The Heritage of Frost Giants. From the Geomythologies to the Cultural Geomorphologyof Erratic Boulders in the Young Glacial Area of Poland

The erratic boulders have had a significant impact on shaping perceptions of 'environmental reality' and forming beliefs about the relationship between humans and the supernatural world in traditional culture. Establishing the ontological-axiological status of erratic boulders allowed for the cultural inclusion of these objects and the boundaries between the cultural and the natural were blurring (Burström 1999, 34; Holm 1999, 218; Tilley 2004, 23). In folk narratives, dating from the 19th, about erratic boulders one finds multiplication of belief motifs relating to the dynamics of interaction and interrelationships between humans and natural objects at utilitarian and symbolic levels (O'Rourke 2005; Knight, Harrison 2013, 186). Narratives are known about breaking erratic boulders to make millstones, which often ended tragically as these rocks were considered sacred or cursed. Erratics were attributed supernatural origins – believed to have been abandoned or brought by a giant or the devil. Many features such as cracks and natural indentations were ascribed to the influence of supernatural forces. Numerous traces of anthropogenic origin, such as broken holes, oval depressions that are the remains of millstone production were interpreted as traces of pagan sacrificial altars. We can speak here of "proper co-optation" and "symbolic co-optation" (Ingold 2002, 175). The variety of utilitarian-symbolic relationships led to ''unconscious protection of geological objects" in vernacular cultures. These phenomena were the result of the liminal – geocultural status of erratic boulders. The proposed poster aims to elucidate the network of interactions  between humans and erratic boulders. The network of polysemantic relationships enables the reconstruction of a wide range of values associated with eratics and diverse forms of interaction between people and geomorphological objects, and demonstrate strong links between geodiversity and cultural values (Reynard, Giusti 2018, 159).

This reaserch was founded by The National Science Centre, Poland - scientific grants:

“The Heritage of Frost Giants. From the Geomythologies to the Cultural Geomorphology of Erratic Boulders in the Young Glacial Area of Poland” (grant no. 2023/49/N/HS3/02181), Project leader: Dr Robert Piotrowski IGSO PAS.

“Memory of the stones. The origin, use and sacralisation of millstones set into the walls of Gothic churches in the South Baltic Lowlands” (grant no. 2019/35/B/HS3/03933), Project leader: Dr Dariusz Brykała IGSO PAS.

References:

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Holm I. 1999. Clearance cairns: the farmers’ and the archaeologists’ views. In: Archaeology and Folklore. Eds. A. Gazin-Schwartz and C. Holtorf. London, pp. 207-221. 

Ingold, T. 2002. The Perception of the Environment Essays on livelihood, dwelling and skill. London-New York. 

Knight J. Harrison S. 2013. ‘A land history of men’: The intersection of geomorphology, culture and heritage in Cornwall, southwest England. In: Applied Geography 42, pp. 186-194.

O’Rourke E. 2005. Socio-natural interaction and landscape dynamics in the Burren, Ireland. In: Landscape and Urban Planing 70, pp. 69-83.

Reynard E. Giusti C. 2018. The Landscape and Cultural Value of Geoheritage. In: Geoheritage. Eds. Reynard E. Brilha J. Amsterdam, pp. 147-166.

Tilley, Ch. 2004. The Materiality of Stone. Explorations in Landscape Phenomenology. Oxford – New York: Routledge.