Sacred Stones

Sacred Stones by Gene Kangas, Art Professor Emeritus.

Following two years of research spanning the globe, the new book Sacred Stones is now available. Sacred Stones features an intriguing array of ancient stone carvings located in prehistoric sites as well as personalized sculpted stones found in more recent cemeteries. Monuments highlighted in the book are stone sculptures that are unique, expressive and timeless. They reflect their particular time and place in world history. Each also permanently embodies qualities of the culture and geographical area where it originated.

The time period of the book's survey begins with the earliest large-scale primeval and primitive public works to the present. That means puzzling megalithic environments like Stonehenge and Gavrinis are visually juxtaposed against purely sentimental and sometimes whimsical expressions created in modern eras. Images of precious stone pets to awesome pyramids illustrate the vast diversity and similarity of thinking, cultures and beliefs held throughout time. This photographic survey also includes enduring examples of primordial cave paintings, petroglyphs and geoglyphs.

Sacred Stones is a soft bound book 208 pages in length. It abounds with hundreds of intriguing black and white photographs provided by over ninety professional and amateur photographers from around the world. Approximately fifty countries worldwide are represented by images chosen from nearly 1,000 photographs. Sacred Stones was published in a limited edition of just 2,000 copies.

Purchase Sacred Stones at Creekside Bookstore

The Sacred Stones project kicked off in early 2006 with a global search for unusual and special "stone markers" that had universal qualities, uniqueness or were special in their own way. The call was answered with contributions by 90 Photographers.

Irish sites included in Sacred Stones: Legananny Dolmen, Carrickglass Dolmen, Ballycrovane Ogham Stone, Beaghmore Stone Circles, Poulenabrone Dolman, and Janus Figure on Boa Island.

Sacred Stones serves to define those stone carvings and decorated stones located in cemeteries from past centuries and in special ancient sites from thousands of years earlier, around the world. Liberal dictionary definitions of the word "sacred" include - dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose or person; worthy of reverence, recognition, or respect; and set apart for worship / contemplation.

To those, the author adds – awe inspiring, honor, specially inspired, commemorative, and / or mystical and magical. Stone monuments represented in the book are not just be overtly religious ones but rather those stone sculptures that are unique, expressive, and timeless. They also reflect their particular time and place in world history. They reflect qualities of the culture and geographical area where they originated.

The time period of the book's survey begins with the very first large scale prehistoric and primitive public works to the present. That means mysterious environments like Stonehenge will be juxtaposed against purely sentimental pet markers and personal human recordings created in technically advanced eras.

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