Menhir of Beisenerbierg
Menhir vu Recken | |
 Menhir of Beisenerbierg | |
  Shown within Luxembourg | |
| Alternative name | Menhir de Reckingen |
|---|---|
| Location | Reckange |
| Region | Luxembourg |
| Coordinates | 49°45′33″N 6°04′34″E / 49.75918°N 6.07603°E |
| Type | Standing stone |
| History | |
| Periods | Neolithic |
The Menhir of Beisenerbierg is a three-metre-tall standing stone which stands on a hilltop at Reckange (Luxembourgish: Recken; German: Reckingen) in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. An excavation in 2001 revealed its age to be Neolithic.
Description
[edit]The standing stone, or "menhir", is 3 metres high, 0.7 metres wide, and weighs around 4 tonnes.[1] It is made from sandstone and owes its yellow-brown colour to its high iron content.[1] It appears to have been shaped to give it an "anthropomorphic" form.[2]
History
[edit]The stone was buried for centuries until 1978 when it was identified by members of the "Friends of Old Mersch" association.[1] It was re-erected 30 metres from its original location.[1] In 2001, an archaeological excavation was undertaken by the National Museum.[1] The excavations which uncovered the original foundation pit confirmed the antiquity of this megalithic monument, and showed it to be Neolithic.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e "Vestiges et témoignages préhistoriques" (PDF). Commune De Mersch, Informations Touristiques. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 January 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
- ^ a b Le Brun-Ricalens, Foni (2005). Préhistoire et protohistoire au Luxembourg. Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art (Luxembourg). p. 119. ISBN 2879850606.