively large standing stones are also positioned on the edifice's corners. Near the platform are graves, which are outlined in stones. 24 m by 17 m in dimension, the structure is the largest of a string of ancient platform and enclosed platform monuments exclusive to far northeastern Somalia.[2] Additionally, around 200 stone monuments (taalos) are found in the northeastern Botiala site, most of which consist of cairns. There are a number of rows of standing stones on the eastern side of the structures, which are similar to those at Salweyn, a great cairn-held situated close to Heis. Besides cairns, the Botiala area also features a few other drystone monuments. These include disc monuments with circular, ground-level features, as well as low, rectangular platform monuments.[3] Burial sites near Burao in the northwestern part of the country likewise feature a number of old stelae.[4]
Additionally, between
In Ethiopia, the town of Tiya contains 36 menhirs (standing stones) or stelae. Of these, 32 are engraved with swords and other mysterious symbols. The ancient structures suggest the presence of a large, prehistoric burial complex.[6] The archaeological site was designated a World Heritage Site in 1980.
Asia
India
Menhirs are found all across India. They can be as tall as 20 to 14 feet (over 4.2 m), and several hundred smaller menhirs scattered all over the agricultural fields, mountains and various geographical areas. Rao and his team visited the menhir site in Telangana on the days of summer and winter solstice and equinox and found that particular rows of stones were aligned to the rising and setting sun on these days. "This suggests the megalithic community here was aware of the solar trajectories," he said.[7]
In 2019, four menhirs and nearly 1,000 small and big dolmens were found in India at the Pothamala hills at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.[8] In 2023, four menhirs of megalithic age were discovered near Melkote, Karnataka.[9]
Iran
Menhirs in Iran are found in different villages and areas of
Menhirs are called Sang-Afrāsht (سنگافراشت) in Persian, and there are different studies published in Iranian periodicals about the details of the Iranian menhirs, specially in the periodical "Barrasiha-yi Tarikhi" (Historical studies).
Israel
The
Indonesia
Menhirs are found in Indonesia, except for the easternmost tip, namely New Guinea, which are not found. One of the famous prehistoric sites in Indonesia, the Pahoman Site in Banten. At the Pahoman site there is a menhir stone which is strongly suspected of originating from the relics of Gunung Karang civilization which was inhabited by ancient Sundanese.[11][12]
Europe
Armenia
Numerous menhirs dot the lands across Armenia, where they are called vishapakar (Armenian: Վիշապաքար). Vishap translates to "dragon" or "serpent" and kar translates to "stone". The stones are cigar-shaped, and are typically 10 to 20 feet (3.0 to 6.1 metres) tall. They are often found in the mountains near the sources of rivers or lakes. A large number of them have been carved in the shape of a fish. The earliest known vishapakar is thought to date from between the 18th to 16th centuries BC. An inscription in ancient Urartian cuneiform written upon a vishap at the temple of Garni shows that they were created prior to the Urartian Kingdom (pre-8th century).
Bulgaria
Several menhirs are known in Bulgaria: next to the museum in Haskovo, in the village of Ovcharovo, in the village of Pethocladentsi, in the village of Stegerovo, Staroseltsi village, in Strelcha.[13]
Czech Republic
A number of menhirs exist in the Czech Republic. There are about 40 real menhirs in the country, and dozens of stones which could also be menhirs. Others have been erected recently. The largest real menhir is Kamenný pastýř ("stony shepherd") near Klobuky, with a height of 3.3 metres (10.8 ft).[14] Czech menhirs are probably the last outcrop of similar buildings in northern Germany.[15]
France
Brittany stands out in the distribution of menhirs by virtue of both the density of monuments and the diversity of types. The largest surviving menhir in the world is located in
A 4.5 meter menhir can be seen on the side of Le Mans Cathedral. It was moved there in 1778 when the dolmen it was associated with was destroyed.
The second largest concentration of menhirs in France is at the Cham des Bondons, which is located on high open limestone plain in the granitic Cévennes. Today, the site is protected by the Parc National des Cévennes. From the time pastoralism was established, the site was kept open by controlled burning and grazing.[18]
On the island of Corsica, menhirs are found in Filitosa, a megalithic site in southern Corsica. The period of occupation spans from the end of the Neolithic era and the beginning of the Bronze Age, until around the Roman times in Corsica.
Ireland
Ireland is rich in menhirs, standing stones which are usually located in farmer's fields and are heavily worn due to poor weather conditions and exposure to livestock.
Italy
Menhirs are especially common in Sardinia.[19] It is possible to see at least 332 such standing stones on the island,[20] including especially elaborate "statue-menhirs" that show a human face at the top and other gendered symbols on the flat front sides. Over a hundred examples of this standardized type have been found, most of them around the village of Laconi.[20] In the Sardinian language they are known as perdas fittas or perdas lungas.[21]
Norway
County | Number |
---|---|
Akershus | 8 |
Aust-Agder | 56 |
Buskerud | 7 |
Finnmark | 3 |
Hedmark | 5 |
Hordaland | 70 |
Møre og Romsdal | 134 |
Nord-Trøndelag | 102 |
Nordland | 90 |
Oppland | 24 |
Oslo | 0 |
Rogaland | 258 |
Sogn og Fjordane | 43 |
Sør-Trøndelag | 66 |
Telemark | 13 |
Troms | 15 |
Vest-Agder | 107 |
Vestfold | 35 |
Østfold | 140 |
Overall 1,176 menhirs are registered in
In Norway, standing stones usually dated to the Migration Period, the Viking Age or early Middle Ages.
Portugal
In Portugal, there are also found several ancient menhirs. The highest concentration is in the Alentejo region. These include the menhirs of Meada, the largest of the Iberian Peninsula, Outeiro, Patalou and Barrocal. Among these megalithic structures is the great Almendres Menhir within the Almendres Cromlech complex near Évora.
