Sundial

The National Monuments Service's description

Located c. 5m to the E of Teampall Chiaráin (GA111-002001-). The W face of this rectangular limestone pillar (H 1.32m; Wth 0.36m; T 0.1m) bears three features: the lower part of the slab is incised with a ringed two-line Latin cross with open-ended terminals. The upper terminal is stepped and ends in spirals. A double circle is incised above the cross. Two parallel lines cut it in half vertically. A hole above these lines cuts the outer ring of the circle and pierces the slab. The three features are framed by a single-line groove running around the edges of the slab. Macalister (1922, 177) first suggested that this was a sundial. The hole would have held a stick that acted as a gnomon and midday would have been marked by the shadow running down the vertical lines (diameter) of the circle. (Frazer 1896, 161-2; Woodmartin 1902, vol. 2, 240; Crawford 1913, 154-5(a); O’Flanagan 1927, vol. 3, 369 and facing p. 200 (1); Higgins 1987, vol. 2, 370, no. 91)

Compiled by: Olive Alcock

Date of upload: 12 February 2016

This monument was taken into Ownership under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 - National Monument 43.

References

Crawford, H.S. 1913 A descriptive list of early cross-slabs and pillars. (cont.) Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 43, 151-69, 261-5, 326-34.

Frazer, W. 1896 On “holed” and perforated stones in Ireland. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 26, 158-69.

Higgins, J.G. 1987 The Early Christian cross slabs, pillar stones and related monuments of County Galway, Ireland, 2 vols. British Archaeological Reports, International Series 375. Oxford.

Wood-Martin, W.G. 1902 Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland; a folklore sketch; a handbook of Irish pre-Christian traditions, 2 vols. London, New York and Bombay. Longmans, Green and Co.

O'Flanagan, Rev. M. (Compiler) 1927 Letters containing information relative to the antiquities of the county of Galway collected during the progress of the Ordnance Survey in 1839. Typescript in 3 vols. Bray.

Macalister, R.A.S. 1922 Miscellanea: the cross-inscribed "holed stone" at Mainister Chiaráin, Aran Island. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 52, 177.