Stone with bowl-shaped hollow in the Kuldīga County Museum

Location

State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
Town: Kuldīga

Other references to the location

In Kuldīga, in the yard of the Kuldīga County Museum.

Coordinates

lat=56.9683833333, lon=21.9761333333
56° 58′ 6″ N, 21° 58′ 34″ E

Description

The length of the stone is 0.60 m, width of 0.55 m, height of 0.36 m, circumference of 1.90 m. The stone is situated in the yard of the Kuldīga County Museum, it has been moved several times. On the surface of the stone there is a perfectly round evenly levelled bowl of cylindrical bowl-shaped stones, as well as 5 side grooves on one side of the stone. The sides of the stone are rather angular. The surface relief – levelled. Red large crystal granite. The diameter of the upper part of the cylindrical bowl is 32 cm, the diameter of the middle part is 30 cm, but yet before the bowl’s sides there is a carefully carved lowering groove all around the bowl’s upper side, the diameter of which, when measuring over the bowl, is 37.5–38 cm. The depth of the bowl is 12–17 cm, depending on the side measured; the actual depth of 12 cm. Usually stale water and a sand layer accumulated in it. One side edge of the stone is completely straight – 45 cm long, vertical, which could evidence that the stone used to be located in some building (maybe in a church) and could be possibly placed at a wall, and used to be a holy water bowl. This, of course, does not exclude the possibility that the bowl had been made out of a bowl-shaped stone adjusting it to the needs of the church.

Narrative

This is a stone that brings forward many unanswered questions to scholars. The main issue is its unexplained origin and former application. It is presumed that this stone with hollow could belong to the type of stones with bowl-shaped hollows. The history of the stone with hollow is unknown; there is also no folkloric evidence about it.

Attraction

Average

Availability

Very easily accessible. From the parking lot of the Kuldīga County Museum one has to walk to the museum’s yard.

Infrastructure, management, facilities

The object is located in the Kuldīga County Museum’s yard and is maintained by the municipality of the Kuldīga County. Very well facilitated surroundings, WC is located at a distance of 200 m, a parking lot on the site, the museum and other objects.

Local info

There is no information stand on site

Capacity

10 – 40

Publicity

Known

Legal Status

Municipal property

Comments

In the museum next to this stone with hollow, there is another smaller stone with hollow. The length of the smaller stone with hollow is 0.59 m, width of 0.58 m, height of 0.32 m, circumference of 1.75 m. It has been moved from some unknown place. It is rapakivi red large crystal granite. It is angular, no side grooves; as to its form, it is not a cylindrical stone. In fact there is no clearly distinguished typical bowl of cylindrical stones with bowl-shaped hollows as well, but there is an evenly carved small bowl of 20 cm in diameter, up to 14 centimetres deep that can be more likely attributed to scoop-shaped stones.