A massive cubic stone of a human height with a deepened bowl on its surface. Precise evidence about the origin of this stone’s name and a historic meaning lack. The stone is of an impressive size (about 1.6 m high). There is a well visible hollow in the upper part of the stone. It is covered with moss.
Narrative
According to folklore about Ūsiņš and the stone in general, there is a tale about sacrificial habits (which, although, do not refer directly to the stone of this enormous size), “At night-watch they prepared pantāgs (a traditional meal of the Ūsiņš Day) pouring it into the hole of a post or axe helve and then on this hole a large stone was rolled over or the first piece was put into a small hole and then filled up with soil; pantāgs was sacrificed to Ūsiņš. Only then you could eat it. Boiled and raw eggs were taken along to cook pantāgs. Pantāgs was cooked by men over a bonfire.” Ūsiņš is one of the most interpreted Latvian gods — he was called as the light and spring god, keeper of order, god of bees and horses. Jurģis or Georg introduced by Christianity has covered the Latvian Ūsiņš with his layer. Ūsiņš was known only in a restricted area of Latvia, mainly in the Vidzeme Highlands (LTT — P. Šmits. Latvian Folk Beliefs (Latviešu tautas ticējumi). 1940–1941). Offerings were usually made in a cattle shed, in a stable or above or beneath a feed bunk, at the threshold, also in a meadow when going to night-watch. A rooster was killed by a master. Rooster’s blood was drawn off in a horse feed-bunk mixing it up with oak for the hoarse to eat it. On the stable doors a lietuvēns cross (liuetuvēna krusts) was drawn to protect horses from evil spirits (lietuvēns). Sacrificing was also mentioned in folk songs. (G. Eniņš. The Mysterious Ūsiņš Stone (Noslēpumainais Ūsiņa akmens). – Mājas Viesis, 24.02.2012)
