Thursday 10 September 2009

Flint







Houses in Pegwell Bay in Kent. Chalk cliffs are just down the road.
Living in London, the beaches we go to the most are the ones in Kent and Sussex. Flint is the prevalant pebble on these beaches. Flint is found wherever there is chalk-it forms layers between the chalk layers-don't ask me why-but do read this fascinating article if you are at all interested in flint! I found out many interesting facts from it. Here are a few snippets:-

"Lumpy, rounded and often bone like, they inspired Henry Moore"

"Flints can reach the size of a cat and may have a coat of white or brown."
(Like a cat!)

Colours range through
yellows and reds,
browns
and
whorls of pale grey"

"Jet black flint is the most pure
and white is only found in parts
of Lincolnshire."

I have a number of flints, as if that is any surprise! I like the ones with holes-they are meant to ward off evil I think and they hang on a string to make a good light switch handle. (Though they do not last forever-there is a broken one in the group photo!)
I googled pebbles with holes, and this is the first thing I found. Have a look-do you think they ever sell any? A pebble with a hole bought on a website would have little meaning to me! My Dad always finds these and has contributed to my collection. There is a little explanation of the folklore associated with these stones here-I like the idea that they are a gateway to a fairy kingdom! Tomorrow is peace rock day-for obvious reasons. Visit Graciel to read more rocky tales. She has beautiful pictures today of somewhere called Murder Creek.

14 comments:

jabblog said...

This is a fascinating theme - a must for geologists! I have enjoyed all your posts thus far and look forward to the next.

Graciel said...

Sarah~ your enthusiasm continues to amaze me! I was dazzled by the rocks with holes and then you mentioned them being gateways to the Fairy Kingdom and good god, I'm enamored.

Thank you so much for taking this wonderful week of play seriously.

xo, Graciel

Anonymous said...

Sarah,
Your rocks are amazing! I am happy to be blogging along side you for rock week.

Elise

Debbie said...

Love the first picture, reminds of a face watching you, maybe it's the fairies? I can't wait to collect rocks in Sedona, suppose it will have to be small ones. Maybe I could send you one, how much to send one to London I wonder?

Candace said...

Oh goodness, I love this post and have had such fun following the Rock Week.
Say, I have a place nearby called Drowning Creek. Maybe I should go look up those rocks for you!
Take care.
Candace in Athens x

Tammie Lee said...

When we found rocks with holes in them at the beach, we would call them 'holy' rocks ;-}
This is a wonderful post on flint. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

thats a fascinating wall!

Helen McCookerybook said...

I met a woman at a party in Cromer in Norfolk who was putting holey pebbles on strings to ward off witches!
On another tack... would you like a playmobil dolls house plus furniture and people for your classroom?
I'd love you to have it.
x

Tracy said...

What an amazing post and links, Sarah...terrific photos too! :o) Happy Weekend ((HUGS))

kendalee said...

I've just been catching up on a couple of days of your rock posts Sarah - FAB!!! I can totally see that flint influence in Henry Moore's work - amazing. I've learnt a lot reading these posts. I love rocks too although I have started to resist picking them up now as my tiny flat really does not have place to store or display them. In my storage I have a whole basket of little pebbles picked up on my travels and my favourites also tend to be the ones with those white veins in them. And I remember where each one came from. My husband always thought I was insane but now I feel vindicated - thank you! :)

kendalee said...

ps am loving this blog banner!

Anne said...

Hi, Sarah! Cool pictures! I especially like the flints with the holes in them! :-)

Don@unconventional questions said...

Hi, Sarah! Thanks for playing on Rock Week. I would end up with a bucket of those flints. Henry Moore is one of my very favorite sculptors, it makes it easy to see his logical inspiration. Thanks for adding your stories & poems:) Don

Anonymous said...

The flints do remind me of bone! When I saw the picture that's the first thing I said to myself.