Rows of stones by Kounov
The stone rows of Kounov (Czech Kounovské kamenné řady ) are east of Kounov ( Czech Republic ) in a beech forest on the Roviny plateau in Džbán ( Krugwald ). The cult site, which is protected as a cultural monument, is located in the Džbán Nature Park.
description
Today the complex consists of approx. 1500 to 1700 smaller quartzite stone blocks from 0.5 to 0.6 m high, which are arranged in 14 approximately parallel rows with lengths between 50 and 400 meters in north-south direction. There are various signs on the stones, including V-shaped grooves that correspond to the direction of the sun's rays during the solstice. The distance between the easternmost and westernmost rows is 302 meters. The entire stone field covers an area of eleven hectares. In his first description, Antonín Patejdl could count 2239 stone blocks. It is believed that the lost stones were used as decorative stones for house gardens and that those on the edge of the forest were plowed under.
Outstanding are five larger blocks, three of which are called Gibbon I , Gibbon II and Pegas . With an estimated mass of over six tons, the Gibbon I named after Edward Gibbon is the largest of the blocks. The somewhat smaller Pegas got its name from grooves that are reminiscent of the constellation Pegasus; he also weighs several tons. Both blocks lie exactly in the rays of the rising and falling sun at the summer and winter solstice.
A natural formation of the stone rows can be excluded, since the Rovina is made of clay slate. In addition, there are no quartzite deposits in Džbán. It is believed that the stone rows in the 7th century BC. Could have been created. Where the stones were broken is unknown. The roughly hewn stones were placed in a gravel bed at a distance of 0.13 to 0.3 m. Over time, layers of soil were deposited around the stones on the Rovina plateau, which was previously used as arable land, so that only the upper caps of the stones are visible.
Today, aisles have been cut through the forest along the rows of stones. A nature trail leads from the Mutějovice train station to the stone field. There is an exhibition on the stone rows in the U Tří lip inn in Kounov.
history
The rows of stones were discovered in 1934 by Kaunowa teacher Antonín Patejdl, measured and described in the series of publications of the Saaz Museum . In 1937 Patejdl published an article about it in the Czechoslovak scientific journal Vesmír ( Das All ). In it he pointed out the absence of any finds, such as shards in the immediate vicinity of the rows, and thus excluded a Celtic settlement.
Subsequently, archaeologists, geologists, historians, astrologers, psychotronic ( parapsychologists ) and ufologists dealt with the rows of stones. Various theories arose about the purpose of the facility, ranging from a place of worship, an early solar calendar, field boundaries, an early race track to a Ufolandeplatz.
Ljuba Hornov-Karpatějev (Karel Hornov, 1905–1975) interpreted the system in his book Dzbán a jeho mythy as a pagan solar calendar for determining the time of the spring and autumn rituals .
A historical connection with the Rovina castle from the Hallstatt period or another early castle site on the site of the Džbán castle ruins could not be proven. Likewise, a Celtic origin of the complex cannot be proven, as neither archaeological finds from the Celtic era have been made nor a Celtic fortification suspected to be found nearby. Skeptics consider the rows of stones to be field boundaries.
It is believed that there is a connection between the stone rows and the Čertův kámen ( Devil's Stone ), a huge quartzite block north of Mutějovice.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Džbán Nature Park - on the trail of the indigenous people ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
Web links
- The magic stone rows of Kounov on radio.cz
- Kounovské kamenné řady
- Naučná stezka Kounovské kamenné řady
Coordinates: 50 ° 13 '25.9 " N , 13 ° 41' 44.8" E