Mount Killaraus
Encyclopedia
Mount Killaraus is a legend
ary mountain
in Ireland
, most famous for being the source of the stones of Stonehenge
in Arthurian legend.
Geoffrey of Monmouth
records the story in his Historia Regum Britanniae
. He describes how Aurelius Ambrosius returned from his exile in Brittany
and burnt Vortigern
in his tower. Rallying the Britons, he triumphed over the Saxon invaders and executed their leader, Hengist. Following the victory he decided to set up a great memorial to his triumph at a place called Mount Ambrius. When his carpenters and masons were unable to come up with a suitable awe-inspiring design, Ambrosius commissioned Merlin to create one.
Merlin’s solution was to import a stone circle
called the Giant's Round from its home atop Mount Killaraus. Giants
from Africa
had originally brought the stones to Killaraus. They would pour water over the stones and use it to fill baths in which they cured their sick. Uther Pendragon
went with 15,000 men to retrieve the stones but they proved too heavy to move. Laughing, Merlin transported them to Salisbury Plain
using his magic and set them up just as they were. According to Geoffrey, they have stood there ever since as Stonehenge.
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
ary mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, most famous for being the source of the stones of Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
in Arthurian legend.
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
records the story in his Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
. He describes how Aurelius Ambrosius returned from his exile in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and burnt Vortigern
Vortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
in his tower. Rallying the Britons, he triumphed over the Saxon invaders and executed their leader, Hengist. Following the victory he decided to set up a great memorial to his triumph at a place called Mount Ambrius. When his carpenters and masons were unable to come up with a suitable awe-inspiring design, Ambrosius commissioned Merlin to create one.
Merlin’s solution was to import a stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
called the Giant's Round from its home atop Mount Killaraus. Giants
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
from Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
had originally brought the stones to Killaraus. They would pour water over the stones and use it to fill baths in which they cured their sick. Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon
Uther Pendragon is a legendary king of sub-Roman Britain and the father of King Arthur.A few minor references to Uther appear in Old Welsh poems, but his biography was first written down by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae , and Geoffrey's account of the character was used in...
went with 15,000 men to retrieve the stones but they proved too heavy to move. Laughing, Merlin transported them to Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
using his magic and set them up just as they were. According to Geoffrey, they have stood there ever since as Stonehenge.