This is the Bodach and Cailleach on the God's Isle of Gigha; a pair of ancient stones that have stood watch over the island for centuries.
Unlike their better known cousins in Glen Cailliche near Loch Lyon, who have a house and are surrounded by their children, Gigha's old man and woman stand alone on their hillock. In times past offering were left to this pair to insure fertility and that the island would thrive.
A few years ago their cousins in Glen Cailliche were threatened by a hydro project that would have run high voltage lines over them, and at this link you will find a discussion on the threat some believe is posed to such sites by electricity coursing through wires. If you find the subject of interest you can read more in Ley Lines and Earth Energies by David Cowan and Chris Arnold. Fortunately, for the Glen Cailliche stones and all who care about such sites, the project was called off.
But the Gigha stones have not been immune to such development. Since my photo was taken a wind farm has sprung up next to them, and on windy days they bathe in the electric noise that once threatened their cousins far away in lonely Glen Cailliche.
But the Gigha stones have not been immune to such development. Since my photo was taken a wind farm has sprung up next to them, and on windy days they bathe in the electric noise that once threatened their cousins far away in lonely Glen Cailliche.
One good thing about the Dancing Ladies as they are known is that they do generate a hell of a lot of money for the island....
ReplyDeleteI wasn't aware of this site, thanks for drawing my attention to it.
ReplyDeleteThe shape of the Bodach stone compared to those at Tigh na Cailleach is quite striking.
Gosh! I once lived in Muasdale Kintyre and visited Gigha often, but didn't know about Gigha's Bodach and Calleach. Later, howeve, when living in St Andrews I became interested in the Glen Lyon Calleach and walked there often and made many drawings and paintings of the amazing little family and their home. That was in the 1980s, and I used to chat to the farmer who lived at the head of the Glen and he told me about an Edinburgh student who once took one of the stones to study and analyse it in her university laboritory. But she was so disturbed by its presennce that she got in her car in the middle of the night and drove to Glen Lyon to return it, in fear for her life! Long may such traditions continue unhanred by so called progress.
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