If Ancient Stones Could Speak

Acrylic on Canvas – 18” by 24” I visited many stone circles in Britain. With special permission we were allowed into the central part of Stonehenge. It is normally closed to the public and only seen from the path around it. I was the only Canadian in a group of 12 women from different parts of the world. Holding hands, we formed a human circle within the stone circle and were led in song – songs of thanks to our ancestors. It was an unforgettable experience. When I saw the sun touch the ancient stones and the glow expand, it was as if some of the earthly weight of these megaliths was dissolving into the air like spirits in an enchanted place. The light continued on to shine on those present within the circle creating a connection to the life and world around me, the life and world of the past and the mystery and secrets surrounding them.
Stonehenge is in the middle of Salisbury Plain in southern England. This ancient double ring of megaliths has a dignity that invites reverence.
It was built in several stages beginning around 3100 BC. It was mysteriously abandoned some centuries before the birth of Christ. Although it is the best known of Britain’s stone circles, astonishingly little is understood about the origin and purpose of the stones. It was believed to be regarded as sacred ground because of the large number of burial mounds in the vicinity. It may have been a highly sophisticated observatory as alignments of the stones correspond with the paths of the sun, moon and stars during certain significant celestial occurrences. It is an amazing feat of engineering and even with all the research that has been done, it remains a mystery even today.