
In Britain it has been found that there is a correlation between stone circles and stone axe factories, this is of yet unproven in Ireland. Stone circles near trackways may have been places of acquisition and distribution of stone axes and from there brought to richer settlement areas. In Ireland the main factory of stone axe production was in Antrim, stone axes originating from there have been found in Britain, mostly scotland and throughout Ireland as far south as Lough Gur. The Common orientation of earlier wedge tombs with that of stone circles of a later period shows some continuation of belief between the two, this is further emphasised by the regional distribution of these monuments, suggesting stable settlement patterns over a long period. Many stone circles in Munster only have 5 stones, like the one illustrated here, but can go up to 19 stones, commonly among these southernly stone circles is the axial or recumbent stone, which is usually in the southwestern area of the circle, directly accross the largiest two stones, the portal stones, which mark the entrance, from there the stones decrease in size till the recumbent stone.
More illustrations with information on stone circles HERE and HERE
References
O'Sullivan, M. & Downey, L. 'Stone Circles', Archaeology Ireland Magazine, Know your Monuments series , Volume 25, No.1 , Spring 2011 issue
O'Kelly, M. J. Early Ireland: An introduction to Irish Prehistory, Cambridge University Press, 1995
Harbison, P. 'Pre-Christian Ireland', Thames and Hudson, 1998
Waddell , J. The Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland, Wordwell Ltd, 2010
Flanagan ,L. 'Ancient Ireland: life before the Celts' , Gill & Macmillan, 2000
Zucchelli ,C. 'Stones of Adoration' , The Collins Press, 2007
Ó Dónaill, N. 'Foclóir Gaeilge-Béarla', An Gúm, 2010
Room, A,. 'A Dictionary of Irish Place Names', Appletree Press, 2009
Flanagan, D. & Flanagan, L. 'Irish Place Names', Gill & MacMillan Ltd, 2002
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