Anomalous stone group, Crumpane, Co. Cork

Co. Cork |

Stone Monuments

Anomalous stone group, Crumpane, Co. Cork

On a north-facing slope above the Kilmackowen valley and Coulagh Bay, two low stones protrude from the rush-covered bog at Crumpane, and what makes them odd is not their size but their disagreement.

Most paired or grouped stones share a common alignment, their long axes pointing in the same direction as though arranged with a single purpose in mind. These two do not. The northwest stone, roughly rectangular in plan and standing about 0.6 metres above the surface, is oriented NW-SE. The southeast stone, somewhat smaller at 0.4 metres high, runs SSE-NNW. They stand just five metres apart, yet they point in meaningfully different directions, which is precisely what earns the site its classification as anomalous.

The label "anomalous stone group" is an archaeological category used when a cluster of standing or recumbent stones does not fit neatly into the recognised monument types of the region, such as stone pairs, stone rows, or stone circles. It signals that something deliberate appears to have happened here, but that the pattern, if there ever was one, is either incomplete or simply not yet understood. Adding a further layer of interest, a separate standing stone lies just three metres to the north of this pair, close enough to suggest a relationship between the three, though what that relationship might have been remains unclear. The whole arrangement sits in rough pasture that has clearly been boggy for a long time, which means the stones visible today may be only the upper portions of taller monuments, their bases sealed beneath accumulated peat.

Rated 0 out of 5

Visitor Notes

Review type for post source and places source type not found
Added by
Picture of Pete F
Pete F
IrishHistory.com is passionate about helping people discover and connect with the rich stories of their local communities.
Please use the form below to submit any photos you may have of Anomalous stone group, Crumpane, Co. Cork. We're happy to take any suggested edits you may have too. Please be advised it will take us some time to get to these submissions. Thank you.
Name
Email
Message
Upload images/documents
Maximum file size: 100 MB
If you'd like to add an image or a PDF please do it here.

Advertisement