Mazgramzda Bērzi Stone with bowl-shaped hollow
Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Priekule
Parish: Priekule
Other references to the location
On the right side of the Priekule–Skoda highway, 6 km from Priekule, at the bus stop „Bērzi”, in bushes, 11.5 m from the highway and 14 m from the bus stop.
Coordinates
lat=56.3911833333, lon=21.6192666667
56° 23′ 28″ N, 21° 37′ 9″ E
Description
One of the most easily accessible bowl-shaped stones in Latvia. Dimensions: length 1.70 m, width 1.45 m, height 1.0 m, circumference 5.00 m. Orange-brown granite porphyry. The stone surface has eroded, there are some small cracks. The stone has supposedly been relocated. The diameter of the bowl-shaped hollow on its top is 40–41 cm, inside at the bottom it is 36–37 cm, its depth is varied from 5 to 10 cm, depending on its sides. At the bottom the width of the groove engraved in the hollow is 2–3.5 cm at the bottom, the depth of the groove relative to the middle of the bowl is 2–4 cm. The distance of the hollow from the sides of the hollow stone varies from 47 to 75 cm, which suggests that the stone has not been precisely made. The hollow, as it was carved or left, certainly is not suitable for grinding grain. The bowl-shaped stone has no side grooves. At the W side according to the current location of the stone, where a fragment has been split from the side, there are four places of carving: 7–9 cm wide, 5–8 cm long (high), 0.5–2.5 cm deep. The hollow stone has been for several times described in various literature sources.
Narrative
As the bowl-shaped hollow stone has not been fully carved, it might well indicate the sequence of making the stones with a bowl-shaped hollow – first the craftsman made the hollow leaving the processing of hollow sides for a later time. The stones with a bowl-shaped hollow are considered ancient cult stones where in the hollows small sacrifices were laid.
Attraction
Good
Availability
Easily accessible. There are no information signs. It can be found on the side of the road, 11.5 m from the highway and 14 m from the bus stop.
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
Comments
The bowl-shaped stone was discovered by Juris Urtāns in 1991, he named it Mazgramzdas Bērzi Hollow Stone and already at that time indicated that the stone is to be protected by the state. In 2012 it is still under no state protection, although it certainly has to be regarded an ancient hollow stone.