Boheh Stone

The Boheh Stone, also called St. Patrick's Chair. is a piece of rock art a and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.[1][2][3][4]

Boheh Stone
Native name
Irish: Cathaoir Phádraig
St. Patrick's Chair
Location of Boheh Stone in Ireland
TypeRock art
LocationBoheh, Aughagower,
County Mayo, Ireland
Coordinates53.747672°N 9.553979°W / 53.747672; -9.553979
Area4 m2 (43 sq ft)
Elevation102 m (335 ft)
Height2 m (6 ft 7 in)
Built3800–2000 BC
OwnerMayo County Council
National Monument of Ireland
Official name: Boheh Rock Art
Reference no.296

Location

The Boheh Stone lies 6.4 km (4 mi) SSW of Westport.[5][6]

History

The stone is believed to have been carved as early as 3800 BC.[7]

This stone was later Christianised and called St Patrick’s Chair. It was made a waypoint on Tóchar Phádraig, a pilgrimage route; formerly this path led from Rathcroghan to Croagh Patrick.[8]

The "rolling sun" phenomenon was rediscovered in 1989–92 by Gerry Bracken. A new panel of carving was found in 2014 by Michael Gibbons.[9]

Description

The Boheh Stone is one of the finest examples of Neolithic rock art in Ireland, covered in many cup and ring marks and keyhole motifs; about 250 petroglyphs in total. It is a natural outcrop flecked with quartz.[10][11]

Rolling sun

Twice a year (April 18 and August 24 by the Gregorian calendar), from the vantage point at the Boheh Stone, the sun can be seen to set at the summit of Croagh Patrick (7.1 km / 4.4 mi to the WNW) and appears to roll down its northern shoulder.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]

References
  1. https://www.archaeology.ie/sites/default/files/media/pdf/monuments-in-state-care-mayo.pdf
  2. Map, The Megalithic Portal and Megalith. "Boheh".
  3. Murtagh, Peter; Murtagh, Natasha (18 March 2011). "Buen Camino! Walk the Camino de Santiago with a Father and Daughter: A Physical Journey that Became a Spiritual Transformation". Gill & Macmillan Ltd – via Google Books.
  4. Darvill, Timothy; Fernandes, Antonio Pedro Batarda (20 June 2014). "Open-Air Rock-Art Conservation and Management: State of the Art and Future Perspectives". Routledge – via Google Books.
  5. https://www.archaeology.ie/sites/default/files/media/publications/nms-farmers-journal-04.pdf
  6. Domhnaill, Rónán Gearóid Ó (1 November 2013). "Fadó: Tales of Lesser Known Irish History". Troubador Publishing Ltd – via Google Books.
  7. Coppens, Philip (15 September 2007). "Land of the Gods: How a Scottish Landscape was Sanctified to Become Arthur's Camelot". BookBaby – via Google Books.
  8. "The Boheh Stone in County Mayo - Information and History - Teach na Miasa".
  9. "5,800-year-old rock scribing found near Ireland's Croagh Patrick". 26 August 2016.
  10. Cockroach. "The Boheh Stone - St Patrick's Chair - Clew Bay Archaeological Trail - County Mayo".
  11. "1550 «  Excavations".
  12. "Croagh Patrick, then and now".
  13. Hiberionacum, Vox (18 April 2013). "Pre-Christian Rock and Roll: St. Patrick's Chair, Boheh, Co. Mayo".
  14. graymac. "BOHEH STONE".
  15. "St Patrick's Chair, Westport Co. Mayo West of Ireland - mayo-ireland.ie".
  16. catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000242958
  17. "Megalithic rock-scribing found near Croagh Patrick".
  18. McNulty, Anton. "'Hugely important' prehistoric rock art found near Croagh Patrick".
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