[Stones] Lost worlds in grains of sand

[belshade]

Celtic-style stone heads seem to have a common factor in being distinctly
triangular in shape with a broad forehead tapering to a pointed chin. I have
often wondered if this represents a true racial characteristic – any ideas?
Once when I was showing slides of stone heads of this type to a group one of
the members said she had just been for a holiday in a village in central
Turkey where the local people showed the same characteristic. This would
seem to have been in the ancient Celtic province of Galatia so there would
be a logical explanation.

In view of the fact that modern research is showing that impact of the
Celtic race (as opposed to Celtic culture) on the British Isles was minimal
I find Thelma’s comment interesting that the carvings may have been made by
auxiliaries of Celtic race in the Roman army – seems a good explanation.

In Ireland in Co. Fermanagh there are quite a number of heads of this style
which have turned up in sacred sites – many of which became sites of early
Christian churches. On the site of Caldragh churchyard, Boa Island, on Lough
Erne is a wonderful double “Janus head” in the triangular shape. Close to it
is another single head. On White Island also on Lough Erne there is a
Romanesque church in the foundations of which a number of Celtic-style
statues and heads were found buried in the foundations. These are now
re-erected and stand built into a wall of the ruins. One could assume that
the local people with the coming of the new religion did not want to say
“good-bye” to the representatives of their old faith and ensured their
preservation. A very good book on the topic of stone heads in Ireland is
“Images of Stone” by Helen Hickey (Blackstaff Press ISBN 0 85640 110 2 ) The
Caldragh site is particularly “atmospheric” – with a real feeling about it.
In the White Island site there is more to see – but also more tourists.
Desmond


-----Original Message-----
From: stones-bounces at henge.org.uk [mailto:stones-bounces at henge.org.uk]On
Behalf Of Thelma Wilcox
Sent: Sunday, 13 August 2006 7:30 p.m.
To: The Stones Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Stones] Lost worlds in grains of sand

Stone heads...I never really give up on pursuing interesting ideas
Littlestone, heaven forbid ;) so last week took photos of several heads at
the Roman Baths to continue my theory - two of course are the finest in the
land.  Roman and celtic gods are part of my Nettleton Shrub blog, and there
are really and truly stone celtic heads (probably carved by what I think of
as the mercenary/ gaulish roman soldiers) in this area. At Caerleon, there
is another gorgon type head, at Camerton a "neolithic" type head found near
the foundations of a 3rd C villa.  Its true I can't wind them back another
2000 years but as far as symbolism goes there is'nt that much to choose from
in the way of representational art...... and strangely all the Nettleon
Shrub heads on the statures are missing as well - either the christians or
paganism reasserting itself in a different form.
 p.s  We have'nt had our BA magazine yet, so can't comment on grains of
sand..
----- Original Message -----
From: littlestone <mailto:littlestone at supanet.com>
To: Stones at henge.org.uk <mailto:Stones at henge.org.uk>
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2006 7:52 PM
Subject: [Stones] Lost worlds in grains of sand

Cerri wrote -

"This reminded me of an experiment: gently knock two quartz crystals
together in the dark and watch the spark fly :-)"

Wonder if sparks fly if you knock two stone heads together ;-)
  _____

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