Wolfsong
October 18th, 2008, 03:11 PM
Thought I would start a new thread on this as it is a very interesting stone. It was originally brought up a few weeks ago when discussing a new dig at Stonehedge.
I dont have much info on it right now but I thought I would share a few emails I recieved from a dealer as well as a pic of a few specimens which were waiting for me yesterday when I got home...
The area that these stones come from is the actual area that the bluestone of the 'inner ring' of Stonehenge originated ( the outer ring was of a different rock) the bluestone still stands today.
Preseli ( also sometimes called Prescelli- a strange Welsh thing whereby we often have dual names) is a special area of conservation in Pembrokeshire in Wales in the National Park, the stone comes from one mountain in this area.
The actual area that this stone is quarried from is quite large, but contained to one mountain, and totally unique to Preseli. Now protected due to its history and importance to the UK, it can only be mined/quarried by licence, I am lucky to have a contact with a license. So yes it does come from the actual area.
Only this spotted dolerite from Preseli is called "Bluestone", although some of the rock is very spotted, other is nearly plain ,it is of all the same importance and value, just more prized if it shows the spots which is referred to as 'stars'.
I have been given to understand by some contacts that this is being called Elvis stone in some parts of the United States, the preseli/presley connection.
The reason the bluestone was used & dragged all the way from Wales to Wiltshire to create the stone circle ( which must have been quite a feat a few thousand years ago) is due to its healing powers, the healing wells that are in these mountains, and the power that the ancient Druids attached to them, hence the attraction still in it today. ( The Druids were the high priests of Britain before Christianity arrived)
A little official info quote from the conservation documents in Britiain:-
"The Preseli Hills or Preseli Mountains (Welsh: Mynydd Y Preseli / Y Preselau) are a range of hills in north Pembrokeshire, West Wales. They form part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
The hills rise to 536 metres above sea level at Foel Cwmcerwyn and are dotted with prehistoric remains including evidence of Neolithic settlement. Bluestone from the hills at Carn Menyn, sometimes called Carn Meini, were used to build the inner circle of Stonehenge.The Preseli Mountains are the only known place in Great Britain where bluestone is found."
Other stone circles in UK are of the same stone, from the same mountain area in Preseli, it is considered all of the same importance if that is any help, in fact the circle Pentre Ifan 'the Cauldren of Cerridwen' is still highly used today, and considered very sacred to some, whereas now perhaps Stonehenge is more recognised worldwide.
83345
I dont have much info on it right now but I thought I would share a few emails I recieved from a dealer as well as a pic of a few specimens which were waiting for me yesterday when I got home...
The area that these stones come from is the actual area that the bluestone of the 'inner ring' of Stonehenge originated ( the outer ring was of a different rock) the bluestone still stands today.
Preseli ( also sometimes called Prescelli- a strange Welsh thing whereby we often have dual names) is a special area of conservation in Pembrokeshire in Wales in the National Park, the stone comes from one mountain in this area.
The actual area that this stone is quarried from is quite large, but contained to one mountain, and totally unique to Preseli. Now protected due to its history and importance to the UK, it can only be mined/quarried by licence, I am lucky to have a contact with a license. So yes it does come from the actual area.
Only this spotted dolerite from Preseli is called "Bluestone", although some of the rock is very spotted, other is nearly plain ,it is of all the same importance and value, just more prized if it shows the spots which is referred to as 'stars'.
I have been given to understand by some contacts that this is being called Elvis stone in some parts of the United States, the preseli/presley connection.
The reason the bluestone was used & dragged all the way from Wales to Wiltshire to create the stone circle ( which must have been quite a feat a few thousand years ago) is due to its healing powers, the healing wells that are in these mountains, and the power that the ancient Druids attached to them, hence the attraction still in it today. ( The Druids were the high priests of Britain before Christianity arrived)
A little official info quote from the conservation documents in Britiain:-
"The Preseli Hills or Preseli Mountains (Welsh: Mynydd Y Preseli / Y Preselau) are a range of hills in north Pembrokeshire, West Wales. They form part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
The hills rise to 536 metres above sea level at Foel Cwmcerwyn and are dotted with prehistoric remains including evidence of Neolithic settlement. Bluestone from the hills at Carn Menyn, sometimes called Carn Meini, were used to build the inner circle of Stonehenge.The Preseli Mountains are the only known place in Great Britain where bluestone is found."
Other stone circles in UK are of the same stone, from the same mountain area in Preseli, it is considered all of the same importance if that is any help, in fact the circle Pentre Ifan 'the Cauldren of Cerridwen' is still highly used today, and considered very sacred to some, whereas now perhaps Stonehenge is more recognised worldwide.
83345