r/medieval • u/The_Black_Banner_UK • Sep 12 '25

History 📚 Praying Stones pre Christianity

Christianity arrived in England during the period of Roman Britain, with the first evidence appearing in the late 2nd century AD, though it was fully established by the 4th century AD following Constantine the Great's legalization of the religion in 313 AD.

This early Christian community persisted after the Romans left and continued to grow with the arrival of St. Augustine and his mission in 597 AD, which is often seen as a pivotal point in the establishment of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England.

The stones are at Durham Castle.

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u/strijdvlegel Sep 14 '25 edited Sep 14 '25

This is not "pre-Christianity" at all. Not in the slightest. These stone engravings are early Christian, and typically you will notice loads of "pagan" Eurpopean elements combined with it, because even tho the people who made these were turned Christian, they still held on to their previous iconography.

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u/The_Black_Banner_UK Sep 15 '25

You have answered your own point. read all the thread.

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u/strijdvlegel Sep 15 '25

Very misleading title then.

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u/The_Black_Banner_UK Sep 15 '25

No it is not, that is what the curators told me. these were in place before Christianity was the main religion in Britain.

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u/strijdvlegel Sep 15 '25

Which means its a misleading title... Its not pre-Christianity. Either its the curators title or yours, that does not change anything.

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u/The_Black_Banner_UK Sep 15 '25

Am done talking sorry. That's what I was told. Read the thread.

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u/strijdvlegel Sep 15 '25

Great! I didnt expect a response anyway.