Boheh Stone Explained

Boheh Stone
Native Name:Cathaoir Phádraig
Native Language:ga
Other Name:St. Patrick's Chair
Elevation:102m (335feet)
Coordinates:53.7477°N -9.554°W
Location:Boheh, Aughagower,
County Mayo, Ireland
Area:4m2
Built:3800–2000 BC
Owner:Mayo County Council
Type:Rock art
Height:2m (07feet)
Designation1:National Monument of Ireland
Designation1 Offname:Boheh Rock Art
Designation1 Number:296

The Boheh Stone, also called St. Patrick's Chair, is a piece of rock art a and National Monument located in County Mayo, Ireland.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Location

The Boheh Stone lies 6.4 km (4 mi) SSW of Westport.[5] [6]

History

The stone is believed to have been carved as early as 3800 BC.[7]

This stone was later Christianised and called St Patrick's Chair. It was made a waypoint on Tóchar Phádraig, a pilgrimage route; formerly this path led from Rathcroghan to Croagh Patrick.[8]

The "rolling sun" phenomenon was rediscovered in 1989–92 by Gerry Bracken. A new panel of carving was found in 2014 by Michael Gibbons.[9]

In the 2023 book and exhibition Three Stones: The Cross and the Circle, Rónán Lynch wrote that the carvings on the top stone appear to represent the constellations of Crux and Centaurus, last visible from Ireland around 4,100 BC. [10]

Description

The Boheh Stone is one of the finest examples of Neolithic rock art in Ireland, covered in many cup and ring marks and keyhole motifs; about 250 petroglyphs in total. It is a natural outcrop flecked with quartz.[11] [12]

Rolling sun

Twice a year (18 April and 24 August by the Gregorian calendar), from the vantage point at the Boheh Stone, the sun can be seen to set at the summit of Croagh Patrick (7.1 km / 4.4 mi to the WNW) and appears to roll down its northern shoulder.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: National Monuments in State Care: Ownership & Guardianship. Mayo . 4 March 2009 . National Monuments Service . 1 November 2016 . 10 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170510144448/https://www.archaeology.ie/sites/default/files/media/pdf/monuments-in-state-care-mayo.pdf . live .
  2. Web site: Boheh. The Megalithic Portal and Megalith. Map. 1 November 2016. 4 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161104000327/http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=6333373. live.
  3. Book: Buen Camino! Walk the Camino de Santiago with a Father and Daughter: A Physical Journey that Became a Spiritual Transformation. Peter. Murtagh. Natasha. Murtagh. 18 March 2011. Gill & Macmillan Ltd. 9780717151738. Google Books.
  4. Book: Open-Air Rock-Art Conservation and Management: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Timothy. Darvill. Antonio Pedro Batarda. Fernandes. 20 June 2014. Routledge. 9781135014735. Google Books. 2 October 2020. 29 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211229072154/https://books.google.com/books?id=a6_cAwAAQBAJ&q=boheh&pg=PA81. live.
  5. News: Ireland's first golden age . Country Heritage . archaeology.ie . 4 February 2012 . 14 . 15 November 2021 . 2 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211202084504/https://www.archaeology.ie/sites/default/files/media/publications/nms-farmers-journal-04.pdf . live .
  6. Book: Domhnaill, Rónán Gearóid Ó. Fadó: Tales of Lesser Known Irish History. 1 November 2013. Troubador Publishing Ltd. 9781783061976. Google Books. 2 October 2020. 29 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211229072016/https://books.google.com/books?id=FdzMAQAAQBAJ&q=boheh+stone&pg=PA2. live.
  7. Book: Coppens, Philip. Land of the Gods: How a Scottish Landscape was Sanctified to Become Arthur's Camelot. 15 September 2007. BookBaby. 9781623092344. Google Books.
  8. Web site: The Boheh Stone in County Mayo - Information and History - Teach na Miasa. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103215847/http://www.croagh-patrick.com/content/boheh-stone. live.
  9. Web site: 5,800-year-old rock scribing found near Ireland's Croagh Patrick. 26 August 2016. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103220429/http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/5800-year-old-rock-scribing-found-near-irelands-croagh-patrick. live.
  10. https://returnofancient.substack.com/p/three-stones-the-cross-and-the-circle
  11. Web site: The Boheh Stone - St Patrick's Chair - Clew Bay Archaeological Trail - County Mayo. Cockroach. 1 November 2016. 4 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161104050721/http://directionireland.com/index.php?obj=The%20Boheh%20Stone&id=119. live.
  12. Web site: 1550 « Excavations. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103220252/http://www.excavations.ie/report/1993/Mayo/0001550/. live.
    • Web site: Croagh Patrick, then and now. 1 November 2016. 4 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161104000316/http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/87171/croagh-patrick-then-and-now. live.
    • Web site: Pre-Christian Rock and Roll: St. Patrick's Chair, Boheh, Co. Mayo. Vox. Hiberionacum. 18 April 2013. 1 November 2016. 4 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161104043947/https://voxhiberionacum.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/pre-christian-rock-and-roll/. live.
    • Web site: BOHEH STONE. graymac. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103235039/http://www.clogherheritage.com/cpht_dev/events1.html. live.
    • Web site: St Patrick's Chair, Westport Co. Mayo West of Ireland - mayo-ireland.ie. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103234944/http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/en/towns-villages/westport/history/st-patricks-chair.html. live.
    • Web site: Record vtls000242958. National Library of Ireland. 7 September 2023. 7 September 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230907182946/https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000242958/. dead.
    • Web site: Megalithic rock-scribing found near Croagh Patrick. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103235641/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/megalithic-rock-scribing-found-near-croagh-patrick-1.2119328. live.
    • Web site: 'Hugely important' prehistoric rock art found near Croagh Patrick. Anton. McNulty. 1 November 2016. 3 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161103220214/http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21532:hugely-important-prehistoric-rock-art-found-near-croagh-patrick&catid=23:news&Itemid=46. live.

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