These are the Standing Stones of Callanish,
on the island of Lewis which is one of the Outer Hebrides off the northwest
coast of Scotland.
There are 48 stones, the tallest of which is 4.5 metres (14 feet 9 inches) high. They are arranged in a cross-shaped pattern, with a stone circle and burial chamber in the centre. The whole site measures 123 metres (405 feet) by 43 metres (140 feet).
After Stonehenge, it is
generally reckoned to be the most impressive megalithic monument in Great
Britain, although it was only discovered in 1857 when the stones were excavated
from the bog in which they had been largely submerged.
One legend surrounding Callanish is that
the stones were giants who were petrified by St Kiernan because they refused to
become Christian.
However, the stones predate Christianity by
a long way, having been erected between 3500 and 4000 years ago, which was even
before the first Celts arrived in the Scottish islands. Their purpose, apart
from being a burial site, appears to have something to do with tracking the
movements of the Moon, which is a clue to the religious practices of those very
early settlers.
© John Welford
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