As ever with these things, there is a number of traditions associated with the stone. To pledge your troth (do people do that these days? I wouldn't know where to find my troth) you pass a bouquet through the hole to your loved one. To stop your child suffering from scrofula (apparently that's TB) you pass the baby through the hole. It is also said to be the marker stone for a Sarrazin Cemetary (Sarrazins aren't necessarily Saracens, the term is used for any stranger who's skin colour isn't the same as ours) - and also a sacrificial stone.
To get to the stone you walk down a really pleasant forest alleyway - great in winter for kicking up leaves - and on a hot summer's day it must be lovely and cool
Like most of these stones, you probably wouldn't travel far out of your way to see it, but if you're on your way past it would be a shame not to.If you're interested in these things, the Megalith Portal is brilliant.
Simon
2 comments:
Trying to squeeze your baby through that particular hole may well do considerably more harm than good? Perhaps the angle is deceptive, but it looks a rather tight fit - better to take one's chances with TB, perhaps!
Fascinating, the superstitions of old. There remains little beyond 'old wives' tales' in the West, but your blog struck a chord having just arrived back from SE Asia - so many similar superstitions are taken extremely seriously today in the likes of Thailand.
It's the angle - I couldn't get a photo which showed the hole properly and a nice background.
Superstitions are fun for the viewer (usually - some of the German superstitions are a little scary!)
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