Dave Brown
Dave Brown has been researching lifting stones since 2017. He created liftingstones.org in early 2020 to document lifting stones, the cultures surrounding them, and their stories from around the world.
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Articles by Dave Brown
The legend of Ōiko's stone
In 12th century Japan, a woman named Ōiko settled a dispute by moving an immense stone that not even a...
May 2025
Hida Folk Village's lifting stones
Hida Folk Village is a snapshot of historic village life hidden in the Japanese alps.
September 2024
Are you stronger than a sumo wrestler?
Fukuoka's Kushida Shrine displays stones dedicated by some of the strongest sumo wrestlers in history.
November 2023
Japanese lifting stone locations
Plan your stonelifting trip to Japan with our Japanese lifting stone directory!
November 2023
Irish lifting stone locations
Plan your stonelifting trip to Ireland with our lifting stone directory!
October 2023
The Unspunnen Stone
Switzerland's most famous throwing stone has a rocky history of theft!
January 2023
Stonelifting etiquette
Lift responsibly and respectfully
November 2022
The Giant's Stone
The stone carried by 'The Yorkshire Giant' William Bradley in the early 1800s
September 2022
The Nicol Walking Stones
A pair of stones used in a farmer's walk for max distance — famously used at Giants Live
August 2022
Polynesian stonelifting
The ancient tradition of stonelifting across the islands of French Polynesia
June 2022
The Legend Stones
A group of stones in Germany inscribed with Germanic runes
April 2022
The Replica Dinnie Stones
Replicas of the Dinnie Stones commissioned by Gordon Dinnie that are now used at Rogue events.
March 2022
Odd Haugen’s Tombstone
A huge, heavy, and awkward stone used at the Arnold Strongman Classic in the Stone to Shoulder event.
February 2022
Castle Stones
A set of Atlas Stones used in Giants Live Strongman competitions
February 2022
Atlas Stones
The famous concrete balls lifted by Strongmen have a history rooted in Scottish stone lifting.
February 2022
Garreg Orchest
An awkward Welsh carrying stone reminiscent of the Húsafell stone.
January 2022
Klypelyftsteinen — Pinch lift stones
A pair of stones that Sterke Nils lifted in the 1700s as a test of grip strength.
January 2022
大盤石 — Japan's heaviest power stone
The heaviest lifting stone in Japan, lifted by the strongest man of the Edo period.
September 2020
The Sterke Nils Stein
An enormous stone said to have been lifted by 'the giant of Seljord' Sterke Nils.
August 2020
The Jakob Kvistad Stone
A 398.5 kg stone lifted by an 18 year old circa 1889.
August 2020
The Eidis Hansen Stone
A heavy Norwegian stone carried by the fisherman Eidis Hansen.
August 2020
Top 5 heaviest stones
A compilation of the heaviest lifting stones that we know of.
August 2020
Saddlin' Mare
A large plinth sits next to a road awaiting its saddle stone to be balanced on top.
April 2020
The Blue Stone of Old Hartley
A Saxon boundary stone that was once lifted by Willie Carr, 'Hercules of the north'.
April 2020
Barevan Stone
At the end of a stone grave in the ruins of a church sits the Barevan Stone. But why is...
April 2020
Dritvík Stones
On the black beaches surrounding Dritvík there lies a ship wreck and four stones reminding us of the area's past...
April 2020
Puterach Stone
This ancient test of loading the stone on the plinth was revived in 2011 when a replacement stone was found...
April 2020
Jeju stonelifting
South Korea's Jeju island has a stone lifting past that is unknown to most. Does the lost culture still exist?...
March 2020
Legsteinn
Help free the soul of a farmer by walking this stone around his grave.
March 2020
Icelandic lifting stone locations
Plan your stone lifting trip to Iceland with our Icelandic lifting stone directory!
March 2020
Scottish lifting stone locations
Where exactly are the Scottish Lifting Stones?
March 2020
Dalwhinnie Stone
The well-balanced stone sits in a village that has been a popular resting stop for travellers for hundreds of years....
March 2020
Criccieth Stone
This egg-shaped stone is the heaviest lifting stone in Wales.
March 2020
Dinnie Stones
Known across the strength world, this pair of legendary ringed stones is known for their immense challenges.
March 2020
Brynjólfstak
This 1.5m pillar of basalt is said the be the finger of a great Icelandic giant.
March 2020
Húsafell Stone
The legendary Icelandic stone used as a gate to a sheep pen.
March 2020
Marjunar Hav
Named after Marjun, a housemaid who is said to have lifted the giant stone.
March 2020
Inver Stone
An oval shaped granite stone that once sat outside of a cottage next to the River Dee in Scotland. Arguably...
February 2020