Megalithic architectural elements
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This article describes several characteristic architectural elements typical of European megalithic (Stone Age) structures.
Forecourt
In
In European
Some also had paved floors and some had blocking stones erected in front of them to seal the tomb such as at
Kerb or peristalith
- See curb (road) for the roadsideedge.
In
built over a chamber tomb.European
In the British Isles, the enclosing nature of kerbs has been suggested to be analogous to later Neolithic and Bronze Age stone and timber circles and henges which also demonstrate an attempt to demarcate a distinct, round area for ritual or funerary purposes. Famous sites with kerbs include Newgrange where many of the stones are etched with megalithic art. An example of the dry stone wall type of kerb can be seen at Parc le Breos in Wales.
Orthostat
An orthostat is a large stone with a more or less slab-like shape that has been artificially set upright (so a cube-shaped block is not an orthostat).
Many orthostats were a focus for megalithic art, as at Knowth in Ireland.
Port-hole slab
In
Portal stones
Portal stones are a pair of Megalithic orthostats, usually flanking the entrance to a
Trilithon
A trilithon (or trilith) is a structure consisting of two large vertical stones supporting a third stone set horizontally across the top. Commonly used in the context of
The word trilithon is derived from the
See also
- List of megalithic sites
- List of ancient monoliths
References
Further reading
- James Phillips, the Megalithic Architecture in Europe series
- Salvatore Piccolo (2013), Ancient Stones: the Prehistoric Dolmens in Sicily, Thornham/Norfolk (UK), Brazen Head Publishing