Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Meeting the Menhirs

We visited 3 Megolithic sites after parking the car and walking down a track.


The first was the Stantari Alignment which was a group of several rows of standing stones that had been erected at the end of the Neolithic period. We could just make out faces on some of the statues but archaeologists have been able to distinguish belts, loincloths, arms and hands on the statues making them quite different from standing stones in other parts of the world.

The second site, a little further along the track was the Renaghju Alignment that has been accurately dated to 4500 BC as there had been a village on the site as well as the standing stones.

We walked on through an oak grove with huge trees growing amidst granite boulders providing some instant relief from the hot sun.

We reached the Funtanaccia Dolmen, a collective burial chamber and a place to respect the dead. It dated from around 300 BC. It was built from huge rocks with a single large stone sitting across the top.

It was a fascinating visit to the remainder of such an old civilization.


                                        The Stantari Alignment. The Menhirs all in a row.

                                          Gail meeting the Menhirs at Renaghju.


                                        The Menhirs at Renaghju were a far more relaxed lot.


                                         In the oak grove.


                                          Robert inspects the Funtanaccia Dolmen.


                                         We swam in this bay earlier and here we are waiting for dinner.

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