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Evergreen Dazed

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Re: For Ceremonial purposes?

Aug 15, 2013, 11:03

Theres no 'proven evidence' in that sense as we have little idea what went on at many prehistoric monuments, particularly, it seems, stone circles, but we attempt to build a picture through interpretation of what is found.

A ceremonial, 'ritual' function is often, not always, ascribed because of the nature of the site, what is found at it and the fact that describing a mysterious monument like a stone circle as a place of ceremony or ritual is, to be perfectly honest, the easiest thing to do. If you were being critical you may say its saying something but committing to nothing.

That said, a broadly ceremonial/ritual nature might is hinted at by many things like portalled entrances, avenues, astronomical alignments, polished axeheads, human and animal burials, cup marks, scattered quartz, ditches.. the list goes on.

It is difficult, I suppose, to ascribe a purely functional reason for some of these things, a good example being the upturned tree stump at Seahenge.
Circles may have been meeting places, even trading centres. I doubt it myself, but even if they were I still think there would have been a formal nature to proceedings.
Ceremonial/ritual, as a site description, does quite nicely as a catch-all but I wouldn't get too hung up about it.

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For Ceremonial purposes? (Sanctuary)

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