Second Orkney Venus Found at Orkney Dig.
Archaeologists have unearthed a second ancient figurine at a dig on Orkney.
The discovery was made at the same site as the Orkney Venus, the earliest representation of a human figure to be found in Scotland.
The Orkney Venus, a 5,000-year-old female carving which was found last summer, was just 4cm tall and composed of sandstone.
The new find is the same size and shape as the original Venus but is made of clay and is missing its head.
The older Venus is one of three finds which have been shortlisted for Best Discovery at the 2010 British Archaeological Awards.
Both pieces were found at a Historic Scotland dig at the Links of Noltland on the island of Westray.
Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said: "It is excellent news that a second figurine has been found at the Links of Noltland dig, giving our team of archaeologists more information in piecing together what we can know about the lives of our ancient ancestors on Westray.
"Although these figurines are tiny, their significance is huge and it's exciting to speculate whether there may be more, waiting to be discovered."
The Orkney Venus, known locally as the Westray Wife, is currently on display at the Westray Heritage Centre.
It has already been viewed by more than 100,000 people as part of a special Historic Scotland touring exhibition which has visited Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, Kilmartin House in Argyll and Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness.
The carving features a human face with heavy brows, two dots for eyes and an oblong for a nose.
A pair of circles on the chest has been interpreted as representing breasts, and arms have been etched at either side. A pattern of crosses suggests some form of fabric.
Its name comes from its resemblance to similar figurines classed as Venuses from elsewhere in Europe and beyond.
The Orkney Venus is facing strong competition in Monday's British Archaeological Awards.
The carving is up against a collection of copper and tin ingots discovered by divers off the coast of South Devon, and the Staffordshire hoard - the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-10676346
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Dig Aims to Unearth Tullos Hill's Secrets.
Archaeologists are calling for volunteers to help unearth the secrets of a historic site in Aberdeen.
Tullos Hill has long been known as an important archaeological site because four Bronze Age burial cairns are located there.
But interest was renewed several years ago when a survey revealed new historic and archaeological features.
Archaeologists now want the public to help search for artefacts which reveal more of the hill's intriguing past.
Until recently, it was believed few archaeological remains survived on the hill because of its use as a landfill site since the 1970s.
However, a survey by CFA Archaeology in 2004 revealed further evidence of prehistoric activity and more recent structures associated with the 18th to 19th Century development of the Tullos House estate.
Interest was further boosted last year by the discovery of the remains of what is believed to be Aberdeen's last surviving World War II prisoner of war camp.
Hill The site also features the remains of a heavy anti-aircraft battery situated some 300m south west of the summit.
The aim of this week's dig is to examine some of the features identified during the 2004 archaeological survey more closely. It is hoped this will help determine the nature of the finds and establish their age.
The excavation is being directed by Ian Suddaby of CFA Archaeology, who undertook the 2004 survey.
Judith Stones, Aberdeen city council's curator of local history and archaeology, said: "This is a great opportunity for local people to work alongside professional archaeologists to discover more about this rich historic landscape, and for visitors to understand more about the past, present and future of Tullos Hill."
Volunteers interested in taking part in the dig, which runs until 21 July, must contact CFA Archaeology to book a place.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east_orkney_and_shetland/10598438.stm
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Pillar of Eliseg: Archaeologists dig beneath 9th Century monument
Archaeologists are to start excavations on a suspected ancient burial site to try to understand the significance of a Llangollen landmark.
But the team will have to work carefully because the 9th Century Pillar of Eliseg, a CADW-protected ancient monument, stands directly on top of the barrow - burial mound - and the archaeologists can't disturb it.
Medieval archaeology Professor, Nancy Edwards, from Bangor University says it is the first time the site has been dug since 1773 when, it is believed, a skeleton was unearthed.
"We are trying to date the barrow in its broader archaeological context," she said, as the site could date back to the Bronze Age.
The history behind the monument and why it was erected on the mound in the late 1700s by Trevor Lloyd of Trevor Hall, who then owned the land, is not yet understood.
The earliest known picture of the pillar, dated 1797, courtesy Llangollen Museum
However, separate work has been carried out to try to decipher original and additional faded inscriptions by experts from the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW).
