This unremarkable 152 kg block of sandstone is one of the most significant historical artifacts and perhaps the most sacred relic of Scotland. In the world it is known by many names: Skun's stone, Coronation stone, Jacob's pillow, Stone of destiny. For many centuries, the Skunk Stone was used for coronation by Scottish and English monarchs.
Like whiskey, thistle, kilt, checkered cloth and bagpipes, it has long been a symbol of Scotland's freedom and independence. Today, this piece of red sandstone rests peacefully in Edinburgh Castle, but more recently, passions boiled around it.
The Scots love to tell the following story: the Lord, having created Scotland and looking at the fruits of his labors with pleasure, called the Archangel Gabriel to enjoy this spectacle.
“Just look,” the Almighty exclaimed. - Here is my best creation! Majestic mountains, courageous men, beautiful women, wonderful cool weather. And I also gave them beautiful music and a special drink called whiskey. Try it. "
Gabriel sipped his whiskey, praised God and said, “Wonderful! But does it not seem to You that You are too generous? Aren't you afraid to spoil them? Maybe add a fly in the ointment to their barrel of honey? " To which the Lord replied: "If you only knew what kind of neighbors I gave them!"
Indeed, the relations between the two neighbors - the Scots and the British - have always left much to be desired. The British, with their imperial manners, were always eager to conquer the proud highlanders, and they, in turn, hated them fiercely and defended their own freedom.
Scotland's struggle for independence began in 1066 and ended only in 1707, when the two countries united into a single kingdom. It would seem that since then a lot of water has flowed under the bridge - after all, for three centuries, two former sworn enemies have lived peacefully and amicably. But even now the Scots continue to divide all peoples into two categories - the British and everyone else.
Scotland has its own government, its own parliament, its own money, its own flag. And the referendum on Scotland's withdrawal from the United Kingdom, held in 2014, showed that the struggle for independence continues, and the Stone of Destiny has always played an important role in this struggle.
There are a lot of events and stories associated with this stone, as well as legends. According to the most popular of them, the Stone of Destiny is associated with Fergus, the first Scottish king in Scotland. He brought the stone from Ireland to Dal Riada (now Argyll), where he was crowned.
Legends associate the origin of the Stone of Destiny with the name of the biblical patriarch Jacob, who lived more than three thousand years ago. The Bible tells us that one night Jacob put a stone under his head, and that very night he had a vision: a staircase descending from heaven, along which angels ascend and descend. So the unremarkable-looking sandstone was endowed with miraculous powers.
His further fate is known only from legends. One of them says: after the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, the daughter of Pharaoh Ramses II named Scotus departed with the stone. In search of the promised land, she went north. After long wanderings, the princess reached the northern coast of Ireland, and from there - to the shores of modern Scotland.
At that time, the Picts, Britons and Gaels lived there - people are harsh and irreconcilable. But the princess was imbued with sympathy for them, and she came to the court of semi-savage tribes, and so much so that after a while the locals began to call themselves "scoti". From this word came the name of the whole country - Scotia, which later turned into Scotland - Scotland.
According to another version, this stone was brought with him by Saint Colombo, who baptized Scotland. He used it as an altar during his sermons and baptisms. The stone has become a symbol of the connection between Northern Britain and the Lord, therefore, only the anointed of God can become the king of Scotland. If, during the coronation, someone who is not of royal blood sits on the stone, then the stone begins to ring.
In general, there are many options, and in which of the legends to believe, everyone decides for himself. But if you listen to the scientists, everything will be much easier. Most likely, the Scots themselves composed these tales when they turned to the Pope with a letter in which they wanted to convince the Vatican that they have been in the British Isles longer than the British. And the Stone of Destiny is another proof of this.
During the early Middle Ages, the Stone of Destiny was located in the Dunadd fortress. In 847, King Kenneth I of Scotland, after the unification of the Gaels and the Picts, transported him to Skun. Since then, Scottish kings have sat on the Skunk Stone during their coronation.
But in 1296, the usual order of things was disrupted. The English king Edward I Long-legged with his army invaded Scotland, defeated the Scots, seized King John Balliol and imprisoned him in the Tower. And soon after the Scottish king, the Stone of Destiny went to England.
