What is recorded here

Bullaun stone in Ballyvaheen is a triangular stone with a central hollow, found beside a fulacht fiadh and a quern in County Cork. People may have rubbed it, prayed at it, or simply repeated a shape they believed they understood. What is certain is that the stone still holds its hollow while the reasons for making it have faded from local memory.

Found on S edge of fulacht fiadh (10364). Roughly triangular-shaped stone (0.48m x 0.6m) with hollow in centre (diam. 0.21m; D 0.12m); shallow subcircular hollow (diam. 0.21m; D 0.03m) on reverse side. Quern stone found in same field. Ringfort (12176) c. 20m to SSW. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

Likely dating to the Early Christian or earlier Iron Age period, the Bullaun stone may have had ritual or symbolic significance, possibly used for anointing or as a holy site. Its association with a fulacht fiadh suggests a possible domestic or ceremonial function in a prehistoric landscape.

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