Friday, August 14, 2009
COMET STONE
This site shows how size isn't everything. There was a complicated set of ceremonies surrounding matrimony involving all three rings and another Bookan site. Though nothing is recorded for this place, if the early name of Ulie Stane comes from
dialect ullie 'oil' might I suggest a reference to chrism and perhaps ceremonies surrounding childbirth ? Note that this was the way to the Ring of Brodgar on the old track that ran through the "sacred monuments", making it a gatekeeper kind-of - in the 19th century gentlemen still doffed their caps to it.
[My stone measurements are likely accurate but the distances between them and across the mound are as near as I could manage alone. {NMRS converted to metric} ]
The Comet Stone aligns NW/SE and sits in a depression presently measuring 2.7m by 2.3m and 20cm deep. The main stone stands 1.88m at the SE end {1.75m} and 1.97m at the NW, depth 27-28cm {29cm}, width 70cm at base increasing to 73 {76cm}.
Measured height differs enough from NMRS to indicate surface erosion [there is a long scrape in the northern half too]. "Lines on the Landscape, Circles from the Sky" by Trevor Garnham gives an alignment to Maes Howe. but unless my compass reading is absolutely useless is incorrect this is not so, explaining why the meticulous antiquarians would miss such a thing- the alignment would seem, rather, to carry on to the Ring of Bookan [though this is on the hillslope invisible from here unless it stood higher formerly or had a superstructure such as a stone ring or posts] and perhaps ? to something roughly in the Dowsgarth region in the other direction. This NW/SE alignment is shared by the Stanerandy Tumulus (for a long while thought to be standing stones) and the Deepdale Stones, both on Mainland, and the Langsteeen on Rousay - we know so few s.s. orientations that there could well be more. The relationship with the recorded 'stubs' is striking, forming a geometric unequal tee-formation.
Following the alignment 2.97m {2.67m} brings you to the western edge of Stub i and from that 2.75m takes you to the eastern edge of Stub ii. These define the mound's axes. Axis A , defined by Comet to Stub i 'W', is perpendicular to Axis B which is along the line of the two stubs (a NE/SW alignment shared with the Watch Stone stump and the Spurdagrove s.s. pair). Using 'mound' for the area currently left rough then the mound is 16~16.5m along Axis A and ~11m along Axis B - NMRS gives approximate size of 13.7x12.8 and ~80cm high. At the edge, 6.5m from the Comet Stone's SE end only a few inches away [<5deg] from where Axis A meets the SE periphery, there can be seen the top of another stone, call it Stub iii, that is probably like to Stub i except that only the very top is showing - careful ground prodding proves the top extends beyond the visible surface and I imagine if more were exposed the axial fit might be closer still (Stub iii is level with the grass and has a smooth appearance, not layered like the other three recorded stones). Similarly a few inches off Axis B , though roughly a metre short of where this meets the NE periphery, there is a roughly rectangular prostrate Slab 3.98m from Stub i 'E'. There's a slight space underneath where the lower surface has 'flaked' loose fragments [I presume they are from this leastways]. Careful search failed to disclose any further stones, so the fact that these appear to mark the axes ends is fascinating (though what of the other ends ?).
Used the 10x zoom on my digital camera [380mm equivalent] to examine three of the directions - for even if the indication from the stubs to the SW was a particular one of the lesser mounds without knowledge of any specific importance it is only presently referrable to chance. Looking along the Comet Stone in conjunction with stub i the Ness of Brodgar is perfectly framed, like looking down the barrel of a gun. From the Comet Stone alone to the SE, apart from the Orphir area, the only possibilty is the putative lost stone circle incorporating the Watch Stone. Viewing along the stubs to the NE confirms that it has Staney Hill in its sights, the standing stone being fractionally left of centre with the 'new' site of Henge to its right [both sides of the Grimeston road]. Disappointed to find the white cottage in the NW direction, which means disregard my previous photo info as the Ring of Bookan is on the LH side of the cottage to its left ! As this alignment passes to the east of the Ring of Brodgar I had read this as an ignoring that circle, but someone could instead read the two axes NW and SW directions marking out the area about it instead.
Stub i 73 x 23 and 16 & 19cm exposed height at ends, depth unknown - evidence of post-mediaeval [?modern] break at NE end [Stub i 'E']
Stub ii 29 x 30 and 29cm exposed height, depth unknown [still whole ??]
