(c) Clive Ruggles
|
Sarsenstone is the name
geologists give to the ancient sandstone used to construct parts of
ancient monuments of the British Isles. Stonehenge is the best known of
the monuments, but there are many others, such as the one shown above.
The monuments were created up to 5,500 years ago, probably by the
Beaker folk of prehistoric Britain.
People living in
medieval England a mere eight hundred or so years ago marvelled at the
ancient stones. They believed they must have been put there by
"heathens." Since the only heathens those medieval citizens were
familiar with were the Saracens, whom they fought during the Crusades,
they began to call the stone monuments "Saracen stones." In time, this
was slurred to "sarsenstone."
Geologists liked
the local name for the stone and decided to make it the scientific
name, as
well. To us, "sarsenstone" is symbolic of something old, sometimes
misunderstood, but always magical and wonderful, like the (old-style)
Siamese breed. That is why
we took it as our registered cattery name.
(c) Clive Ruggles
|
|
