Lankill Standing Stone

Lankill Standing Stone is a standing stone and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.^[1]

Lankill Standing Stone
Native name Gallán Lainn Chille (Irish)
Location of Lankill Standing Stone in Ireland
Type	Standing stone
Location	Lankill, Aughagower, County Mayo, Ireland
Coordinates	53.753238°N 9.501742°W / 53.753238; -9.501742
Elevation	47 m (154 ft)
Height	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Built	2000 BC or later
National monument of Ireland
Official name	Lankill Standing Stone
Reference no.	296

Location

Lankill Standing Stone stands in a field 2.7 km (1.7 mi) west-southwest of Aughagower, south of Knappaghbeg Lough. Toberbrendan, an early monastic site, is immediately to the southwest.^[2]

History

The stone possibly dates to the Bronze Age period but was Christianised centuries later with a cross carved on it.^[3]

The purpose of standing stones is unclear; they may have served as boundary markers, ritual or ceremonial sites, burial sites or astrological alignments.^[4]

Description

The stone is a spike of shale 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) tall. On the west face is a cross with a V-shaped ornament beneath it, and on the east face is a Latin cross in a double circle and four concentric circles; this probably indicates a "pagan" monument that was later appropriated by Christians.^[5][6]