Originally a cross, it was first erected at nearby Valle Crucis Abbey to commemorate an early medieval leader, Eliseg (or Elisedd).
Today, only the shaft of the cross remains and its inscription, which was already almost illegible when the antiquary Edward Lhuyd tried to transcribe it in 1696, has disappeared.
Some of the 18th Century inscription describing the re-erection of the cross on the barrow has since been discerned by the experts, but nothing that reveals why it was relocated.
Joining Prof Edwards on-site for the dig will be colleagues from the University of Chester and with help from Llangollen Museum.
The plan is to open one small trench within the barrow and three others in close proximity within the field which is owned by a private landowner.
Dai Morgan Evans, visiting professor in archaeology at Chester University, has his own ideas as to why the monument was relocated to the mound.
Abbey and the Holy Grail legends
He told the Leader newspaper that Trevor Lloyd could have been implying he was related to the Welsh king named on the inscription and those in the burial below.
During the dig, David Crane from Llangollen Museum plans to blog regularly via the museum website to give people updates.
And the public will be allowed on-site during an open day (31 July), between 11am-3pm.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northeastwales/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8783000/8783331.stm
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Historic finds made by archaeologists in the Duddon Valley
Archaeologists in the Duddon Valley have uncovered over 3,000 previously unrecorded historic sites after a four-year survey of the area.
The Duddon Valley Local History Group, in partnership with the Lake District National Park Authority, found ring-cairns that could date back to the Bronze Age.
Two of the most exciting finds uncovered in the 90-square mile survey include ring-cairns found at Seathwaite Tarn and Lead Pike. Although excavations of the cairns establish their origins back to the Bronze Age, the purpose of the constructions is still unknown.
One theory is that the cairns, which are ring-shaped banks of stones ranging up to 15 metres in diameter, were held for ceremonial purposes.
At the Seathwaite Tarn Cairn, which took a month to excavate, old copper and iron ore mines were found, as well as evidence that iron smelting works were in the region.
The team also found a series of longhouses, which people would have lived in around the eighth and ninth centuries. Standing stones and burial cysts were found around the valley as well.
"We've ended up with more questions than answers," said John Hoggett, chairman of the DVLHG. "Our survey gives an almost complete history of the Duddon Valley.
"What we've recorded shows that over the past four or five thousand years there has been very heavy activity in the Duddon Valley, almost industrial activity. We've seen massive coppicing of the woodland and evidence that suggests there were Viking settlements here.
"The magic of this was that people went out with a sense of anticipation that they would find something that was exciting. It wasn't always necessarily a big find but it was something new.
"The thing that emphasises the success is that we started with 20 volunteers and ended up with 30 people who were still going after four years."
Mr Hoggett went on to thank farmers and the National Trust for co-operating with their work, and allowing them to use their land.
The DVLHG will now re-survey some of their earlier work to check that nothing was missed, and there are hopes to widen the search to areas such as the Lickle Valley. They are also spending time on areas like the longhouses to better understand how they worked, and to try to specifically date them.
Their current finds will be preserved at the sites where they were found.
The Heritage Lottery-funded project is outlined in a book called 'Ring Cairns to Reservoirs', which the DVLHG launched last night (March 24).
Presenter Julian Richards, best known for presenting the BBC programme 'Meet the Ancestors', spent the day looking over some of the sites, and spoke at the book launch.
The book is available from the Henry Roberts book shop on Stramongate, Kendal.
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/5080134.Historic_finds_made_by_archaeologists_in_Duddon_Valley/
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Virtual Stonehenge launched online
Wiltshire is now on the virtual map, as Heritage Key have just unveiled a 3D virtual Stonehenge web experience.
Heritage Key is an online community aimed at those with an interest in history and culture.
The site combines content such as podcasts, YouTube videos and news articles with an online 3D virtual experience.
This virtual environment is used to recreate worldwide archaeological sites.
Visitors to the site can now explore a highly detailed virtual recreation of the ancient site from the comfort of their own living room.
