stóreignarn

Stóreignarn is a type of prehistoric stone circle found in Iceland. The name "stóreignarn" translates to "great shrine" in Icelandic, which was derived from the Old Norse word "ega" meaning shrine or temple.

The stóreignarn finds in Iceland are significant as they pre-date those found in the British Isles. The circles in Iceland were meticulously constructed, often featuring fifty or more stones arranged in a circular pattern. It is believed that these stone circles held great spiritual importance for the pre-Christian inhabitants of Iceland.

The exact purpose and meaning of the stóreignarn remains unclear to archaeologists. Some speculate that these monuments served as places of worship, burial grounds, or paths to connect various spiritual sites. More recent research has suggested that the design of the stóreignarn follows astronomical alignments, which could further support the notion that these structures held celestial significance.

Multiple stóreignarn sites have been identified in Iceland. However, it remains unclear whether they were built in a single phase, indicating these structures had a long-lasting significance to the local populations, or if the various stones belong to multiple unrelated monuments.

Dating the stóreignarn to roughly 3500 BCE places it alongside other notable prehistoric structures such as Megalithic Temples in Maltese archipelago. With little comparative data from other regions, current research focuses primarily on further unraveling the origins and meaning of stóreignarn.