Romanesque Doorway, Mellifont
The Irish landscape is dotted with artifacts and monuments of the past, haunting relics shrouded in the mists of mystery and romance. What secrets are contained within the stone walls and mounds, that have survived the ravages of time?
If stones could talk, what stories they would tell; stories of greatness as well as suffering; stories of glorious victories and humiliating defeats; stories of life and death, revealing the history of our country against a backdrop of limestone and granite, forged by the builders and artisans of bygone days.
What are the huge prehistoric stones of Newgrange, with their compelling carved motifs, trying to tell us about ancient Brugh na Boinne, the burial place of the kings of Tara?
What supernatural powers were possessed by the mysterious stone heads, the most important religious symbols of the Celts?
What was the daily schedule of work and prayer in the Early Christian monasteries, and what exquisite masterpieces in stone, metal, and illuminated manuscript were fashioned within their walls?
The absence of conclusive answers to such questions deepens the magical aura of mystery and excitement surrounding ancient monuments. When stones talk, and we allow ourselves a flight of fancy to the dark and misty days of the Druids and Vikings, we return much the richer from the journey through time, better able to cope with the reality of the present, which will be tomorrow's past.
The Irish landscape is dotted with artifacts and monuments of the past, haunting relics shrouded in the mists of mystery and romance. What secrets are contained within the stone walls and mounds, that have survived the ravages of time?
If stones could talk, what stories they would tell; stories of greatness as well as suffering; stories of glorious victories and humiliating defeats; stories of life and death, revealing the history of our country against a backdrop of limestone and granite, forged by the builders and artisans of bygone days.
What are the huge prehistoric stones of Newgrange, with their compelling carved motifs, trying to tell us about ancient Brugh na Boinne, the burial place of the kings of Tara?
What supernatural powers were possessed by the mysterious stone heads, the most important religious symbols of the Celts?
What was the daily schedule of work and prayer in the Early Christian monasteries, and what exquisite masterpieces in stone, metal, and illuminated manuscript were fashioned within their walls?
The absence of conclusive answers to such questions deepens the magical aura of mystery and excitement surrounding ancient monuments. When stones talk, and we allow ourselves a flight of fancy to the dark and misty days of the Druids and Vikings, we return much the richer from the journey through time, better able to cope with the reality of the present, which will be tomorrow's past.
No comments:
Post a Comment