The Standing Stones of Callanish are located on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. They are the second largest stone circle in Britain. The Standing Stones of Callanish are composed of a circle of 13 stones with an additional stone and also the tallest stone in the middle, standing at 4.75 meters tall. Four uncompleted avenues made up of smaller stones lead up to the standing stone circle.
What exactly the standing stones represent remains a mystery even today. We do know that the tallest stone marks the entrance to a burial which was found, so perhaps the Standing Stones of Callanish were set up as a place of devotion? Other experts argue that the stones represent a calendar system based on the moon. Or my favorite, if you believe local tradition, that the stones are the bodies of giants that lived on the Isle of Lewis who refused to convert to Christianity and were therefore turned to stone as punishment.
Some say the Standing Stones of Callanish are very powerful. I didn’t know what this meant, but I also didn’t wish to test the powers that be either, and so I was on my best behavior while visiting the Standing Stones of Callanish. At least I didn’t get turned into stone.
