The groove stone, which is listed in Johannes Groht’s book “Menhire in Deutschland”, consists of a small round granite boulder, 45 cm high, which tapers at the top and has a groove carved around its circumference. It was discovered in 1962 under the floor of the village church at Stedesdorf. It is possible that it was deliberately integrated into the church as a pagan stone monument.
The purpose behind the groove, which gives the stone a phallic appearance, is unknown. The stone can be compared to similar stone carvings, some of which have been identified by archaeological findings as prehistoric cult stones.
The Stedesdorf groove stone stands on the church mound, on the north side of the free-standing bell tower of St. Aegidien Church in Stedesdorf.
Visited September 2025