Stone Circle - Sonoran Sunrise Grove, ADF

THE STONE CIRCLE

Our sacred Nemeton was constructed during the winter of 2001-2002 and was first used for public ritual on February 2 for the Feast of Imbolc. Click on any photo below to see a larger version.

But the foundations were started in November. Due to the weight of the 12 standing stones, which ranged from 3500 to 7000 pounds each, a massive, concrete foundation was required. See picture to right.

The Grove held a Purification ritual after the metal reinforcing rods had been placed in the foundation trenches but before the concrete was poured. Grove Bard Arlene Davis aspersed the area while walking through the foundations deosil, while Grove Liturgist Kirk Thomas salted the area while walking widdershins. See photos to left and right.

Finally, the day in January arrived when the large stones would be set in place. A crane was used to place the standing stones and to bring in the altar stone. As each stone went into place, everyone could feel energy building. Finally the last stone went into position and a rush of energy sent shivers down the backs of everyone present. Even the workmen felt it.

The Stone Circle was consecrated on the night before Imbolc in 2002. There were six of us present at the time: Senior Druid David Foster, Kirk Thomas, Arlene Davis, Don Davis, Michele Briere and Steve Sampson. Kirk wrote a special ritual for the occasion and the date was chosen so that the Circle would be ready for our first big, public ritual for Imbolc the following evening. That ritual was even more special. As the Gates were opened, the sun came out from behind the clouds, illuminating the Rincon Mountains with a huge rainbow appearing over the Circle as birds flew clockwise around us.

The Nemeton continues to grow. A glazed, terracotta image of the triple spiral from Newgrange was placed in front of the main altar and shrines to Cernunnos (left) and Brigit were built, with glazed images of the God and Goddess. The image of Rhiannon was moved from the center of the circle to its own altar, complete with bronze horses. Another shrine, depicting Taranis,was built as the result of a vow. Other images with altars include those to the Morrigan, Manannan mac Lir and Lugh. The Lugh altar has a circular opening at the top and the Midsummer sunrise occurs in this opening as seen from the center of the Henge.

There is also an altar with an image of the Druid Sigil above it. This altar is used for all those Deities who don't have their own altars. And there are also four altars along a wall without images above them. These are for future expansion! Also, an altar to the Nature Spirits (placed northeast of the circle) and an altar in the shape of a burial mound dedicated to the Ancestors (in the northwest) have recently been constructed.

One of the builders, Kirk Thomas, has the Hellenes as his secondary hearth culture. A small Hellenic temple (a pantheon) may also be built.


Altar to Lugh	Morrigan Altar	Altar to Manannan	Taranis Altar

	Ancestors Altar	Ancestors Altar

Nature Spirits Altar	Top of Nature Altar	Bottom of Nature Altar	Back of Nature Altar

Our Nemeton, which we call the Summerlands Stone Circle, now has been turfed over in the center, and sleeves forholding Druid staves have been dug into the ground around the inside edge so people won't be dropping them all during rituals! There is also a sleeve for the Maypole in the center of the circle.

There is a Procession Way from the main house which comes up to the entrance to the circle. At the top of the hill is the altar to the Outdwellers (right). During ritual, ale is poured on the black, basalt stone which makes up the bulk of the altar. This stone was found on the side of a dirt road in northern Arizona. Just beyond that are two granite pillars (left) marking the entrance to the Sacred Precinct. Further down the Procession Way is the entrance to the Henge proper. This entrance is flanked by two large stones (below left).

There is a boundary ditch dug all around the Circle (lower right), making this a true henge. A small arroyo drains down to the Circle and around it during the rainy season. There are three bridges crossing this ditch on the east, south and west sides of the Circle. The world tree (a Southern Live Oak) has been planted on the north side.

This plan, which can be viewed in a larger size by clicking on it, shows the locations of the stones. North is to the top. The Circle is aligned with Equinox East, based on sightings of the sunrise on both the Autumnal Equinox of 2001 and the Spring Equinox of 2002. The nearby house is aligned on magnetic east, and there is quite a variation.

Each stone on this plan is numbered. Before the Circle was built, owners Kirk Thomas and Steve Sampson went on a trip to Ireland, England, Cornwall and Wales to collect small stones from Neolithic and other sacred, mythic and historic sites for this Circle. When the stones, altars, well and fire were built, a small stone from these special places was put in each hole or foundation. The numbers on the plan correspond to the following list of the origins of the small stones:

Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England. The standing stone weighs 7000 lbs. (3182 kilos).
Tintagel (the reputed birthplace of Arthur), Cornwall. The standing stone weighs 4000 lbs. (1818 kilos).
Windmill Hill - a neolithic sacred enclosure near Avebury in Wiltshire, England. Kirk & Steve held a personal Lughnassadh rite here. The standing stone weighs 3500 lbs. (1591 kilos).
Glastonbury Tor - while there is no evidence of this ever being a sacred place, it is difficult to imagine how so imposing a place on the landscape could not have been sacred. Somerset, England. The standing stone weighs 6000 lbs. (2727 kilos).
Woodhenge. This may have been a ritual site. Wiltshire, England. The standing stone weighs 4800 lbs. (2182 kilos).
East Entrance to Avebury Stone Circle, Wiltshire, England. The standing stone weighs 3900 lbs. (1773 kilos).
The Hill of Tara (seat of the High Kings of Ireland), Co Meath, Ireland. The standing stone weighs 4200 lbs. (1909 kilos).
Knowth (neolithic tomb), Co. Meath, Ireland. The standing stone weighs 5000 lbs. (2273 kilos).
West Kennet Long Barrow (neolithic tomb used in ancestor cult in association with Windmill Hill), near Avebury, Wiltshire, England.
Drombeg Stone Circle, Co. Cork, Ireland. The standing stone weighs 4000 lbs. (1818 kilos).
The Sanctuary (at the opposite end of the great Procession Way starting at the Avebury Stone Circle), Wiltshire, England. The standing stone weighs 3800 lbs. (1727 kilos).
Penrhos Feilw, standing stones on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. The standing stone weighs 5500 lbs. (2500 kilos).
The Cove, Avebury Stone Circle (probably a place of sacrifice), Wiltshire, England. The altar stone weighs 7000 lbs. (3182 kilos).
Holy Well, Dunowen, Co. Cork, Ireland.
New Grange, neolithic tomb where the sun lights the end of the passageway only at sunrise on the Winter Solstice, Co. Meath, Ireland.
Dinas Gynfor (translates as "Hells Mouth"), a rugged, forbidding site on the north coast of Anglesey, Wales. A local Welsh witch told Kirk and Steve that tradition held that this was the site of the last stand of the Druids against the Romans. When Kirk and Steve went there, it was easy to see how defensible a site it was. However, they have not been able to corroborate any of the witch's claims. This altar has now been moved outside the west side of the Sacred Precinct.
Under the World Tree was buried a stone from Cadbury Castle, an old hill fort in Somerset, England, which is a reputed site for the original Camelot.
Within the shrine to Brigit is a stone and soil from the site of Brigit's Fire Temple in Kildare, Ireland.
Under the Ancestor's Altar are a stone from New Grange (see no. 15 above) and a jade disk.
Under the Nature Spirits' Altar are a stone from Glastonbury Tor (see no. 4 above) and an acorn from an oak tree in the mountains above Flagstaff, AZ.