Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Kuldīga
Parish: Kurmāle
Other references to the location
300 m E of the Kļaviņas homestead, 300 m S of the Megņi homestead, in an open agricultural field. Arrival at the site from the Kuldīga–Aizpute highway making a turn at the bus stop Eņģeļi.
Coordinates
lat=56.9038888889, lon=21.8747222222
56° 54′ 14″ N, 21° 52′ 28″ E
Description
The Devil’s stone is important due to its multi-type hollows and also a rather rare tale of a violent content about the Devil’s activities. The length of the stone is 2.40 m, width of 2.25 m, height of 1.00 m, and circumference of 8.35 m. On the uneven surface of the stone, there are four distinguished multi-type feet: 1) 0.42 m x 0.16 m x depth of 12.5 cm; 2) 0.35 m x 0.17 m x depth of 9–10 cm; 3) 0.46 m x 0.19 m x depth up to 7 cm; 4) a probable foot: 0.20 m x 0.13 m x depth of about 3 cm. On the eastern slope of the stone’s side, there is an interesting formation — a handle, the circumference of which is 36 cm, located at the height of 50–60 cm from the ground, the width of the cranny is around 14 cm. Specialists of geology believe that such one could be formed when a large fossil had fell apart that was enclosed by the stone. According to its composition, it is limestone. A few meters away from the stone, there is a cultivated field all around that hinders access a little bit.
Narrative
On the surface of the granite stone, one can see two oval hollows. A tale narrates that those are feet left by the Devil when he was whipping his mother there. First information was provided by A. Borbals in June of 1929, “A stone with the Devil’s foot. A Devil’s stone. Dimensions of 180 x 125 cm; they say that the Devil had whipped his mother on that stone. He stood on the stone with both his legs, his mother was lying across the stones and he hit so hard that the stone still has a groove on it.” Usually, according to tales, this personage used to sit on stones, counted money, combed himself or did something else quite peaceful, but tales where he behaved badly towards his mother on a stone are rare. The most terrifying tale of such a type is known about Andrecēni Devil’s Bed situated in Northern Vidzeme Geopark, in the Naukšēni county.
Attraction
Average
Availability
Difficult to access. There are no information signs. The object is located in a private property in the middle of a field. Arrival from the Kuldīga–Aizpute highway, one has to walk 300 m E of the Kļaviņas homestead. Accessibility depends on the season and usage of the agricultural land in the particular time.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
There have been no facilitation and maintenance works performed within the territory, no indication signs.
Local info
There is no information stand on site
Capacity
10 – 40
Publicity
Known
Legal Status
Private
