|
 Log in |
Register
|
|
 Head To Head The Modern Antiquarian Avebury Forum | Start a topic | Search |
68 messages | Select a forum: |
| A Lady In Waiting An explanation of the Avebury Complex, by Roy Goutté I have found this comparatively new book on Avebury by Roy Goutté to be extremely interesting. He has taken what he considers the essential and important parts of what we now call the Avebury Complex and intrinsically linked them to what he claims is a giant Earth Figure. I have read that others have touched on this idea in part before, but I must say that he connects them all so very very well that his idea is difficult to just dismiss and is well worthy of a read. There is nothing airy-fairy or mystical about this book for it is very practical, down-to-earth, well-written and in my opinion very plausible. The author suggests that the reader should ‘think Neolithic’ and not try to understand Avebury using modern-day thinking. He has taken the Avebury Stone Circle; the West Kennet and Beckhampton Avenues; the Sanctuary; Silbury Hill; the Winterbourne stream/River Kennet and the Swallowhead Springs and shown that through the use of an overdrawn map, the combined structures and natural features as seen from above, are actually a huge figure constructed over the Avebury landscape. And he appears to be correct, because the placing of these component parts fall exactly where they should be on a figure. Starting with the Main Circle, well this is seen as the head of the figure and the two Avenues the arms. The Sanctuary is seen as what he terms the ‘collecting hand’ on the left arm of the figure and this is explained fully later in the book when he discusses the Ridgeway Path and its connection with the Sanctuary. I found myself getting quite excited when my personal favourite, Silbury Hill, was shown to be in exactly the correct position where the stomach of the figure would be and then to my astonishment found that the Swallowhead Springs were ideally placed for a more personal part of the figures anatomy which is absolutely vital if he is correct about its purpose! Almost central to it all is the Winterbourne stream which the author describes as the ‘Lifeblood of the figure’ and the thing that in the mindset of its builders brought the whole structure to life. And the fact that it passes right through the bodyline of the figure made my spine tingle when I realised the implication of it all. All of this is mentioned early on in the book but it was only when he begins to explain every part and its connection with the next that I saw everything he was suggesting falling into place. His conclusion, which as a woman I was absolutely delighted with, is that this earth figure is indeed a female and one that was designed to lead the souls of the Neolithic dead into their Afterlife! To read his understanding of Silbury Hill and how it was built is totally innovative and his explanation of the two causeways at the base of the hill completely out of the box and so personal to a woman that it left me in further awe of our ancestors. It was this that convinced me that Goutté has hit the nail on the head here and has gone a long way to solving the mystery of Avebury and in my opinion is to be congratulated for coming up with something I thought quite obvious after reading all the evidence. He may not be an archaeologist but by golly he’s made a damn good case out for what Avebury is, or indeed was. He ends his book by saying that ‘Nearly everything that should be there still is – the only things really missing are the people and their beliefs’. I think he’s right. I’ve only touched on his beliefs because I have no wish to spoil your own enjoyment of his explanation of all the component parts but a great deal of thought and research has gone into this book which never deviates once from the script as so many others do to pad out their work. Buy this book is my advice to all interested in Avebury as it is going to go down as one of the best explanations of the Avebury Complex to date. A LADY IN WAITING. £13.99 plus P&P 120 Pages. Soft cover perfect bound with over 50 photos and drawings. Probably available in the Avebury bookshops but I got mine online at:- http://aveburyaladyinwaiting.co.uk/ Reply | with quote | Posted by The Jersey Minx 17th April 2010ce 11:22 3 replies: Re: Interesting New Book on Avebury (tiompan) Re: Interesting New Book on Avebury (oresaba) Re: Interesting New Book on Avebury (head-first) |
Messages in this topic: |
|
Top of page