I’m fascinated with this one stone, Stone 59. (But, fickle is what fickle decides to be
When Stone 59 fell, it broke into three major parts: the bottom, turtleback a; middle b and tenon c. I guess the other chunks, particularly the right, top corner of the middle chunk (59b) and the lower right corner of the bottom (59a) have been taken. Perhaps there is a flaw in the sarsen down that side.
Here as a complete, reconstructed stone. (My best guess, anyway.)
But it’s the missing volume that is a concern. The bits that have been chipped away, or just carted off when the stone fell.
The middle stone, Stone 59b, has a large corner missing, top right, Maybe it came apart when it fell. Maybe smashed with a sledgehammer in antiquity.
You’ve only got to look at the tenon part of 59, that is, Stone 59c. See on the edge, the two foot percussive, concentric circle injury. That must have needed a right old bang with a very large hammer.
To add to the knowledge base. I think there’s a continuation of the turtleback ridge on Stone 59a, up onto 59b.
You’ll want to see this picture in full size!
But, I’m confused. We know there’s a stump buried 1 foot 4 inches below the surface. But, the reconstructed Stone 59 is too high.
Maybe I can squash a few more inches out of the gaps around 59b, but not nearly enough.
The red cube is 1 meter. The blue block is the stump. The black and white bar is 1m.
Perhaps, the stump is split, the higher half 1’4″ and the lower part, low enough to accommodate the foot of 59a. In the oblique view, with the woodcutter and princess, 59a’s foot seems narrower, though as it’s buried, so, we’ll not know.
Don’t know where you are? You are here…
