Rocking stone facts for kids
Rocking stones, also called logan stones, are huge rocks that are so perfectly balanced that even a small push can make them rock back and forth. They are like nature's own seesaws!
Most rocking stones are formed naturally. They start as large, rounded boulders that have been shaped by weather over thousands of years. Sometimes, glaciers moving across the land leave these balanced stones behind when they melt. You can find natural rocking stones all over the world. A few rocking stones might even have been placed or shaped by ancient people.
The word "logan" probably comes from an old English word, "log," which means to rock. In some parts of the UK, these stones are even called "logging stones." It might also be connected to the Danish word logre, which means "to wag a tail."
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Famous Rocking Stones Around the World
Rocking stones are found in many places, especially in Britain. For example, in a region of Spain called Galicia, they are known as pedras de abalar.
Ancient Rocking Stones
Even ancient writers knew about these amazing stones! Pliny the Elder (who lived from 23 to 79 AD) wrote about a rock near Harpasa in Asia Minor. He said you could move it with just one finger, but it wouldn't budge if you pushed it with your whole body. Later, Ptolemy (around 90 to 168 AD) wrote about the Gygonian rock, which he claimed could only be moved with a special plant, but not by force.
Rocking Stones in Britain
There are rocking stones on the island of Iona in Scotland, called na clachan-bràth. These stones are near a burial ground and were once used as supports for a cross.
The Witch's Rocking Stone, also known as the Boarstone, is on the Craigs of Kyle in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It weighs about 30 tons and rests on just a few smaller stones.
Near Loch Riecawr in South Ayrshire, Scotland, another rocking stone can be found. In the Straiton District of South Ayrshire, there's a Logan Stone made of granite. It's about 4 feet tall and can be moved easily with one hand.
Rocking Stones in Other Countries
A huge 90-ton boulder near Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada can still be rocked with a lever. It used to move very easily! In the 1800s, people would have picnics on it, enjoying the gentle rocking motion.
On the Faroe Islands, there's a famous pair of rocking stones called the Rinkusteinar in the village of Oyndarfjørður. A local story says that an old sorceress turned two pirate ships into these stones! A chain connected to the mainland helps people see the stones move.
The Kyaiktiyo Pagoda in Burma (now Myanmar) is a religious temple built on top of a giant granite rocking stone. It's an amazing sight!
Even some human-made structures can rock. In the ancient Roman city of Jerash in Jordan, some huge pillars in the temples sway slightly in the wind.
Stones That Don't Rock Anymore
Over time, many rocking stones have stopped moving. This can happen because of natural wear and tear, or sometimes because people have interfered with them.
Stones in Scotland
Ayrshire in Scotland has many rocking stones, or stones that used to rock.
On Cuff Hill in Hessilhead, near Beith in North Ayrshire, there's a rocking stone that some people connect to the ancient Druids. It no longer rocks because people dug underneath it to see how it worked, which ruined its balance.
The Ogrestone or Thurgartstone near Dunlop in East Ayrshire is also thought to have been a rocking stone. But over the years, soil has built up around its base, stopping it from rocking.
The Clochoderick Stone near Howwood in Renfrewshire used to rock. Legend says that the Druids used it to judge people. They would make an accused person sit on the stone, and how it moved would show if they were innocent or guilty.
Stones in England
A rocking stone on Warley Moor near Halifax, West Yorkshire stopped rocking before 1775.
The Golcar Hill rocking stone, also near Halifax in Yorkshire, no longer rocks easily. Some stonemasons tried to figure out how it moved so easily and ended up damaging its balance.
A very sensitive rocking stone called Men Amber was on a high ridge in Cornwall. It was pushed over by soldiers around 1650. People said that a prophecy claimed Men Amber would stand until England had no king.
The Famous Logan Rock
One of the most famous rocking stones is the Logan Rock of Treen in Cornwall. This huge stone weighs about 80 to 90 tons! It was known for moving with the gentlest touch if your heart was pure, but staying still for a traitor.
In 1824, a naval officer named Lieutenant Hugh Goldsmith and his crew used tools to push the Logan Rock off its perch. He wanted to prove that it wasn't impossible to move. This made the local people very upset because the Logan Rock brought many tourists to the area.
They demanded that Lieutenant Goldsmith put the rock back. With help from others and a lot of effort, the huge stone was finally put back in place on November 2, 1824. It took over 60 men and special equipment!
After it was put back, the rock was chained for a while, but those chains were later removed. However, it doesn't rock as easily as it did before. For a time, tourism dropped in Treen, and the village was even nicknamed 'Goldsmith's Deserted Village'.
Beliefs About Rocking Stones
Because they are so unusual, many interesting beliefs are connected to rocking stones. Some people thought they were linked to witchcraft or ancient Druids.
The rocking stone near Nancledrea in Cornwall was said to only move at midnight when witches were out. People believed that if you touched it nine times at midnight, you would turn into a witch!
The Brimham rocking stone in Yorkshire is said to only rock for an honest person.
The rocking stone at Land's End was believed to have been placed there by a giant who used it to rock himself to sleep.
Some people thought the Logan Stone in Treen could cure childhood diseases. Children would be rocked on it during certain times of the year.
In Cornwall, there's a tradition where people make a promise and then try to move a rocking stone. It was believed that anyone with bad intentions in their heart could not make the stone move.
Images for kids
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Rocking Stone Viklan, Jelení stráň, Jizera Mountains
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The Lugar rocking stone
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Rinkusteinar in Oyndarfjørður, Eysturoy, Faroe Islands. The chain is connected to the mainland to make it easier to see the rock's movements.
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The Sannox rocking stone
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The Rocking Stone at Cuff Hill in Ayrshire
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The Clochoderick Rocking Stone
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Clochoderick Rocking Stone
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The Logan Rock at Trereen Dinas
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The Logan Rock (circled) seen from Pednvounder beach
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The Logan Rock (top right) in context
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Rocking Stone 'Maen Sigl' Great Orme Llandudno
See also
In Spanish: Piedra balanceante para niños
