Skellig Michael monastery (Ireland), 6th-13th centuries (most of the stone construction dates to 8th-11th centuries) speakers: Dr. Lauren Kilroy-Ewbank and Dr. Steven Zucker
One of my favorite things about this channel is the way the speakers *go and see* the things they're talking about in person. I know they could easily work off of pictures , but they really go the extra step (or 600) and it means so much
I was lucky enough to visit Skellig Micheal twice in a single summer. Indeed, one of the other visitors in the boat I took told me that it was her fourth attempt following three weather related cancellations. The climb was not a little nerve-wracking but the reward was incredible. - truly, a spiritual place. The following year, on a visit to the hilltop monastery of Abba Pantelewon in Tigray, Ethiopia, I showed a resident holy man some photographs from Skellig Micheal. He was duly impressed with the beauty, distance and common connection in the pictures. He then enquired as to whether the Skellig monks had decorated the ceilings of their beehive huts with frescoes, as was the case in Pantelewon. With a smile, he could not contain his pride when I told him that, sadly, the Irish monks did not reach the same level of sophistication in iconographic interior design as their Ethiopian brethren. Thank you Smart History, as always!
Irish monasticism traces back to Coptic Egyptian practices and there were disputes with Rome over centuries. I visited Skellig, took me a few days to get the necessary weather-window. I'm not religious (agnostic I suppose, if labels are needed) but don't agree that our government should have allowed Hollywood invade (they could easily have modelled a replica set). Maybe I'm a pagan, I found the visit profound (and I've been to most of our islands, and climbed a good few of our hills) and the location something of an otherworld experience. Irish monks may have had iconographic materials looted by Vikings or other pirate gangs, or perhaps, as with Scotland's Iona, their work went into manuscript decoration as with the books of Kells and Lindisfarne.
Your videos are a perfect mix of discovering new masterpieces and rediscovering old masterpieces. Skelling Michel is incredible. I had never heard of it. It reminds me of Mt. Athos, where the cliffs also jut down to the ocean. I went to Athos to see the Icons in the monasteries. Mt. Athos was scary, but Skellling Micahel is even scarier. The way the buildings at Skelling Michael hug the landscape is even more impressive than Machu Picchu. Not only do you explore the architecture but also the reasons why one would withdraw from the world. I learn so much from your videos, thanks.
Went there in 2011 aged 10 with my dad, extraordinary trip and the views were brilliant. Really felt like you were on another planet! Wasn't phased by the precarious nature of it all, just wanted to race up to the top! XD
Oh my gosh, the puffin sanctuary part was so unexpected and cute, lol. And more unexpected intel at the end about Star Wars. Aside from a bit of workout inspiration - "must crush leg-day so I can probably never climb those 600 steps! - I appreciated the way this humble community was structured. There was nothing more than what was absolutely needed.
Great video, what you didnt mention is that where the Beehives are, there are rainwater collection basins built in to the rocks, and were and still are incredible efficient. There is also an the highest peak on the other side of the saddle, there is another sanctuary that is incredible difficult to get to , it has a place of prayer that is literally arock piercing out which makes the person fell like they are floating over the edge of the world. Up there was another facility to gather water and store food, its believed that they used it for extreme prayer and isolation, but also to hide from invaders as its easy to defend the sheer cliff face
Monastery on Skellig Michael is the westernmost of 7 St. Michael monasteries in Europe and Middle East. All of them are located on perfect straight line. According to legend the line is formed by Archangel Saint Michael's sword cut during his epic fight with the devil. Here is the list from the west: Skellig Michael, St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, Mont-Saint-Michel in Bretagne in France, Sacra di San Michele in Italian Alps, Monte Gargano in south-east Italy, Greek island Simi and finally Mount Karmel in Israel. Distance between no.3 and no.4 is exactly equal to distance between no.4 and no.5. It is difficult to explain how such precision could be achieved so long ago.
They got some great blue milk there though!
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One of my favorite things about this channel is the way the speakers *go and see* the things they're talking about in person. I know they could easily work off of pictures
, but they really go the extra step (or 600) and it means so much
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I proposed to my wife here in the opening of one of the structures. (She said yes) Very special place!
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I can't believe you actually went there! That's incredible. Thanks for the excellent video.
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8th Century?! That is amazing! What a treasure!
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Ireland is definitely on the top of my list to go to, but now I have a new Ireland destination! This is amazing!
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I was lucky enough to visit Skellig Micheal twice in a single summer. Indeed, one of the other visitors in the boat I took told me that it was her fourth attempt following three weather related cancellations. The climb was not a little nerve-wracking but the reward was incredible. - truly, a spiritual place.
