Damestenen EarthCache

Damestenen
(the woman stone)

Outside the Scandinavian Peninsula and Finland this, the largest migrating stone in Denmark, also is believed to be the largest migrating stone in the northern European mainland. Most of the available data about this stone are estimates, because only part of the stone is visible over the surface.

According to some versions of ancient myths the stone was throwed by a female Giant from another island with the intent of hitting the Church of Svindinge in order to silence the church bells.

In early science the ancient Danish King Christian VIII and his Geologist believed that Damestenen was the tip of a Danish bedrock, for what reason the King issued an order to have this stone partly excavated to the degree where it was possible to determine if it really was a migrating stone or simply was a tip of a fundamental bedrock. The excavation was taken down the point where the stone sides began to slant inward again. When this point was reached it had been established that it is in fact a migrating stone.

According to modern science this stone originally was a tip of the Swedish bedrock that was chopped off and transported by the Baltic glacier and ended here at the village of Hesselager about 15000 years ago. Damestenen consists of light, red-gray, medium - granite, in several places it has narrow dark bands of volcanic rock diabas. The granite is many hundred million years old, whereas the diabas is somewhat younger. The dark bands of diabas was created by magma in the form of diabas driven up in the cracks and fissures in granite where it clotted. The estimated weight of the stone is about 1000 tons, the estimated max circumference (below the surface) is 46.8 meters. The estimated volume is 370m3.

In 1763 the circumference of the stone was believed to be 33.9 meter. The length 13.8 meter and the width 9.4 meter.

Following the excavation of 1843 the max circumference was found to be 45.8 meter at 1.3 meter below the surface

In order for you to have your log accepted you'll have to measure the circumference at the surface (use your GPS to measure the circumference) and send the result to me via mail from my Geocaching profile. As well as you're required to attach a photo to your log, showing you and your GPS at the migrating stone.

Also visit the fine Multi: Sabik #6 - History of Time

DANISH:

Damestenen

Også kendt som Dammestenen og Hesselagerstenen.

Bortset fra sten på den skandinaviske halvø og i Finland, anses denne, den største sten i Danmark, også for at være den største vandreblok på det nordeuropæiske fastland. De fleste data på denne sten er imidlertid beregnede og anslåede værdier, fordi det kun er en del af stenen, som er tilgængelig over jordens overflade.

Iflg. Nogle af myterne, skulle stenen være kastet af en jættekvinde fra en anden ø, for at ramme kirkespiret i Svindinge fordi kirkeklokkerne der irriterede hende. At stenen i stedet faldt ned ved Hesselager, skulle i en af mange forskellige forklaringer skyldes, at en Engel greb ind og reddede kirken ved enten at slå eller sparke stenen til jorden her. Nogen mener de kan se englens håndaftryk på stenen, mens andre mener det er englens fodaftryk de kan se.

Kong Christian VIII mente, at det slet ikke var en sten, men blot var toppen af et dansk grundfjeld. Kongen beordrede derfor stenen delvis udgravet, så det kunne bestemmes om det var en sten eller ej. Stenen blev udgravet ned til en dybde hvor stenens sider begyndte at gå indad igen, og dermed var det fastslået at der virkelig er tale om en sten.

Videnskaben fortæller os at stenen blev transporteret hertil på en gletcher for 15000 år siden. Stenens anslåede vægt er 1000 tons, den anslåede maksimale omkreds (under jordens overflade) er 46,8 meter. Det anslåede rummål er 370m3.

I 1763 blev omkredsen anslået til at være 33,9 meter, længden 13,8 meter og bredden 9,4 meter.

Efter udgravningen i 1843 blev den maksimale omkreds beregnet til at være 45,8 meter i 1,3 meters dybde under jordens overflade.

Hvorfor ikke bruge de instrumenter vi geocachere råder over, så for at få din logning accepteret skal du måle stenens omkreds ved jordoverfladen (brug din GPS) og send resultatet til mig via mail fra min Geocaching profil. Desuden skal din log være ledsaget af et billede som viser dig og din GPS ved Damestenen.

Besøg ved samme lejlighed: Sabik #6 - History of Time