Ritual Depressions | The multi bullaun stones of Castledermot

I came to Castledermot where the quiet village holds remarkable remnants of a vanished monastic settlement.

The site is famous for its intricate high crosses but I was drawn to the subtle and potent energy of the multi bullaun stones.
These large boulders feature multiple natural looking hollows or basins ground into their surface.
They are not simple grinders but sacred vessels that were reused and reinterpreted across millennia.

I spent time observing the main multi bullaun stone with five distinct depressions clustered together.
It looks almost organic like a constellation carved by ancient hands.

Local folk memory connects these stones to healing and curing rituals but they are also known as cursing stones where turning a smooth pebble in the water can direct powerful intentions.
To sketch these hollows is to trace the continuous cycle of human interaction with the natural world.

The palette is dominated by deep mossy greens of the wet granite and the muted gold of dry autumn grass.
I am inclined to work with heavy rough paper and dry charcoal sticks to capture the rugged and worn surface of the multi bullaun stones.

I am inspired to use fluid washes of iron rust and slate gray watercolor to convey the deep shadows and the mysterious depths of the depressions.
Pressing natural stone dust directly into the damp paint will allow me to create organic textures on the illustrated surfaces.