STONE BOTHERING

Samhain, pronounced sow-in, is one of the most significant festivals in the Celtic calendar. It marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a threshold between light and darkness, life and death. Celebrated from sunset on October thirty first to sunset on November first, Samhain is a time when the boundary between the living and the dead is believed to be thinnest, allowing spirits to walk among the living. This ancient festival has influenced modern celebrations such as Halloween, yet its roots run far deeper into Celtic spirituality, mythology, and the rhythms of the land. Samhain originated among the ancient Celtic peoples of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. Its name comes from the Old Irish word Samuin, meaning summer’s end. It marked a turning point in the Celtic year, the shift from the light half of the year to the dark half. For early communities who lived closely with the seasons, this was not only a spiritual event but also a practical one. It sig...

In the far west of Cornwall, just outside the village of St Buryan, stands one of Britain’s most atmospheric ancient circles. Boscawen Un Stone Circle sits quietly in a field, surrounded by gorse and bracken. Boscawen Un is one of Cornwall’s most beautiful and intriguing prehistoric monuments. The more time you spend here, the more you sense that it was built with intention, not only in relation to the sky above but also to the living land beneath it. Boscawen Un stands about a mile west of St Buryan, near the tip of Cornwall. The name is Cornish and is thought to mean “the pasture of the elder tree.” It is fitting, because the site has a natural, living feel to it. You approach by walking along a small track that cuts through fields and hedgerows until suddenly the land opens, revealing a ring of weathered stones in a grassy clearing. Unlike some of the more exposed moorland circles such as The Merry Maidens nearby, Boscawen Un feels protected and hidden. It sits slightly sunken into ...

When you stand among the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis, you do not just walk through a prehistoric site. You walk into a story that has been told in stone for more than five thousand years. The wind curls around the stones, carrying sea salt from the Atlantic and whispers from ages long gone. The stones rise tall and weathered, some reaching nearly five metres into the sky, forming a great cross-like setting with a central circle at its heart. Many who visit say the place feels alive, as if the stones themselves are guardians of an ancient memory. The Callanish Stones, also known as Calanais in Gaelic, are one of Scotland’s most iconic ancient sites. They are older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids, a staggering reminder of the ingenuity and vision of Neolithic builders. But beyond their age, they carry with them mysteries that still puzzle archaeologists, astronomers, and storytellers. This is a place where science and myth meet, where alignments with the stars blend ...

In the heart of the Amazon lies a mystery as old as time and as enigmatic as the stars themselves. Far from the windswept plains of Salisbury where Stonehenge stands, another circle of stones rises from the red earth of Amapá in northern Brazil. Known as Parque do Solstício or sometimes simply the Brazilian Stonehenge, this ancient site has captured the imagination of archaeologists, mystics, travelers, and seekers of hidden knowledge. It is a place where earth and sky meet in quiet dialogue, where myth lingers in every stone, and where the line between science and spirituality grows thin. To stand among these megaliths is to stand at the crossroads of history, astronomy, and human longing for meaning. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore everything known about Parque do Solstício, from its discovery to the mysteries of its alignments, from ancient myths whispered in the forests to modern debates about its origin. We will also look at how it may connect with global networks of ...

There’s something different about walking an old path. Not just old in the way a cobbled village street might be old, but ancient —as in, thousands of years. The Ridgeway, often referred to as England’s oldest road , is one of those places that seems to exist outside of time. Winding for nearly 90 miles through southern England’s chalky spine—from Overton Hill in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire—this prehistoric trail feels less like a walk and more like a pilgrimage through history, myth, and spirit . We didn’t expect to feel the pull of the stones. When we set out on the Ridgeway, we thought we were simply looking for a long walk in nature, a break from routine. But what we found instead were whispers of buried civilizations , forgotten rituals , and a strange, humbling awareness of how little we truly understand about the people who walked these hills before us. There are stone circles , long barrows , hillforts , and sacred mounds scattered along the way—some clea...

England's mystical Bodmin Moor holds secrets older than time, whispered on the wind and etched in the weathered faces of ancient stones. While Stonehenge may steal the spotlight, the enigmatic stone circles and standing stones scattered across the moor offer an equally captivating journey into the past. A Landscape Steeped in Prehistory: Imagine rolling hills cloaked in mist, granite tors piercing the sky, and the whispers of forgotten rituals clinging to the air. This is the setting for Bodmin Moor's ancient stones, dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages (4500-800 BC). From massive stone circles to solitary monoliths, these silent sentinels stand as testaments to a way of life lost to time. Circles of Wonder: Among the most captivating are the Hurlers , three concentric rings of granite giants guarding the moor's secrets. Each stone whispers stories of astronomical alignments, ceremonial gatherings, or even a celestial calendar. Their true purpose remai...