Lankill Standing Stone

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

Lankill Standing Stone
Native name
Irish: Gallán Lainn Chille
Lankill Standing Stone is located in Ireland
Lankill Standing Stone
Location of Lankill Standing Stone in Ireland
TypeStanding stone
LocationLankill, Aughagower,
County Mayo, Ireland
Coordinates53.753238°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

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.
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