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The most famous rocks in the world -

Humans have had a long fascination with ancient standing stones, stone circles, and megaliths. Scattered across the world, archaeologists and historians continue to debate their purpose and significance. Some theories propose that ancient civilizations built them as places of ritual and worship, while others suggest they served as astronomical sites. Many have drawn humans to marvel and even climb them. And others are so impressive that they're filled with cultural, religious, or even political importance.

In this gallery, check out some famous rocks stones, and more found across the world. Click on to discover more.

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Blarney Stone, Ireland -

A block of Carboniferous limestone, legend has it that if you kiss the Blarney Stone, you'll be blessed with the "gift of the gab," meaning great eloquence or skill at flattery. However, kissing the stone isn't an easy task. You have to lie on your back, lean over the edge, and kiss the underside of the stone. For safety reasons, this isn't done alone.

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Blarney Stone, Ireland -

Built into the facade of Blarney Castle, the site is located close to Cork. The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446.

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Moai, Chile -

These famous monolithic figures were carved between 1250 and 1500 CE by the Rapa Nui people on Easter Island, Chile. 

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Moai, Chile -

Some 887 statues have been discovered on the island. The largest stands at a whopping 33 feet (10 m). And while the monumental stone heads are well known, archaeologists have found that some statues, from the torso down, continue beneath the earth.

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Moai, Chile -

The Moai statues were built to honor important ancestral chieftains, who were believed to be descended directly from the gods.

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Plymouth Rock, USA -

Located on the shore of Massachusetts, Plymouth Rock is the point where William Bradford and his Pilgrims stepped onto US soil in 1620.

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Plymouth Rock, USA -

Protected by a solemn granite canopy, the rock marked a pivotal moment in American history. However, it's still shrouded in mystery.

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Plymouth Rock, USA -

The Pilgrims never referred to Plymouth Rock in any of their writings. It was first mentioned as the official arrival spot in 1741 by Elder Thomas Faunce. Consecrated 30 years later, it has been a place of pilgrimage ever since.

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Rosetta Stone, England -

Discovered by the French in the Egyptian town of Rashid (Rosetta) in 1799, the Rosetta Stone was taken to London by the British in 1801. This granodiorite is one of the most important stones in archaeology.

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Rosetta Stone, England -

Inscribed with three versions of a decree issued at Memphis, Egypt, in 196 BCE, it allowed archaeologists to translate Egyptian hieroglyphics.

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Rosetta Stone, England -

Today, the stone is found in the British Museum in London, where it has been on display since 1802. During World War II, it spent two years hidden underground at the Postal Tube Railway.

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Uluru, Australia -

One of Australia's most famous natural landmarks, Uluru is a massive sandstone monolith. It's located in the southern part of the Northern Territory.

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Uluru, Australia -

The huge red rock rises about 2,831 feet (863 m) above the flat landscape of the Australian outback. It’s the central attraction of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

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Uluru, Australia -

In 1985, management of the park was returned to the indigenous Aṉangu people. They have lived around the area for thousands of years. Since 2019, it's prohibited to climb Uluru. 

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Deer Stones, Mongolia and Russia -

The Deer Stones are a series of more than 1,200 standing stones spread across Mongolia and Russia's Siberia region. They were given their name because many of them include elaborate carvings of flying deer.

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Deer Stones, Mongolia and Russia -

Scientists believe Bronze Age nomads erected them over 3,000 years ago. And while the flying deer are more prevalent, there are also carvings of elk, people, the sun, and the moon. 

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Deer Stones, Mongolia and Russia -

There are many theories as to the reasons behind their existence, but some believe they might have been dedicated to great warriors or chiefs.

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Devils Tower, USA -

The Devils Tower is a 867-foot (265-m) rock monolith in the Black Hills region of northeastern Wyoming. In 1906, it became the first national monument in the US, granted this status by President Theodore Roosevelt.

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Devils Tower, USA -

It's the world's largest columnar jointing, a geologic process in which molten rock cools so quickly that it cracks and forms a hexagonal structure.

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Devils Tower, USA -

Before European settlers arrived, the Devils Tower was known to Native Americans by various names, such as Bear Lodge or Tree Rock. Many Native Americans still visit the monolith every year to participate in religious ceremonies.

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Black Stone, Saudi Arabia -

The Black Stone is a rock set into the eastern corner of the Kaaba, the ancient building in the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

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Black Stone, Saudi Arabia -

It's the most sacred relic in Islam, and an integral part of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Pilgrims must circle the rock, and many even try to touch and kiss it.

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Black Stone, Saudi Arabia -

It's believed that the stone fell from heaven for Adam and Eve to turn into an altar. According to Islamic tradition, it was set into the Kaaba's wall by Prophet Muhammad in 605 CE, five years before his first revelation.

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Stonehenge, England -

One of the most iconic megalithic sites in the world, Stonehenge is located in Salisbury, England. The structure has been the subject of archaeological studies for centuries, and there are still questions about who built it, how, and why.

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Stonehenge, England -

The strongest theory is that the Neolithic people began building the circle of stones around 3,000 years ago, and that they're arranged to point to where the sun rises on the summer solstice.

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Stonehenge, England -

Added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986, Stonehenge continues to be sacred. To this day, pagans gather there to celebrate the winter and summer solstices.

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Carnac, France -

Around the village of Carnac in Brittany, France, stand about 3,000 ancient menhirs and other types of megaliths.

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Carnac, France -

The rows of stones have been dated to the middle Neolithic period, around 3000 BCE. However, an exact date hasn't been suggested. Historians believe that the long arrangements may have served some ritual or religious purpose.

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Carnac, France -

According to a popular legend, when the Roman army was there, the wizard Merlin appeared and turned the soldiers into the stones.

Sources: (Mental Floss) (Wanderlust) (Treehugger) 

See also: The tallest trees in the world, and where to admire them

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