Petra van CronenburgFeb 14

I volunteer in a #culturalHeritage center and tell visitors about our traditions, lore, and ancient rituals. But we never romanticise the past. There are often very good reasons why some customs have died out.

Physiotherapists will know what I mean: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/14/stone-lifting-sport-irish-culture-indiana-stones
And also generations of landscape gardeners (and other jobs with heavy weights) from the time before machines, who ruined their miniskus and their spine. Safe #weightlifting is done differently. 😉 1/2

#stones #Ireland

‘A whole lost culture’: the Irishman reviving the forgotten sport of stone lifting

For centuries in Ireland lifting huge boulders was a way to test strength and bond communities, says Instagram sensation Indiana Stones

The Guardian
Show threadPetra van Cronenburg
2/2 And it's worse: "Enthusiasts trek to remote rural areas to try to lift designated stones. ... Last year a boulder known as Cloch Bán, or White Stone, was shipped to enthusiasts in Boston."
Such Instagram #influencer behaviour can not only disrupt important #ecological #habitats, but also #archaeological sites. Because that is the difference between modern 'influenca' and ancient customs: in the past, people knew how to do things in harmony with #nature rather than for photos and profit.
Feb 14 at 12:36pmWeb