In
The tradition was strongest in Bornholm, Gotland and Götaland and appears to have followed the Goths, during the 1st century, to the southern shore of the Baltic Sea, (now Northern Poland) where they are a characteristic of the Wielbark culture.[22][23]
Serbia
The graves of the "Latins" and the "Jidovs" near the village of Balwan (Bovan), north of Aleksinac in Serbia were marked by large boulders.[24]
Spain
In Spain, menhirs associated with the western European megalithic industry are relatively unusual compared to dolmens, but still are common sights in the northern half of the country, where at least 500 menhirs have been reported.[25] They are particularly common in the Basque Country, Navarre, northern Burgos and Palencia, Cantabria, and the Pyrenees, where they are usually encountered standing alone or in small groups (cromlech) in elevated locations; the Arlobi menhir is one of the most recent examples of a menhir. In smaller numbers, but of great dimensions, some examples are located in Extremadura, very related to the menhirs of Portugal. Most of the menhirs in northern Spain appear to date back to the stone age; they are not usually associated with burials, but in at least one instance (the Menhir of Cuesta del Molino in Burgos) burials dating at least 2000 years after the menhir was originally built have been found.[25]
In mediterranean Spain and, particularly the Balearic islands, megalithic structures consisting of standing stones such as the Taulas, but associated with Bronze Age and Iron Age cultures, are also common.
Sweden
In Sweden menhirs were erected as markers for the graves of warriors until the 13th century. The following lines are taken from Snorri Sturluson's introduction to his work Heimskringla:
As to funeral rites, the earliest age is called the Age of Burning; because all the dead were consumed by fire, and over their ashes were raised standing stones.
For men of consequence a mound should be raised to their memory, and for all other warriors who had been distinguished for manhood a standing stone; which custom remained long after Odin's time.[26]
In the same work Snorri writes that the Swedes burned the corpse of their king
The Swedes took his body and burned it at a river called Skytaa, where a standing stone was raised over him.[26]
The tradition is also mentioned in the Hávamál.
Switzerland
In the French-speaking canton of Vaud in Switzerland, several menhirs form linear patterns in Yverdon-les-Bains. These are situated in Clendy and date back to the third millennium BC.
Wales
In Welsh, menhirs are called 'Maen Hir' and they are scattered throughout Wales.
South America
Menhirs were erected by the
There are 114 menhirs in the Provincial Park Los Menhires in
See also
Notes
- ISBN 978-1-59884-654-6.
- ^ Chittick, Neville (1975). An Archaeological Reconnaissance of the Horn: The British-Somali Expedition. pp. 117–133.
- ^ Chittick, Neville (1984). Newsletter of the Society of Africanist Archaeologists, Issues 24-32. Department of Archaeology, University of Calgary. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "National Museums". Somali Heritage and Archaeology. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- doi:10.3406/ethio.1987.931. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
- ISBN 978-0-87586-351-1.
- ^ "Signature of the sky in rock". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 2006-04-19. Archived from the original on 2006-04-24.
- ^ "20-foot menhir found in Idukki may reveal prehistoric human activity". 27 July 2019.
- ^ "Menhirs of Megalithic age discovered in Karnataka's Melukote". 9 September 2023.
- ^ David Ussishkin (2006). Czerny E.; Hein I.; Hunger H.; Melman D.; Schwab A. (eds.). On the History of the High Place at Gezer. Leuven: Peeters Publishers. pp. 411–416. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
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ignored (help) - ^ Aldo Marantika. "Dikenal Mistis, Ini Dia Sederet Cerita Sejarah Gunung Karang". www.viva.co.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ Didin Muhtadin. "Legenda dan Sejarah Gunung Karang Pandeglang Banten". kabarbanten.pikiran-rakyat.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ ПРОЕКТ „БАЛКАНСКИ МЕГАЛИТИ“
- ^ "Seznam menhirů na území ČR" (in Czech). Cesty k sobě. 2021-07-10. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- ^ "Kamenný pastýř – největší český menhir u Klobuk" (in Czech). CzechTourism. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- ^ G, Sophie (8 July 2007). "Kerloas menhir". sophie-g.net.
- ^ Aviva, Elyn; White, Gary. "Mysterious Megaliths: The Standing Stones of Carnac, Brittany, France". World and I, Vol. 13, October 1998.
- ^ "Sentier du Pradal Archived 22 July 2012 at archive.today" (French language). Parc National des Cévennes. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
- ISBN 978-1-934536-02-5.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-549-77286-6.
- ^ Robert Tennant (1885). Sardinia and Its Resources. Spithöver. p. 48.
- ^ The Goths in Greater Poland Archived 14 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2008-03-24
- ^ Poznan Archeological Museum: Jewellery of the Goths Retrieved on 2008-03-24 Archived 30 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Megalithic Monuments of Dacia". Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
- ^ a b https://misterios.co/el-misterio-de-los-menhires-cantabros/[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b The Ynglinga Saga Retrieved on 2008-03-24
References
- Le Roux, C. T. 1992. "The Art of Gavrinis Presented in its Armorican Context and in Comparison with Ireland." in Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland vol. 122, pp 79–108.
- Mohen, Jean-Pierre (2000) [1998]. Standing Stones: Stonehenge, Carnac and the World of Megaliths. ‘ISBN 0-500-30090-9.
External links
- Dolmens, Menhirs & Stones-Circles in the South of France – Menhirs of the "Cham des Bondons"
- New Theory – Henges – Engineering in Prehistory
- Rows of menhirs in Russia, South Ural
- List of menhirs and their related stories in Czech Republic
- Ancient Europe Placemarks Google Earth file downloads.
- Skela menhirs in Ukraine (in Ukrainian)