cromlech
Ancient standing stones
A cromlech is a prehistoric stone monument, typically a large flat stone laid horizontally across upright stones to form a chamber or table-like structure.
The term applies mainly to megalithic tombs found in Wales and Brittany.
In some usage, cromlech also refers to a stone circle: The cromlech stood on the hillside, its purpose long forgotten.
Prehistoric upright stone monument
- standing stonesUpright prehistoric monuments
- hengePrehistoric circular monument
- passage gravePrehistoric corridor-accessed burial chamber
- quoitRing for pitching games
barrow · tumulus · cairn · alignments · earthworks · Stonehenge · Carnac · capstone
Underground chamber for remains
- graveSerious and worrying
- cistAncient stone burial box
- tumulusAncient burial mound
- barrowLoad carrier or tumulus
interment · ancestral · remains · ossuary · funerary · burial mound · cremation · urn
Formal event marking occasions
- sacredWorthy of reverence
- solsticeDay of maximum tilt
- equinoxSun crosses celestial midline
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
worship · offering · druidic · pagan · ceremonial · altar · astronomical · lunar
Topmost stone of structure
- slabThick flat piece
- boulderLarge weathered stone
- quarriedExtracted from open pit
- dressed stoneHewn and smoothed masonry
undressed · weathered · granite · sandstone · limestone · bluestone · megaton · erected
Act of unearthing
- digUnearth by shoveling
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- carbon-datingIsotope-based age measurement
preservation · survey · fieldwork · dating · typology · site · interpretation · reconstruction
menhir
Prehistoric upright stone monument
- standing stonesUpright prehistoric monuments
- hengePrehistoric circular monument
- passage gravePrehistoric corridor-accessed burial chamber
quoit · barrow · tumulus · cairn · alignments · earthworks · Stonehenge · Carnac · capstone · monolith
tomb
Underground chamber for remains
barrow · interment · ancestral · remains · ossuary · funerary · burial mound · cremation · urn · grave goods
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
alignment · worship · offering · druidic · pagan · ceremonial · altar · astronomical · lunar · solar
capstone
Topmost stone of structure
dressed stone · undressed · weathered · granite · sandstone · limestone · bluestone · megaton · erected · positioned
excavation
Act of unearthing
- digUnearth by shoveling
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
carbon-dating · preservation · survey · fieldwork · dating · typology · site · interpretation · reconstruction · heritage