Pierre Haina - Weris

Pierre Haina is also called Pierre des Ancêtres and also the White Menhir , although it is not a man-made menhir , but a natural remnant after the crumbling of all the pudding stone around it.

The Wéris puddingstone is a conglomeration of pebbles bound together by very hard fine sandstone.

It is a pudding stone located in Wéris. Its location makes it related to the megaliths of the domain of Wéris and its shape is a source of local legend .

From this stone, you can see some of the megaliths of the domain of Wéris, in particular the dolmen of Wéris I, which lies due west at a distance of 1400 m as the crow flies. So at the equinoxes, the sun sets on the far horizon above the dolmen when the observation is made from the stone. Moreover , during the summer solstice, the sun would rise behind the Pierre Haina when one is near the three menhirs of Oppagne . However, this has not been confirmed by the astronomical calculation. It is therefore possible that this stone was used by Neolithic populations as a landmark to place certain dolmens or menhirs .

According to legend , by lifting the stone, the devil uses a hole to descend to the center of the earth (hell) and indulge in his evil works. Then he will rest on the Devil's Bed that is 225 meters below.

Another legend says that a priest who got lost there during a storm blasphemed God and turned to stone.

According to tradition, the Pierre Haina is whitewashed every year during the autumn equinox by the inhabitants of Wéris, to purify the stone and keep the devil away from it. This action takes place in the context of festivities where people dance, drink and eat around the stone.

Willem Vandenameele