Standing stones, megaliths, Dolmens, Menhirs all around the world
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths (because of their size) are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many varieties. Some standing stones (or menhirs) have been raised next to buildings which often have some early or current religious significance. One example is the South Zeal Menhir in Devon, which formed the basis for a 12th-century monastery built by lay monks. The later became the Oxenham Arms Hotel at South Zeal, and the standing stone remains in place in the ancient snug bar at the hotel.
Standing stones are usually difficult to date, but pottery found underneath some in Atlantic Europe connects them with the Beaker people; others in the region appear to be earlier or later however.
Where they appear in groups, often in a circular, oval, henge or horseshoe formation, they are sometimes called megalithic monuments. These are sites of ancient religious ceremonies, sometimes containing burial chambers