There he was placed under the seat of the Coronation Chair of the kings of Britain, which was supposed to symbolize the rule of England over Scotland. But the morale of the Scots could not be broken. In 1298, William Wallace revolted against the British. After a long confrontation, Edward I tricked Wallace and ordered him to have his head chopped off.
But the Scots did not lay down their arms: Robert the Bruce once again raised the Scots and drove the British out of the country. However, the insidious English did not return the Stone of Destiny to the Scots, although in 1328 the Treaty of Northampton was concluded between England and Scotland - a peace agreement, according to one of the points of which the Stone of Skuna was to be returned to Scotland.
Coronation throne at Westminster Abbey, London
However, he was destined to remain in England for another six centuries and the reason was the prediction of one of the British monks, which said: "Where this Stone lies, there is the King of Scots."
Once again, the Skuna Stone reminded of itself in the middle of the last century. On Christmas morning in 1950, four Scottish students from the University of Glasgow - Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson and Alan Stewart - sneaked into Westminster Abbey and stole the ancient shrine.
One of the kidnappers Kay Matheson looks at the Skuna Stone in Edinburgh, 2004
When they tried to remove the stone from the Coronation Throne, it broke in two. They managed to take these pieces to Glasgow, where professional bricklayer Robert Gray glued the pieces together. The abduction of the sandstone caused a huge public outcry in Scotland, as Scottish nationalists have repeatedly tried to steal the Stone of Destiny, but none of the attempts have been successful.
In April 1951, students, not wanting to turn a symbolic abduction into a banal theft, brought a stone to the ruins of Arbroath Abbey, famous for the fact that it was here that the "Arbroath Declaration" of Scotland's independence was adopted at the beginning of the 14th century, and anonymously reported to the police about its whereabouts.
The local authorities returned the stone to Westminster Abbey and it was re-placed at the base of the Coronation Throne. In 1953, during her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II symbolically sat on the very throne of Edward I, under whose seat the long-suffering Scottish relic rested.
It took another 43 years before the stubborn Scots finally got their way. In 1996, the British government decided to transfer the stone to Scotland, but it was agreed that the British would borrow it for the time of coronations. On November 30 of the same year, the Skunk Stone returned to Scotland and was placed next to the Scottish royal regalia at Edinburgh Castle.
On that memorable day for all of Scotland, about 10 thousand Scots lined up along the Royal Mile in order to see with their own eyes the solemn procession of the clergy and soldiers accompanying the Stone of Destiny.
Used materials from the article by Irina Perfilova from the site
Image copyright Thinkstock
The purpose of the ancient stone circles found throughout Scotland is one of the oldest mysteries in archeology. The observer talks about a new theory of their origin.
Scattered throughout Scotland are megaliths - stone piles of various shapes, often standing upright boulders or wind-hewn slabs that form circles.
Two of these stone circles - Stenness on the Orkney Islands and Callanish on the Isle of Lewis - are considered some of the oldest in Britain. Their age is about 5 thousand years. And there are still many such circles in Scottish villages.
Since some of the stones weigh ten tons or more, it is obvious that their transportation was fraught with enormous difficulties.
But the true reason for the appearance of stone circles and the choice of their location has remained a mystery for many centuries.
However, one group of scientists claims that the answer to this question is already known.
The researchers found confirmation in favor of the fact that the megaliths were oriented towards cosmic bodies, that is, they were located in such a way as to quickly find the Sun, Moon and stars in the sky and observe them.
But maybe that's not all.
Image copyright Chmee2 / CC by 3.0 Image caption The Callanish stone circle was built five thousand years agoStenness and Callanish were built about five thousand years ago, during the Neolithic era, also known as the Stone Age. At that time, the communities had already begun to lead a sedentary lifestyle and engage in agriculture.
Soon thereafter, the people of the Neolithic era began to arrange places for the commemoration of the dead. Megaliths became one of such places.
Tom suggested that the vertically set stones served as observatories
The hypothesis that these memorials were erected taking into account the then ideas about astronomy is not new.
A scientist named Alexander Tom began studying stones placed around the UK in the 1930s and devoted several decades to this.
