The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

tjj’s TMA Blog

Post to the TMA Blog

Stonehenge; the Circle of Rephaim; and Giants

This perhaps belongs in Folkore but I can't see how to submit - perhaps someone would be kind enough to point me in the right direction.

Have just been reading about the CIRCLE OF REPHAIM or Wheel of Giants a massive circular constuction of concentric ring design in the Golan Heights. Believed to have been built 3000BC it is not a burial ground, nor a standard stone circle but is thought to be connected to star worship - specifically Sirius. There are also hundreds of dolmens in the general region similar in appearance to those in northern Britain and France.

Then there is then a jump into the mythological world of Giants and suddenly references to them all over the place and I recalled being up in the West Highlands in the summer when someone said the huge solitary stones that appeared on the sides of the hills and in fields were thrown there by giants who had fallen out with each other.

Reading on, googling a bit, I discovered there are some popular myths around Stonehenge and giants. My favourite is that the stones are petrified dancing giants caught in a sunbeam - the 'Giants Dance'.

Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 'History of the Kings of Britain' states the stones were originally brought from Africa to Ireland by a race of giants. Later, Merlin the wizard moved them from Killaraus in Ireland to Salibury Plain as a monument to the nobles that had been massacred by the Saxons.

ce
tjj Posted by tjj
28th November 2007ce
Edited 28th November 2007ce


Comments (0)

You must be logged in to add a comment