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| This
is an odd looking stone that stands within the birch wood just above Gardom's
Edge and about 200 metres north of the Gardom's Edge Rock Art panel. Standing
over a metre and a half high its sharply tilted appearance changes depending
on which angle it is viewed from, from one it appears like a giant triangular
fin, from another it appears slender, while its top is hollowed out by
heavy weathering. The most interesting aspect though is the one shown
in the picture to the left above. From here it takes on the appearance
of a demonic face with nose, mouth and deep set eyes - was this the reason
why this stone was chosen to the erected here? Did it form a tribal totem
or guardian figure? It is tempting to speculate that the Bronze
Age population of the area may have even used red ochre and charcoal
to enhance these features although of course we will probably never know. See also the 'Old Wife's Neck' standing stone in North Yorkshire. |
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