Paying attention to the geometric correctness of these structures, even if they consist of boulders of different shapes, Tom suggested that the vertically set stones served as observatories - places from which it was most convenient to observe the stars.
Now, more than half a century later, scientists have returned to considering this idea, as evidenced by the results of a new study published in August 2016 in the international scientific journal on archeology, the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
The article examines in more detail Tom's hypothesis on the existence of a connection between megaliths and astronomy, and a new assessment of the reasons for the construction of stone circles in Scotland is carried out.
Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption Megaliths of Stenness in the Scottish Orkney IslandsScientists first looked at the relationship between stone structures and astronomical events. Then they compared the data obtained with the terrain and height above sea level.
"We found that the skyline around these structures only had two different outlines - which is in itself incredible - and that the Sun and Moon have always been located in this relief at very specific points," says lead researcher Gail Higginbottom of the University of Adelaide. (Australia) - This pattern is typical for all these monuments. It is simply amazing! "
According to them, the universe obeys certain cycles and consists of opposites
Higginbottom concludes that the location of the stones was chosen in such a way as to show the extreme points of the rising and setting of the sun and moon.
Even in predominantly flat terrain, people looked for high ground in order to observe the most interesting movements of the Sun or Moon.
At the same time, Stenness and Callanish are considered the most ancient of such structures, the date of the appearance of which can be determined with a fairly high degree of probability. The rest of the stone rings were built according to this principle already in the Bronze Age.
A team of scientists led by Higginbottom applied this "astronomical" formula to a total of more than one hundred Scottish stone circles, and in each of them, similar patterns of the outlines of the horizon were noticed.
“Thus, we seem to be dealing with a tradition that probably began with the construction of these two stone structures and was observed [for two thousand years],” the researcher says.
In other spheres of life of prehistoric people, we have not seen anything that would confirm such a mathematical perception of the world.
Although it is impossible to know exactly why the megaliths were erected, Higginbottom believes that in this way people could designate those places that were "a permanent representation of their perception of the universe."
This means that they knew about certain cycles of the Sun and Moon, which, in turn, ensured their connection with nature.
"This indicates that, in their mind, the Universe obeys certain cycles and consists of opposites: light and darkness, north and south, day and night," she said.
However, this hypothesis has many opponents.
Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption View from Callanish to the sunset on the Isle of LewisKenneth Brophy of the University of Glasgow, Scotland is willing to agree that the stone circles were influenced by an element of astronomy. However, in his opinion, the current scientific and mathematical concepts cannot be used to understand the motives of the builders of that time.
"This is a too modern view of the world," says Brophy. "They should be studied from the point of view of the alignment of forces in the then society and not get carried away with mysterious mathematical calculations."
"In other spheres of life of prehistoric people, we have not seen anything that would confirm such a mathematical perception of the world."
Brophy is convinced that these circles are of a ritual nature and are intended to be a testament to power.
In fact, these are very large houses for the dead and spirits.
The places of their construction were chosen due to their special history, which attracted people.
For example, according to him, the research results suggest that Callanish was built in such a way that from one stone circle the second could be seen, "as if by the idea of a set designer."
The stones themselves speak volumes too. Callanish is built of stones with beautiful veins and patterns that showcase the amazing properties of the Earth.
"People weren't looking at the sky," Brophy says. "They were trying to portray the Earth."
In addition, it is obvious that public rituals were performed in the megaliths, primarily the commemoration of the dead.
In some places, in particular, in the famous English stone construction of Stonehenge, signs of burials and cremations are found.
Gordon Noble, a researcher at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, who specializes in Neolithic archeology, notes that the layout of many Scottish megaliths is similar to the layout of ordinary residential buildings.
However, the stone circles, apparently, were not built for the living, but for the dead. "These are basically very large houses for the dead and spirits," he explains.
Apparently, death was a very significant phenomenon for these pagans of the Neolithic period.
Image copyright Thinkstock Image caption Callanish is one of the oldest stone circles in Great Britain"The dead appear to have continued to influence daily life," says Noble.
In his opinion, it is possible that people devoted more time to building houses for the dead than for themselves.
