Gorsedd stones
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Gorsedd stones (Welsh: Cerrig yr Orsedd) are groups of standing stones constructed for the National Eisteddfod of Wales. They form an integral part of the druidic Gorsedd ceremonies of the Eisteddfod. The stones can be found as commemorative structures throughout Wales and are the hallmark of the National Eisteddfod having visited a community.
Each grouping of stones is arranged in a circular formation typically consisting of twelve stone pillars. Sometimes the stones are from the local area and sometimes they represent the Welsh counties, such as at Aberystwyth. A large, flat-topped stone, known as the Logan Stone, lies at the centre of the circle and serves as a platform.
An early Gorsedd was held by Iolo Morganwg at a location known as the "Rocking Stone" (in Welsh, "Y Maen Chwŷf") at Pentrebach, Pontypridd; Iolo, a stonemason by trade, constructed a stone circle around the central stone.[1] Iolo had already held a similar ceremony in 1792 in London, also featuring a stone circle.[2] It has been suggested that the "Gorse Stone", located on Stanton Moor in Derbyshire, has some connection with similar Druidic rituals of prehistoric times.[3]
