6 travelling cup-marked stones of the Vinakalns Hill in Aizkraukle Museum

2020-03-02 In Cult Identity Latvia Stone Zemgale region

Location

State: Latvia
Region: Zemgale
County: Aizkraukles
Parish: Aizkraukles

Other references to the location

Six travelling or portable cup-marked stones, which were found on the Daugava valley wall at the Stukmani’ Vinakalns Hill, is the property of the Latvian Petroglyph Centre. The stones are now located with the Aizkraukle History and Arts Museum and are shown upon request. Some of the cup-marked stones were included in a travelling exposition in 2011 by exposing these in the territory of North Vidzeme Geopark – in Koni and Mazsalaca.

Coordinates

lat=56.5990166667, lon=25.2719833333
56° 35′ 56″ N, 25° 16′ 19″ E

Description

Five of the cup-marked stones are of the hard granite and gneiss rock, while the sixth, and this is the first case established in Latvia – is from the rather soft limestone. The dimensions of the cups are rather standard: the diameter reaches 5 to 8,3 cm, and they are 0,5 to 2,7 cm deep. The six cup-marked stones bear in total 10 cup-marks: four of the stones bear two marks, while two – only one. The marks of the stones with four cup-marks are located on opposite sides. These cup-marked stones were also the first to be weighted in Latvia: smaller weighted 4,5 and 5,1 kg, while the two larger stone weighted slightly more than 10 kg.

Narrative

No stories, nor legends are related to these cup-marked stones. The hill is without a particular name.

Attraction

Outstanding objects of this type, unique each individually and all together.

Availability

Very easy accessible.

Infrastructure, management, facilities

Much information about the particular and also other cup-marked stones in Latvia is provided in the museum. Nearest town – Aizkraukle, where shops, accommodation and catering sites are found. Remarkable sightseeing objects in Aizkraukle – water power