The Mysterious Stone Circles of The Gambia

The Stone Circles of Senegambia includes 1053 stone circles and 28,931 monoliths. There’re four circles groups have been selected for world heritage listing, two locations in Gambia and two in Sengal. The location can be found in Kerbatch Central River Division (Gambia, Wassu Central River Division (Gambia), Sine Ngayène Kaolack (Senegal) and Wanar Kaolack (Senegal). So, these four locations, comprises 93 stone circles and various tumuli and burial mounds. Although, age and origins remains a mystery, however, recent findings suggest somewhere between 3^rd century BC and 16^th century AD. Therefore, the stone circles of Senegal and the Gambia are most inspiring remains that have mystified the travelers from many centuries. 

Although, there’re several stone circles have found throughout Europe and the Near East, however there are so large a concentration as found on the north bank of the river Gambia. Though, it is quite puzzling, of large group of similar monuments so well established and showing dynamic culture. The Saloumn and Gambia River area is containing several curious features of unique V or Lyre stones. Although, the commonest shape is round like a pillar with a flat top, and some are taper upwards and few cup shaped hollow on top.

The Stone Circles composed of standing position between 10 and 24 in any particular circle. The most impressive feature is that, almost entire stones forming are same height and size. However, their height is varying between 245cm and 60cm and diameter is 30c to 100cm. The N’Jai Kunda (largest stone) weight is more than 10 tons. This stone were brought down a steep hillside and transportation on rollers on hammocks must have presented formidable difficulties and labor force. The stones were cut out of laterite that occurs in ample outcrops in this part of world and its hardening exposure to air relatively easy to quarry.

Moreover, Islamic historian and wise explorers have presented several opinions, regarding the Senegambia Stone Circles. A famous Islamic scholar Kuntaur Fulla Kunda says, if a small stone stand near a large one, that present that someone was buried with his/her child. However, if stones are in V-Shape that means, two close relatives died on the same day and buried together. Hence, these days, small stones and vegetables are still left on the stones and said to shine bright at night. The famous Wassue Sone Circles is widely popular among tourist and hundreds of visitors come to here to see the mystery of standing stones. The Stone Circles offering a sight of success, cultural heritage.

The Split Apple Rock Formation

The stunning Split Apple Rock is actually a geological rock formation in the Tasman Bay off the northern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The Split Apple Rock is also known as Tokangawha, made of granite strange shape of an apple which has been cut in half.  The name Split Apple Rock was made official in 1988, and was officially altered to Tokangawhā - Split Apple Rock in August 2014.

This is most famous tourist attraction in the waters of Tasman Sea. It is located somewhere 50 meters off the coast between Kaiteriteri and Marahau.  The rock is accessible by wading as it sits in shallow water. Therefore, several tourist boats and pleasure craft operate along the shores of the Abel Tasman National Park. It is also a point of interest that cleft to produce two sides of “Apple” was a natural occurrence. 

There are number of stories exist for the occurrence of Split Apple Rock, however one is Maori legend fighting over the possession of a larger boulder, and matter was resolved by cutting him into two pieces. Moreover another story tells by geologists, that water seeped into rock during ice age and froze, ultimately shaped splitting the rock by stone. In the first look, you’d be amazed for sure due to its unique rock formation. Split Apple Rock range is clearly visible from the beautiful sandy beach. It’s an excellent place to visit throughout the year due to its mild climate.

Goseck Circle, Germany

The strange Goseck Circle is also known as the Goseck Henge, a Neolithic Circle Structure, perhaps one of the oldest solar observatories in the world. The site is located in Goseck in Burgenlandkreis district of Saxony Anhalt in Germany. The Goseck Circle is known Circular Enclosures associated with the Central European Neolithic. The Goseck Circle comprises a set of concentric ditches almost 75 meters across and two palisade rings containing gates in places aligned with sunrise and sunset on the solstice days. 

It is thought to be built dated to c. 4900 BC, and remained useless until 4600 BC.  Therefore, Excavators are keen interested to know the purpose of Goseck Circle, have found the remains of ritual fires, animals human bones, headless skeleton adjacent to south eastern gate. So, many researchers believed, that place could be interpreted as traces of human sacrifice or specific burial ritual. Hence there is no sign of fire or of other destruction. Moreover place was abandoned is not confirmed, however later on villagers built a defensive moat following the ditches of the old enclosure.  The Goseck ring is one of best preserved structures built at around the same time. Therefore archaeologists generally agree that Goseck circle was built to observation of the course of the Sun in the course of the solar year. Thus, traces of original configuration disclose, Goseck Ring comprises of four concentric circles a mound, a ditch, and two wooden palisades. 

In 1991, local surveyors found the structure accidentally, by taking aerial photographs of the area, and then they’ve spotted a gargantuan circular ridge like structure underneath a wheat field. However, in 2002, a major excavation was found palisades had three gates, one facing north, one facing southwest and third one facing southeast. You cannot say it’s a unique circle, as there’re hundreds of similar circles have been found in Austria, Germany and Czech Republic. Therefore, The Goseck Ring is the largest one and well preserved one. 

Moreover more than two hundred and fifty circular ditches have been found with the help of aerial surveys. Another very noteworthy point is that, both Goseck Circle and Stonehenge are on same latitude. The wooden palisades were reconstructed before it was opened to public in 2005. Goseck Circle reveal that how ancient people were sophistication and capable of to measure time, date and years. The solar observatory have unique milestone in astronomical history and challenge the stereotypes in archeological. Source: Charismatic Planet

The Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan

Well, one of the most prominence stones left behind is the “Unfinished' Obelisk,” taller than any known obelisk ever raised.  The unfinished obelisk is located in the northern region of Aswan Egypt (500 miles south of Cairo). It is roughly one third larger than any ancient Egyptian obelisk ever erected. If this obelisk finished, then it’d have been measured 137 feet and weighed 1,200 tons. The creator of Obelisk started to carve it directly from bedrock, but cracks appeared in the granite and project was abandoned. However, the bottom side is still attached to the bedrock gives important clues to how the ancient quarried granite. 

The unfinished obelisk is basically a Greek architecture, defined as a tall and slender monument with 4 sides converging to a mini pyramidal shape at the topmost point. The Unfinished obelisk was constructed by Hatshepsut, the queen of Thutmose II, who ruled Egypt as a Pharaoh from 1478 to 1458 B.C., jointly with Thutmose III, who was then only a child.

The abandoned project provides strange insight into ancient Egyptian stone working methods, notions the idea of tools they had used visible as ocher-colored lines marking where they were working. The Aswan area is the main region of providing red granite used for ancient temples and colossi came from quarries.  The unfinished obelisk base was discovered in 2005 and still lies being hewn from the rock. Moreover, some rock carvings and leftovers may correspond to the area where most of fame obelisks were worked. Initially it was believed that the stone had an undetected flawless; however quarrying process let the cracking to develop by releasing the stress. The unfinished objects are an open-air museum and are officially protected by the Egyptian government as an archeological site

The purpose behind to done obelisk is not known, because the main tool employed for carving the granite were small balls of Dolerite. The unearthing of obelisk allows observing how they were made. Therefore, the means of separating the stone from the bedrock was a simple method used around the ancient world. Also small cavities were made in the stone, which were then filled with wood and soaked water causing it to expand. Source: Charismatic Planet