While some of these structures - such as the recumbent stone circles in northeastern Scotland - do appear to have links to astronomy, Noble agrees with Brophy that astronomy alone does not explain how they were built.
“I don’t think that if you had to build anything to mark a certain lunar cycle, you would use boulders of this size,” he says. “This is not necessary.”
Noble argues that the stone circles served not only for ritual purposes, but also to demonstrate status.
Perhaps even these stones began to symbolize the dead themselves.
Communities could compete with each other, erecting ever higher structures and thereby showing their power.
Regardless of how and why the megaliths were erected, it is obvious that they were sacred to the builders.
"People then did not feel as safe as the modern inhabitants of the Western world," Higginbottom explains. ...
It is even possible that these stones began to symbolize the dead themselves, whose physical shell was decaying, but the stones stood as "spectators of this magnificent heavenly performance and the changing seasons," says Higginbottom.
Anyone who has seen the TV series "Outlander" or read the books of Diana Gabaldon wonders where the magic stones Craig-na-Dun are located, with the help of which the main character Claire got into the past.
I hasten to upset, the stones shown in the series are decorations, they were installed in the place of Rannoh Moore, where the scenes with time travel were filmed.
However, this does not mean that stone circles in Scotland have not survived. On the contrary, similar pre-history monuments are found in the Scottish Highlands, where the book and film are set, quite often. True, they are often not as monumental as those shown in the series. What all stones have in common is the following: the tallest one is in the southwest, and near the stones most often you can find burial mounds with tombstones made of stones. Today we will tell you about three curious pre-history monuments that can be called the prototypes of Craig-na-Doon.
CLAVA CARENS - CLAVA CAIRNS - STONES NEAR CALLODEN
Perhaps the most realistic prototype of Craig-na-Doon in terms of geographical location can be called the Clava Cairsn complex, it is located just 1.6 kilometers southeast of the very place where the Battle of Culloden, which was destructive for the Scottish army, took place.
True, they do not resemble Craig-na-Dun in their appearance. Here, the most remarkable are not vertical stones standing in a circle, but tombstones folded like stone circles, towering over the mounds - they are also sometimes called the Scottish pyramids. And already these pyramids are surrounded by stones standing upright.
The complex consists of three burial pyramids, together they form one common line, which runs in a dotted line along the southern valley of the Nairn River. The stone circles-gravestones located at the beginning and at the end of the line are not closed, they have a passage in the center, and through it you can get to the center of the structure. The central circle is solid. At the same time, the mound in the southeast of the complex is interesting in that its stones are decorated with the famous Celtic mystical symbols.
According to scientists, initially the tombstones were made of stones three meters in height. The central circle is surrounded by nine standing stones, the highest of which is directed towards the southwest. By the way, there is a version that after the defeat at Culloden, it was here that many Scottish highlanders hid from the British, but, unfortunately, there is no documentary evidence of this. If we compare the location of the complex's objects with the map of the starry sky, then one cannot fail to notice that the position of the Clava Cairsn circles and stones coincides with the astronomical map of the northern part of the northern hemisphere of the sky, so this pre-history monument is also considered an excellent example of ancient astrology and astronomy.
ANCIENT SANCTUARY AT KILMARTIN VILLAGE
Kilmartin Glen is one of the best preserved pre-history monuments in the Highlands. The complex is located near the village of Kilmartin and Argyll. The local sanctuary is about 3500 years old; there are burials in the form of circles-pyramids with vertically standing stones, and a separate circle of large stones.
The objects of the complex are located at a decent distance from each other, so it will take about an hour to inspect the entire Kilmartin Glen. In the old days, the ancient Gaelic kingdom of Dal Riada was located in this area, and the stones were discovered in 1864 by Canon William Greenwell.
The local circle of upright stones with Outlander inevitably evokes associations, since they are very impressive. The stones are installed in pairs, the distance between each pair is about 70 meters, and some scientists suggest that in ancient times the unusual structure was used as an observatory to predict eclipses.
What is especially pleasant, there are usually few tourists in this area of the Highlands, so extra people will not interfere with the contemplation of the place, and, perhaps, you will walk around the sanctuary and in pleasant solitude. It is allowed to climb the stones and touch them with your hands (just be careful! Otherwise, suddenly, too, move in time), and here, right in the middle of the stones, well-fed Scottish sheep graze. They calmly eat the grass that grows between the sacred stones, but they do not value the society of tourists - they flee when approached so that only their hooves sparkle.
