Volcanic Orb as Sculpture or Bird Bath
A "Knocking Stone" from pre-history
£860 (trivet stand separately available)
Dimensions
Diameter 34cm (13.5") ; Height 26cm (10.25") ; Height with trivet stand 44cm (17.5")
Description
Gorgeous, ancient and extraordinary orb carved in volcanic rock.
Although discovered in a West Country manor house garden this is a "knocking stone" as used since pre-history in Scotland's northwestern isles and extremities.
The cavity is polished mirror smooth by millennia of husking barley and grinding grain with a pestle. The black basaltic rock formed over 50 million years ago across scattered, remote corners of Scotland, Iceland and the Azores. The early peoples of the Hebrides and Western Isles fashioned it into freeform mortars, this example is unusually even in shape and would have been a prized specimen.
From the edges of Scotland this has found its way south to Dorset's coast through ancient exchange of gifts or trade.
This atmospheric and evocative orb dates from 1000 A.D. at the very latest, and is quite possibly as old as 1000 BC. It makes a sculpture in its own right and doubles beautifully as a bird bath, resting on the ground or supported on a stand as pictured (in this case, an upturned c. 1800, blacksmith forged and rivetted wrought iron trivet of great strength. Β£175).
Stock No. 2002
