Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Talsi
Parish: Laidze
Other references to the location
On the verge of the Ventkalni homestead’s road, in a meadow, on a slope, in an open area, 80 m of the highway to Talsi.
Coordinates
lat=57.2665, lon=22.6137666667
57° 15′ 59″ N, 22° 36′ 49″ E
Description
The most recently discovered cup-marked stone in this area. It is surprising that it was not located in dense and untouched by civilization woods, but rather in an open area. The size of the stone: length of 3.50 m, width of 2.70 m, height of 1.40 m, circumference of 9.80 m. Into the surface of the cup-marked stone, before thousands of years, 8 cup marks (hollows) had been carved. The stone had been moved a little during the Soviet Times, it used to be located right there, on top of the hillock. Red large crystal granite.
Narrative
As a cup-marked stone it is significant, because it supplements the range of ancient cult stones in the surroundings of Talsi. The cup marks (hollows) of the Ventkalni Cup-Marked Stone are shallow in size and hard to notice. Their size proves the most popular assumptions about the origin of cup marks – that they were carved during some cult rituals performed to commemorate the life course of some people — birth or death, because the size of the cup marks show clearly that it would be very difficult to store rain water in them or place any offerings.
Attraction
Some
Availability
Very easily accessible. There are no information signs. The object is situated on the verge of the road, at the crossroads, next to a cornfield.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
There have been no facilitation and maintenance works performed within the territory, no indication signs. Before the object by a tree, there is an indication sign “Zariņi” (pointing at the further located homestead).
Local info
There is no information stand on site. Andris Grīnbergs presents the narration (Youtube: https://youtu.be/eeu5G1iydHQ ).
Capacity
10 – 40
Publicity
Known
Legal Status
Private
Comments
The cup-marked stone was discovered in spring of 2008 (A. Grīnbergs). The surroundings should yet be studied, because it is possible that one could search for some more unknown sacred site.
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