Nine Stones, Altarnun facts for kids
Three of the Nine Stones
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 Location in Cornwall
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| Location | Bodmin Moor, Cornwall |
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| Coordinates | 50°34′35″N 4°29′33″W / 50.576299°N 4.492585°W |
| Type | Stone circle |
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| Periods | Bronze Age |
The Nine Stones is an ancient stone circle found on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, UK. It's also known as the Altarnun stone circle. You can find it about 3 kilometers (or 2 miles) southeast of a village called Altarnun. This special place is a cool reminder of people who lived long ago.
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What Are the Nine Stones?
The Nine Stones is a site looked after by English Heritage. This group helps protect important historical places. The stone circle was fixed up in 1889 because only two stones were still standing.
Size and Shape
This stone circle is the smallest one on Bodmin Moor. It's about 15 meters (49 feet) wide. There are eight large granite stones that form the circle. One more stone stands in the middle. A flat, triangle-shaped stone also rests at the bottom of one of the main stones.
The stones are not placed perfectly evenly. The tallest stone is about 1.3 meters (4.2 feet) high. There's a space on the north side where another stone might have stood a long time ago.
The Central Stone
The stone in the very center is a granite post. It stands about 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) tall. Some people think this central stone might have been moved. It might have been used as a marker for the edge of the local parish, which is like a small district.
Who Lived Near the Stones?
Archaeologists have found signs of ancient homes nearby. These are called hut circles. They are round shapes in the ground where people's houses used to be.
Nearby Ancient Homes
You can find some hut circles about 550 meters (1,800 feet) to the northeast of the Nine Stones. There's also another hut circle located to the south. These findings help us imagine what life was like for the people who built and used the stone circle. They show that people lived in this area during the Bronze Age, which was thousands of years ago.