The following year, on a visit to the hilltop monastery of Abba Pantelewon in Tigray, Ethiopia, I showed a resident holy man some photographs from Skellig Micheal. He was duly impressed with the beauty, distance and common connection in the pictures. He then enquired as to whether the Skellig monks had decorated the ceilings of their beehive huts with frescoes, as was the case in Pantelewon. With a smile, he could not contain his pride when I told him that, sadly, the Irish monks did not reach the same level of sophistication in iconographic interior design as their Ethiopian brethren.
Thank you Smart History, as always!
Irish monasticism traces back to Coptic Egyptian practices and there were disputes with Rome over centuries.
I visited Skellig, took me a few days to get the necessary weather-window.
I'm not religious (agnostic I suppose, if labels are needed) but don't agree that our government should have allowed Hollywood invade (they could easily have modelled a replica set).
Maybe I'm a pagan, I found the visit profound (and I've been to most of our islands, and climbed a good few of our hills) and the location something of an otherworld experience.
Irish monks may have had iconographic materials looted by Vikings or other pirate gangs, or perhaps, as with Scotland's Iona, their work went into manuscript decoration as with the books of Kells and Lindisfarne.
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I just love the name "Skellig Michael." Pure poetry.
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Thank you guys soooo much for your work. You deserve a lot more views ❤
Your videos are a perfect mix of discovering new masterpieces and rediscovering old masterpieces. Skelling Michel is incredible. I had never heard of it. It reminds me of Mt. Athos, where the cliffs also jut down to the ocean. I went to Athos to see the Icons in the monasteries. Mt. Athos was scary, but Skellling Micahel is even scarier. The way the buildings at Skelling Michael hug the landscape is even more impressive than Machu Picchu. Not only do you explore the architecture but also the reasons why one would withdraw from the world. I learn so much from your videos, thanks.
👍
Went there in 2011 aged 10 with my dad, extraordinary trip and the views were brilliant. Really felt like you were on another planet! Wasn't phased by the precarious nature of it all, just wanted to race up to the top! XD
👍
Oh my gosh, the puffin sanctuary part was so unexpected and cute, lol.
And more unexpected intel at the end about Star Wars.
Aside from a bit of workout inspiration - "must crush leg-day so I can probably never climb those 600 steps! - I appreciated the way this humble community was structured. There was nothing more than what was absolutely needed.
👍
Great video, what you didnt mention is that where the Beehives are, there are rainwater collection basins built in to the rocks, and were and still are incredible efficient. There is also an the highest peak on the other side of the saddle, there is another sanctuary that is incredible difficult to get to , it has a place of prayer that is literally arock piercing out which makes the person fell like they are floating over the edge of the world. Up there was another facility to gather water and store food, its believed that they used it for extreme prayer and isolation, but also to hide from invaders as its easy to defend the sheer cliff face
looking at those stairs made me lie flat on the ground so that my knees would calm down
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Monastery on Skellig Michael is the westernmost of 7 St. Michael monasteries in Europe and Middle East. All of them are located on perfect straight line. According to legend the line is formed by Archangel Saint Michael's sword cut during his epic fight with the devil. Here is the list from the west: Skellig Michael, St. Michael's Mount in Cornwall, Mont-Saint-Michel in Bretagne in France, Sacra di San Michele in Italian Alps, Monte Gargano in south-east Italy, Greek island Simi and finally Mount Karmel in Israel. Distance between no.3 and no.4 is exactly equal to distance between no.4 and no.5. It is difficult to explain how such precision could be achieved so long ago.
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Cited by Kenneth Clark as a place through which Christianity survived "by the skin of its teeth"
Wow
Damn id love to be there
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Dr. Lauren, you have a nice voice, too!
Hey i have been there! (in The Witcher 3) :p
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Enjoyed your video. I visited the Island a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, the sea was not calm enough for us to land. It was still a great experience.
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Presently reading a book by Emma Donoghue called Haven where monks go to Skellig Michael. Had to check this out.
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Wow... A bit like the Bird Islands in Cape Breton...except there's no monastery there :-}
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Luxury accommodation for Puffins
Luke Skywalker took his first steps here in 28ABY.
No its the First Jedi Temple at Ahch-To
yep
It's from the Star Wars
You can get jedi trainning Theresa.
Like Skywalker went the to escape the world too
"...the edge of the World."?
ONLY on a flat Earth could there be an edge.
I s'pose the water in the fable of the 'Great Flood' ran off the edge.
Wow
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