A POEM A DAY - SACRED STONES



White quartz stones and granite pebbles have been found scattered around the Neolithic passage tombs at Knowth and Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland. These stones were traced to areas 60 or so miles north and south of the site so were chosen by Neolithic people to place around their tombs. I saw similar stone in the grass around the passage tomb at Loughcrew and white quartz stones are often found around grave sites int the British Isles up until the 15th century. Whilst we have no idea why ancient people collected and worked these stones and used them at sacred sites, it is easy to imagine they had a ritual significance. It is interesting that even today white stone and granite is used to make gravestones and stone chips are placed around graves. 




© 2019 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved. 

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