CIRCLE OF STONES AT FREZEYR'S CASTLE
Since Jamie comes from the Fraser clan, I can't help but notice the circle of stones, which can be found one kilometer from the Fraser ancestral castle. The castle itself is located near the village of Kemnai, which is five kilometers south-west of the town of Iveruri, a circle of stones is in an open field and in the old days it also belonged to the Frazers.
The inner part of the circle is about 20 meters in diameter, the tallest stone, as is customary, looks to the south-west, and inside the circle you can find traces of the Scottish pyramid. In the nineteenth century, excavations were carried out here, during which the stones began to collapse, and after that it was pleasant to decide not to touch the circle. Yes, when the moon rises in the sky, it moves strictly between the two tallest stones in the circle.
Did you like the material? Follow us on facebook
Yulia Malkova- Yulia Malkova - founder of the site project. In the past, the chief editor of the internet project elle.ru and the chief editor of the website cosmo.ru. I'm talking about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels, tourism office, but we are not familiar, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
On November 30, 1996, in Edinburgh, 10,000 people welcomed the return of one of the main Scottish artifacts, the Skunk Stone. A procession of priests and soldiers accompanying the stone passed through the streets of the city. This stone was placed next to the Scottish royal regalia at Edinburgh Castle. This review has a fascinating history of a stone that has been greeted with such honors.
It may seem strange to some, but this unremarkable block of carved sandstone is one of the most significant historical artifacts. It is known by many names: Skun's Stone, Coronation Stone, Jacob's Stone Pillow and under its Celtic name “Lia Fail” (speaking stone). For centuries, this block of sandstone was used for the coronation of the rulers of Scotland, and later the kings and queens of the entire United Kingdom.
Interestingly, each name has its own history of the origin of this stone. Which version to believe is everyone's choice.
According to one of the most popular legends, the Stone of Destiny is associated with Fergus, the son of Laarne mac Erk, the first Scottish king in Scotland. He brought the stone from Ireland to Dal Riada (the area now called Argyll), where he was crowned. Some historians speculate that this stone, brought by Fergus, is associated with "Leah Fail" - the sacred stone on which the High Kings of Ireland were crowned.
Another legend connects the origin of the Stone of Destiny with biblical times. According to this theory, it was this stone that Jacob put instead of a pillow under his head. In the Jewish chronicles it is written that later it was this stone that became the pedestal on which the Ark of the Covenant was installed in the temple. Then he was taken from Syria and brought to Egypt by King Gatelus. One of the descendants of Gatelus transported the stone to Ireland and was crowned there. Finally, the Scots took him to Argyll.
In 841 A.D. Scottish King Kenneth I transported the Stone of Destiny to Skun, where the relic remained until the time of King Edward I (known by the nickname "Hammer of the Scots"), who took the stone from the Scots as a spoil of war. came and took her by force. Today, a replica of the Skunk Stone can be seen near the 19th century Presbyterian Chapel on Mut Hill. After the invasion of King Edward's army and the conquest of Scotland in 1296, the stone was taken to Westminster Abbey.
In 1301, the Stone of Destiny (Skunk Stone) was built into a wooden throne that became known as the “King Edward Chair”.
The throne was first used at the coronation of Edward II, and subsequently every English king or queen was crowned exactly “King Edward's Chair”, under the seat of which was the Skunk Stone.
While there is some historical evidence to support this story, its authenticity has been partially disputed. Some historians believe that when King Edward I came to take the stone with him, the monks from Skun Abbey hid it and replaced it with a fake one. Whatever the truth, one thing is certain: the geological study of the stone proved that the stone that was brought to Westminster Abbey was red sandstone, which was probably mined somewhere near Skoon.
