Cork-Kerry series stone circle

Carrigagulla stone circle A

The stone circle of Cork and Kerry Series (by Seán Ó Nuallain also Axial Stone Circle - axial stone circle - called) comes apart from two copies in the south of County Galway ( Commons East , Ballynakill ) only in the Irish counties Cork and Kerry before.

Mark

These stone circles, most of which are well preserved, consist of an odd number of upright stones. In the majority of cases there are five stones, but in many cases seven to 19 stones were found. They are arranged symmetrically in such a way that a mostly specially marked stone is directly opposite two stones, which are usually the highest in the circle and mark an entrance ( Bohonagh stone circle ). This results in an axis between the two orthostats the input therethrough to the as "axial stone" ( axially stone ) or "lying stone" ( recumbent stone designated) Stein, the constant is located in the southwestern sector of the monument. This orientation suggests the use of stone circles for astronomical calculations. It is typical, but not always, that the height of the stones in the circle is reduced in the direction of the axial stone. In some circles corpse burn was discovered in small unmarked pits, for example at Drombeg in West Cork.

Distinction

The stone circles of the Cork-Kerry series in Ireland were originally counted by Somerville in 1909 to the very similar Recumbent Stone Circles (stone circles with lying stone), as they occur in Aberdeenshire in Scotland, for example Nine Stanes . These stone circles in Scotland are also axially symmetrical, their axis going through a large, lying stone block. The apparent similarity between the groups and the fact that they are several hundred kilometers apart has sparked debates about the degree of relationship between them. It is rather unlikely that this similar idea developed independently in the two locations. Some archaeologists, such as the Briton Aubrey Burl, also include the Irish stone circles in the stone circles with lying stone. The main difference between the stone circles in Cork and Kerry and those in Aberdeenshire is that the Irish systems do not always have a lying axial stone and that stone block is never flanked by two orthostats. The Irish archaeologist Seán Ó Nualláin denies a close relationship and calls the Irish group axial stone circles (ASC). He also lists some other characteristics that distinguish the two groups.

The Cork-Kerry type is divided into two groups, which were first described in 1975 by Seán Ó Nualláin.

The five-stone circles

The 55 five stony circuits (engl. Five-stone Circles ) consist of a ring or a D-shaped configuration of rarely more than medium-sized, single standing stones whose number is five (z. B. Carrigagulla , Cullomane, Derreenataggart , Glanbrack, Kealkill , Knocknakilla , Knocknaneirk Nord , Lettergorman SW or Uragh ). Their diameter varies between 2.3 and 5.0 meters. Individual circles in Wales and Scotland ( Harestanes stone circle ) also have five stones.

The multiple stone circles

The 52 so-called multiple stone circles (not the concentric ones ) sometimes deviate slightly towards the oval, but the number of their stones (7 to 19) ( Lissyviggeen ) mostly remains uneven. The circle diameter varies from four meters (with seven stones) to 17 m with 15 stones ( Kenmare ). In contrast to the five-stone ones, boulder burials (Kenmare) or menhirs (Gortanimill) can be found in the center of larger circles . Some are surrounded by ramparts and moats ( Glentane East , Reanascreena ). Since the number of stones cannot always be precisely determined due to missing stones and other random changes, it is essential that these circles also meet the other characteristics.

Further structures

Both variants can lie together ( Cashelkeelty , Knocknaneirk ) and have accompanying structures such as:

Rows of stones with up to four stones,
Boulder Burials , ( Gorteanish Stone Circle )
Cairns ,
Menhirs or stone pairs ( stone circle of Currabeha South )
Stein pairs (as outliers ( English outlier ))

or combinations of these elements.

There are similar shapes in England and Scotland in terms of the small number of stones. However, it is much lower in frequency than in Ireland. Some of the stone circles there originally had a higher number of upright stones, e.g. B. the stone circle of Duddo with actually seven stones, Five Stanes with six or Dere Street III near Jedburgh in the Borders somewhat damaged.

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b Seán Ó Nualláin: The Stone Circle Complex of Cork and Kerry In: The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 105, 1975, pp. 83-131.
↑ Boyle T. Somerville: Notes on a stone circle in County Cork . Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society, Vol. 15, No. 83, 1909, pp. 105-108.
^ ^A ^b ^c Boyle T. Somerville: Five Stone Circles in West Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society, Vol. 35, No. 142, 1930, pp. 70-85.

literature

Seán Ó Nualláin: The Stone Circle Complex of Cork and Kerry In: The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 105, 1975 pp. 83-131.
Seán Ó Nualláin: Stone Circles in Ireland. Country House, Dublin 1995 ISBN 0-946172-45-5 pp. 35-43.
Denis Power: Archaeological inventory of County Cork, Volume 3: Mid Cork, 6435 P10. ColorBooks, 1997, ISBN 0-7076-4933-1 .

Web links

[Nuallain_1975-1] A ^b Seán Ó Nualláin: The Stone Circle Complex of Cork and Kerry In: The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, Vol. 105, 1975, pp. 83-131.

[Somerville_1909-2] Boyle T. Somerville: Notes on a stone circle in County Cork . Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society, Vol. 15, No. 83, 1909, pp. 105-108.

[Somerville_1930-3] A ^b ^c Boyle T. Somerville: Five Stone Circles in West Cork. Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society, Vol. 35, No. 142, 1930, pp. 70-85.