How to Build a Stone Circle……The Ness Dig Diary - Plus…...From The RSPB….
by Bernie Bell - 07:40 on 11 July 2024
How to Build a Stone Circle….
by Bartholomew Barker
Plant pebbles in a circle
aligned with the tilt of the planet
and the stars of the ecliptic
watch them grow into stones
after centuries — rocks
after millennia — megaliths
Sing to them the same song
your grandmother sang at sunset
the words don't matter
language changes faster
than the moon but the tune
still resonates with the earth
I've visited three stone circles in the past week, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Sighthill Stone Circle, a modern incarnation.
Let this serve as fair warning to my landlords.
The Standing Stones of Stenness
The Sighthill Stone Circle
https://bartbarkerpoet.com/2024/07/08/how-to-build-a-stone-circle/
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My tuppenceworth…
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/04/09/real-stones-and-fake-stones/
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The Ness Dig Diary….
There’s an awful lot going on…get it while you can!
https://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/2024-day-eleven/
There’s more about the bones of a dog which were found a few days ago…
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16905
…and mention is made of Cuween Cairn…
https://theorkneynews.scot/2021/10/20/cuween-cairn-wideford-hill/
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Plus…
….I quote…
“What the stone shows is that the Neolithic builders were actively choosing stones with natural patterning and building them into the structures in exactly the sort of places that we find incised rock art.”
There are numerous examples of Neolithic art reflecting marks which can be seen in the stones of the land and shore.
Humans seeing, ‘marking’ what’s around them. Maybe bringing the outside - in.
This resonates with an exchange I had recently with Marianne Pollich and Elisabeth Holder. Elisabeth was one of the Artists in Residence at The Ness of Brodgar a few years ago, and was inspired by her time there….
https://theorkneynews.scot/2018/08/11/elisabeth-holder-working-away/
I emailed Marianne and Elisabeth to tell them about an exhibition taking place here in Orkney which I thought might interest them….
https://theorkneynews.scot/2024/06/27/earthbound-orkney/
Marianne responded with news of an exhibition which Elisabeth is holding – ‘From Jewellery to Contextual Art’ at the Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau….
https://www.goldschmiedehaus.com/en/calendar-events
….where, as Marianne describes it, Elisabeth…
“…..shows inter alia a work called „Homage to the Earth“: different earths next to each other, each one adorned with a delicate hoop of pure high-carat gold. And there are other works of her with reference to Orkney and other neolithic places.”
Elisabeth kindly sent us a catalogue, and pointed us in the direction of two examples of work inspired by her Residency at the Ness. I’ll quote her descriptions of the pieces, as that will explain why I’m writing of them here…
Page 39, image entitled ….. ‘Signs created by erosion; photograph, 2017’
“I followed the traces in the natural environment, perceived them as signs, emphasised their symbolic nature with simple means, or, playfully converted given material into ever-changing signs.”
Page 45, image entitled…’Object, 2023,detail’
“The signs contained in the stone are visible in the water. Yet, they fade when they dry on land. I patiently and carefully cut and polished one of the stones, and thus revived these signs and lent them permanence.”
I love it when things…and people….connect!
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From the RSPB…
“It's been a whirlwind six weeks, but now the dust has settled on last week's General Election, we're calling on the new UK Government to show their support for the natural world. Check out our blog to see how the new political landscape at Westminster might impact Scotland's nature.
This month, we're also highlighting some of our fantastic reserves to visit in summer, and a whole host of events running across the country.
Plus, watch our video to meet a herd of cattle and a robot who are teaming up to help save a rare Scottish icon!
Helping Capercaillie
Our Abernethy nature reserve has one of the largest populations of Capercaillie in Scotland. Find out how cattle and remote controlled robocutters help these spectacular but endangered birds.
Visit Mersehead
Mersehead nature reserve is a hidden gem on Scotland’s south coast. From magical meadows to breathtaking beaches, discover our top reasons to visit and plan your perfect summer day out.
As part of the Scottish Refugee Festival, our Wild Dundee project hosted "Resilience in Flight" events, reflecting on the reintroduction of White-tailed Eagles to Scotland after years of extinction.
The final episode of our podcast mini-series takes us from high moorlands to the magnificent Wood of Cree, featuring Cuckoos, thrushes and more.
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