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Wieś Gierłoż Polska
The erratic boulder in Gierłoż is a massive glacial stone lying on the eastern shore of Lake Mój, in the landscape of Warmia and Masuria. The stone rises about 1.25 metres above the ground and its circumference reaches 9 metres. It was carried here by the Scandinavian ice sheet, but it is known above all for the role it played in ancient beliefs.
The upper surface of the boulder was hollowed out to form a depression known as the sacrificial bowl. Beside it lies a flat stone said to have served as a sacrificial table. The site is linked with the cult of the Prussian tribe of the Barts, and an old burial ground lay nearby. The former German name of the neighbouring village — Schwarzstein, today Czerniki — derives from the boulder.
The stone lies off the beaten track, among greenery by the water, and requires a short walk from the road. It is a destination for those interested in the geology and archaeology of the Masurian and Warmian borderland, easily combined with a tour of the surrounding lakes.