Stub iii minimum 20cm down in mound, surface 23 [19 visible] by 15cm, depth unknown
Slab almost entirely exposed, 40x36 cm and 6cm thick at least (stone fragments in 4cm space beneath it)
This site shows how size isn't everything. There was a complicated set of ceremonies surrounding matrimony involving all three rings and another Bookan site. Though nothing is recorded for this place, if the early name of Ulie Stane comes from
dialect ullie 'oil' might I suggest a reference to chrism and perhaps ceremonies surrounding childbirth ? Note that this was the way to the Ring of Brodgar on the old track that ran through the "sacred monuments", making it a gatekeeper kind-of - in the 19th century gentlemen still doffed their caps to it.
[My stone measurements are likely accurate but the distances between them and across the mound are as near as I could manage alone. {NMRS converted to metric} ]
The Comet Stone aligns NW/SE and sits in a depression presently measuring 2.7m by 2.3m and 20cm deep. The main stone stands 1.88m at the SE end {1.75m} and 1.97m at the NW, depth 27-28cm {29cm}, width 70cm at base increasing to 73 {76cm}.
Measured height differs enough from NMRS to indicate surface erosion [there is a long scrape in the northern half too]. "Lines on the Landscape, Circles from the Sky" by Trevor Garnham gives an alignment to Maes Howe. but unless my compass reading is absolutely useless is incorrect this is not so, explaining why the meticulous antiquarians would miss such a thing- the alignment would seem, rather, to carry on to the Ring of Bookan [though this is on the hillslope invisible from here unless it stood higher formerly or had a superstructure such as a stone ring or posts] and perhaps ? to something roughly in the Dowsgarth region in the other direction. This NW/SE alignment is shared by the Stanerandy Tumulus (for a long while thought to be standing stones) and the Deepdale Stones, both on Mainland, and the Langsteeen on Rousay - we know so few s.s. orientations that there could well be more. The relationship with the recorded 'stubs' is striking, forming a geometric unequal tee-formation.
Following the alignment 2.97m {2.67m} brings you to the western edge of Stub i and from that 2.75m takes you to the eastern edge of Stub ii. These define the mound's axes. Axis A , defined by Comet to Stub i 'W', is perpendicular to Axis B which is along the line of the two stubs (a NE/SW alignment shared with the Watch Stone stump and the Spurdagrove s.s. pair). Using 'mound' for the area currently left rough then the mound is 16~16.5m along Axis A and ~11m along Axis B - NMRS gives approximate size of 13.7x12.8 and ~80cm high. At the edge, 6.5m from the Comet Stone's SE end only a few inches away [<5deg] from where Axis A meets the SE periphery, there can be seen the top of another stone, call it Stub iii, that is probably like to Stub i except that only the very top is showing - careful ground prodding proves the top extends beyond the visible surface and I imagine if more were exposed the axial fit might be closer still (Stub iii is level with the grass and has a smooth appearance, not layered like the other three recorded stones). Similarly a few inches off Axis B , though roughly a metre short of where this meets the NE periphery, there is a roughly rectangular prostrate Slab 3.98m from Stub i 'E'. There's a slight space underneath where the lower surface has 'flaked' loose fragments [I presume they are from this leastways]. Careful search failed to disclose any further stones, so the fact that these appear to mark the axes ends is fascinating (though what of the other ends ?).
Used the 10x zoom on my digital camera [380mm equivalent] to examine three of the directions - for even if the indication from the stubs to the SW was a particular one of the lesser mounds without knowledge of any specific importance it is only presently referrable to chance. Looking along the Comet Stone in conjunction with stub i the Ness of Brodgar is perfectly framed, like looking down the barrel of a gun. From the Comet Stone alone to the SE, apart from the Orphir area, the only possibilty is the putative lost stone circle incorporating the Watch Stone. Viewing along the stubs to the NE confirms that it has Staney Hill in its sights, the standing stone being fractionally left of centre with the 'new' site of Henge to its right [both sides of the Grimeston road]. Disappointed to find the white cottage in the NW direction, which means disregard my previous photo info as the Ring of Bookan is on the LH side of the cottage to its left ! As this alignment passes to the east of the Ring of Brodgar I had read this as an ignoring that circle, but someone could instead read the two axes NW and SW directions marking out the area about it instead.
Stub i 73 x 23 and 16 & 19cm exposed height at ends, depth unknown - evidence of post-mediaeval [?modern] break at NE end [Stub i 'E']
Stub ii 29 x 30 and 29cm exposed height, depth unknown [still whole ??]
Stub iii minimum 20cm down in mound, surface 23 [19 visible] by 15cm, depth unknown
Slab almost entirely exposed, 40x36 cm and 6cm thick at least (stone fragments in 4cm space beneath it)
Labels: Henge, Ness of Brodgar, Ring of Bookan, Ring of Brodgar, Staneyhill, Stoney Hill, Watch Stone