The story of the Stone of Destiny does not end there. The relic was once again stolen on Christmas Day in 1950, when four Scottish students decided to steal a stone from Westminster Abbey and bring it back to Scotland. When they tried to remove the stone from the coronation throne, it broke in two. In the end, they managed to take these pieces to Glasgow. There they were helped by a professional bricklayer, Robert Gray, who managed to glue the pieces together. On April 11, 1951, the stone was placed on the altar of Arbroath Abbey, but soon in London the police learned of the whereabouts of the stolen relic and took it back to Westminster.
More recently, the British government decided that it would be better to return the stone to Scotland and borrow it only for the coronation of future monarchs. So, after 700 years in England, the Stone of Destiny was returned to Scotland. On November 30, 1996, his triumphant return was greeted by 10,000 people who gathered on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Even taking into account all the formalities and facts, the question is still open as to whether this is the Stone of Destiny, an ancient sacred relic, which, according to legend, could magically make a sound when the true king stood on it. In any case, the Skunk Stone is now on display at Edinburgh Castle, where it can be seen.
And in continuation of the theme, a story about one more Scottish artifact - about a kilt:.
The territory of Scotland is completely dotted with ancient stone circles. These stones are rightfully considered one of the most ancient archaeological mysteries. Countless theories have been put forward to explain their origins. We will tell you about an interesting version.
Megaliths in Scotland appeared at the beginning of the Neolithic era
These ancient stone circles come in different shapes, but most often they stand upright. Probably, at one time their shape was different, but strong winds and time cut sharp corners. The most ancient megaliths have their own names. They can be safely ranked among the Scottish attractions. One of them, Stenness, is located in the Orkney Islands, and the other, Callanish, is located on the Isle of Lewis. In ordinary Scottish settlements, there are still many such attractions, except that they are smaller in size.
Some stones weigh up to 10 tons
What were the people who inhabited this area trying to build several millennia ago? The mystery of archeology can be solved by a group of modern scientists who have thoroughly investigated the occupations of people in the Neolithic era. Some stones are so gigantic that their transportation from place to place could be fraught with enormous difficulties. But five thousand years ago, people entered the Neolithic, or Stone Age.
The nomadic way of life was replaced by the sedentary
Communities could already afford a sedentary lifestyle, as well as the use of stone tools and the development of agricultural land. These changes brought new traditions. For example, now it was necessary to think about how to carry out the burial of the dead and how to preserve the memory of the departed. Thus, with the beginning of the Neolithic era, tombs, tombs, pyramids and other places for the commemoration of the dead began to appear everywhere. Historians are sure that megaliths performed this function on the territory of Scotland. However, why are they all so gigantic and bizarre? 
Astronomical background
Five thousand years ago, people were already seriously interested in astronomy. Observing the location of the Sun, Moon and other celestial bodies helped navigate travel. The hypothesis that stone memorials were erected taking into account the knowledge of ancient people about astronomy is not new. It is enough to look at the correctly verified geometric patterns if you consider the structures from a bird's eye view. And it doesn't matter at all that the boulders themselves had different shapes, the distance between them was observed with verified accuracy. Scientists have also found an explanation for the gigantic size of the tall boulders. Climbing to the top, people had the opportunity to use an excellent observation deck, or, as we would say now, an observatory. 
When points of view coincide
It's worth noting that the idea of erecting megaliths for stargazing is not new. This hypothesis, after 30 years of painstaking research, was put forward by Alexander Tom. The scientist introduced the public to the results of his work in 1955. For more than half a century, the scientific community has been pretty cool about this theory. And only in 2016, Alexander Tom found followers.
A clear relationship was found
A clear relationship has been found between the erection of stone slabs and astronomical events. It is striking that the horizon line, visible through these structures, had only two different outlines. The sun and moon in this relief are located in a strictly designated place. And this means that the terrain for placing the boulders was chosen taking into account the extreme points of the rising and setting of these celestial bodies. The tradition of erecting megaliths in this way probably dates back to the famous Stenness and Callanish. In this way, people could designate a terrain that could perfectly represent the perception of the universe. 
New controversies
Opponents of this hypothesis insist that we cannot attribute to our ancestors modern human knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. There is no documentary evidence that five thousand years ago people were as advanced in the exact sciences. This means that everything again comes down to the ritual nature of the construction of stone boulders. It seems that the debate about the purpose of the megaliths flares up with renewed vigor.
