Menhir of Beisenerbierg
{{Short description|Standing stone at Reckange, Luxembourg}}
{{Infobox ancient site
|name = Menhir of Beisenerbierg
|native_name = Menhir vu Recken
|alternate_name = Menhir de Reckingen
|image = Menhir Eenelter Luxembg 01.jpg
|alt = Photo of the standing-stone in a field
|caption = Menhir of Beisenerbierg
|map_type = Luxembourg
|map_alt =
|relief = yes
|location = Reckange
|region = Luxembourg
|coordinates = {{coord|49.75918|6.07603|display=inline}}
|type = Standing stone
|epochs = Neolithic
}}
The Menhir of Beisenerbierg is a three-metre-tall standing stone which stands on a hilltop at Reckange ({{Langx|lb|Recken}}; {{Langx|de|Reckingen}}) in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. An excavation in 2001 revealed its age to be Neolithic.
Description
The standing stone, or "menhir", is 3 metres high, 0.7 metres wide, and weighs around 4 tonnes.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mersch.lu/4c%20Mersch%20%20vestiges%20pr%C3%A9historiques.pdf?FileID=publications%2F4c+mersch+-+vestiges+pr%C3%A9historiques.pdf|title=Vestiges et témoignages préhistoriques|publisher=Commune De Mersch, Informations Touristiques|access-date=12 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103094842/http://www.mersch.lu/4c%20Mersch%20%20vestiges%20pr%C3%A9historiques.pdf?FileID=publications%2F4c+mersch+-+vestiges+pr%C3%A9historiques.pdf|archive-date=3 January 2017|url-status=dead}} It is made from sandstone and owes its yellow-brown colour to its high iron content. It appears to have been shaped to give it an "anthropomorphic" form.{{Cite book|title=Préhistoire et protohistoire au Luxembourg|first=Foni|last=Le Brun-Ricalens|year=2005|page=119|isbn=2879850606|publisher=Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art (Luxembourg)}}
History
The stone was buried for centuries until 1978 when it was identified by members of the "Friends of Old Mersch" association. It was re-erected 30 metres from its original location. In 2001, an archaeological excavation was undertaken by the National Museum. The excavations which uncovered the original foundation pit confirmed the antiquity of this megalithic monument, and showed it to be Neolithic.