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Standing Stone reveals ancient secrets at modern opencast site


Four human cremation burial plots have been uncovered at the Kingslaw opencast site on the outskirts of Kirkcaldy.
And it is understood they form part of complex religious ceremonies carried out by settlers thousands of years ago.
The discovery was made by Fife Council archaeologists as they removed the 4000-year-old Bogleys Standing Stone from the Kingslaw development, which is currently being mined by Lanarkshire-based GM Mining, before being turned into a business and leisure facility.
Moving and protecting the ancient Bronze Age stone was part of an archaeological condition laid down before planning permission was given.
Fife Council archaeologist Douglas Speirs told The Press: "The Bogleys Stone was probably erected about 4,000 years ago.
"It is the last visible vestige of what must have been a highly charged area of ritual landscape.
"The stone is massive, standing some seven feet above ground and weighing more than five tons.
"Clearly the extraordinary degree of effort that went into moving and erecting this stone demonstrates the intensity of meaning that this site had to the Bronze inhabitants of central Fife.
"Exactly how the stone was used is not entirely clear, but archaeological excavations have shown that complex religious ceremonies, including the symbolic burial of human remains around the stone was practised. "Indeed, four human cremation burials were found radiating out around the stone."

http://www.fifenow.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1015&ArticleID=879458
Posted by BrigantesNation
31st October 2004ce
Edited 1st November 2004ce

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