STONE BOTHERING

Florianópolis, the island capital of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, is known worldwide for its sparkling beaches, lush Atlantic Forest, and vibrant surf culture. Tourists come for the natural beauty, the trails that wind through verdant landscapes, and the breathtaking views of the ocean. Yet beyond the images that fill postcards, the island holds a far deeper story. This story is written not in books or scrolls, but in stone. It is a story that has endured for thousands of years, preserved in grooves, depressions, and carvings left by the first peoples of the region. Florianópolis is not just a paradise for leisure; it is a living archive of human memory, a place where ancient hands shaped, polished, and inscribed the earth itself. Walking among these stones, one cannot help but feel a connection to the past. Time folds in on itself, and the present becomes inseparable from the distant echoes of civilizations long gone. Each stone carries a story, a message, or a memory that survi...

The Valley of Stones in Dorset, England, is a National Nature Reserve that holds a remarkable landscape of scattered sarsen boulders. These impressive stones, formed during the last ice age, were created by freeze-thaw cycles that caused sandstone from the nearby hills to fragment and slump downhill. The result is a dramatic, almost otherworldly terrain where boulders of all sizes are strewn across the valley floor, inviting exploration and contemplation. The sarsen stones themselves are among the largest and most impressive in southern England. They vary from small pebbles to massive boulders weighing over 100 tons. Their warm honey-brown tones and weathered, textured surfaces give the valley a timeless and mystical character, making it easy to imagine the place as it might have appeared to ancient peoples who first encountered it. Among the scattered stones, a hidden treasure was discovered: a Neolithic polishing stone, or polissoir . This large boulder features a smooth, concave sur...

Walking among the remnants of the Neolithic world, it is easy to be struck by the ingenuity of our ancestors. Among the megaliths, ancient tombs, and ceremonial monuments, there exists a type of artifact that is often overlooked yet carries profound significance: the Neolithic polishing stone, or polissoir. These are not just tools. They are windows into the daily lives, spiritual practices, and technological achievements of early humans. They are a testament to the skill, patience, and ceremonial sensibilities of people who lived thousands of years ago. Polissoirs are, quite literally, stones shaped by stones. They are large, usually stationary rocks, carefully chosen for their hardness and durability. Materials like sandstone, granite, and quartzite were favored, their surfaces capable of enduring repeated friction without wearing down too quickly. What makes them remarkable, however, is not just their composition but the purpose they served and the traces of human activity they reta...