Lankill Standing Stone

Lankill Standing Stone
Native name
Gallán Lainn Chille (Irish)
Lankill Standing Stone is located in Ireland
Lankill Standing Stone
Location of Lankill Standing Stone in Ireland
TypeStanding stone
LocationLankill, Aughagower,
County Mayo, Ireland
Coordinates53°45′12″N 9°30′06″W / 53.753238°N 9.501742°W / 53.753238; -9.501742
Elevation47 m (154 ft)
Height2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Built2000 BC or later
Official nameLankill Standing Stone
Reference no.296

Lankill Standing Stone is a standing stone and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.[1]

Location

Lankill Standing Stone stands in a field 2.7 km (1.7 mi) west-southwest of Aughagower, south of Knappaghbeg Lough. Toberbrendan, an early monastic site, is immediately to the southwest.[2]

History

The stone possibly dates to the Bronze Age period but was Christianised centuries later with a cross carved on it.[3]

The purpose of standing stones is unclear; they may have served as boundary markers, ritual or ceremonial sites, burial sites or astrological alignments.[4]

Description

The stone is a spike of shale 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) tall. On the west face is a cross with a V-shaped ornament beneath it, and on the east face is a Latin cross in a double circle and four concentric circles; this probably indicates a "pagan" monument that was later appropriated by Christians.[5][6]

References

  1. ^ "National Monuments in State Care : Ownership & Guardianship : Mayo" (PDF). Archaeology.ie. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  2. ^ Harbison, Peter (1 April 1995). Pilgrimage in Ireland: The Monuments and the People. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815603122 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "Heritage - Croagh Patrick Knock Heritage trail". Croaghpatrickknockheritagetrail.ie.
  4. ^ Ryan, Áine. "CULTURE Legacy of Lankill". The Mayo News.
  5. ^ "LANKILL CROSS PILLAR/MEGALITHIC MONUMENTS OF IRELAND". Megalithixcmonumentsofireland.com. 2011.
  6. ^ "Some Spared Stones of Ireland". Irishmegaliths.org.