A cromlech (sometimes also spelled "cromleh" or "cromlêh"; cf Welsh ''crom'', "bent"; ''llech'', "slate") is a
megalithic construction made of large stone blocks. The word applies to two different megalithic forms in English,
the first being an
altar tomb (frequently called a "
dolmen
A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...
"), as
William Borlase first denoted in 1769.
A good example is at .
The second meaning of the name "cromlech" in English refers to large
stone circles
A stone circle is a ring of megalithic standing stones. Most are found in Northwestern Europe – especially Stone circles in the British Isles and Brittany – and typically date from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, with most being bu ...
such as those found among the
Carnac stones in
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
, France.
Unlike in English, the word "cromlech" in many other languages (such as Azerbaijani,
Armenian
Armenian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent
** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...
,
French,
Greek,
Indonesian,
Italian,
Romanian, and
Spanish) exclusively denotes a
megalithic stone circle, whereas the word "
dolmen
A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...
" is used to refer to the type of megalithic altar tomb sometimes indicated by the English "cromlech". Also, more recently in English, scholars such as
Aubrey Burl use "cromlech" as a synonym for "megalithic stone circle".
[Aubrey Burl: ''A Guide to the Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland and Brittany''. Yale University Press, New Haven 2006, .]
List
*
Almendres Cromlech, the Cromlech of the Almendres megalithic complex, near Évora, Portugal
*
Dinas Cromlech, a rock outcrop in the Llanberis Pass, Snowdonia, Wales
*
Dolni Glavanak Cromlech, an oval stone circle near Dolni Glavanak, Bulgaria
See also
*
Crom Dubh
Notes
External links
*
*{{Commonscat-inline
Megalithic monuments in Europe
Stone circles in the United Kingdom
Stone circles in Europe