Key features of the virtual experience include the chance to explore Stonehenge as it once stood over four thousand years ago in a dynamic living environment filled with wildlife and where the sun rises and sets.
You can also visit the nearby Neolithic settlement of Durrington Walls and interact with the people of the time, as well as take part in an ancient sunset ritual.
Continuing the interactive experience, you will also be able to discuss your experience with other visitors in Heritage Key's virtual visitor centre.
Jonathan Himoff, CEO of online virtual environment company Rezzable, says: "Stonehenge raises just as many questions as it answers about life in prehistoric times, but if those stones could talk they would tell us the story of the last 5,000 years of British history.
"Heritage Key is bringing this story to life through our virtual experience, as well as the varied media resources available online to complement it.
"In reality, Stonehenge is now fenced off from the public to protect the site from over-tourism.
"Not only can Heritage Key's virtual experience allow you to wander amongst the stones, we can also take visitors back in time to when the site was first built.
Heritage Key allows visitors to learn about the origins of the site, as well as the life and customs of the indigenous people, so that their experience of Stonehenge in the flesh can be even more magical
Jonathan Himoff, Rezzable
"Heritage Key allows visitors to learn about the origins of the site, as well as the life and customs of the indigenous people, so that their experience of Stonehenge in the flesh can be even more magical."
This immersive adventure is complimented with a media-rich website. So, whether you want to step back in time and see Stonehenge, watch YouTube videos on your iPhone or post comments on the latest expert articles, Heritage Key lets you discover history the way you want to.
As an interactive community, Heritage Key also allows visitors to join lectures and meet with people from around the world to share and discuss their experiences.
The Stonehenge virtual experience is being launched as part of Heritage Key's Ancient World in London festival, a series of online and real-world events celebrating the ancient world that is just underneath the skin of modern Britain.
To find out more information, and to sample the Stonehenge 3D experience, visit the Heritage Key website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/wiltshire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8534000/8534029.stm
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Archaeological project in Blandford gets lottery grant.
An archaeological scheme to investigate an area of Blandford in Dorset where ancient settlements have been found has been given £23,100 of lottery cash.
In 2008 a dig was carried out on the site earmarked for the new Milldown Primary School in the town.
It found evidence that the site was lived on between the end of the Stone Age and beginning of the Bronze Age, between 5,000 and 4,000 years ago.
The money will pay for further research into signs of settlements in the area.
The Blandford Schools and Communities Project will bring together schools and local groups with archaeologists at events where they can learn more about Milldown's past.
During the excavation a large number of flint tools and indications of pits and ditches were discovered.
Nerys Watts, the Heritage Lottery Fund's head of region for the South West, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this exciting project, which will enable Blandford's whole community to gain a real sense of its history.
"In particular, it is great to see so many young people given the opportunity to investigate their heritage and ensure that it is preserved for future generations to learn about and understand."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/8484794.stm
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Ancient arrowhead a 'chance find' at Sutherland school
Archaeologists have made what they described as a "chance discovery" of a stone arrowhead in the garden of a ruined schoolhouse in Sutherland.
Glasgow University Archaeological Research Division (Guard) said it may have been dropped by a hunter.
It added that it may have arrived from elsewhere and then been lost by a local collector or a teacher at the former parish school in Durness.
The 3cm relic was made from a sedimentary rock called black chert.
In a report by Guard made available on Highland Council's Highland Historic Environment Record, archaeologists said the find had "cast an unexpected light" on the area's prehistoric times.
The spot on rocky ground between two lochs was a perfect place to stalk game, they said.
But the archaeologists added that it could have been lost from a private collection after being found somewhere else locally.
Guard's investigations at the schoolhouse at Loch Croispol is part of community company Durness Development Group's wider efforts to interpret the area's past.
Durness Parish School in the far north fell into a ruined state after its last master was sacked in 1861.
Built in the 1760s, following a campaign by local minister the Reverend Murdo MacDonald, the school had a classroom and accommodation for its teacher.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8461919.stm
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Skara Brae Sea Wall Set For Work.
Work to strengthen the foundations of the sea wall near the famous Neolithic village of Skara Brae in Orkney is about to begin.
Waves have affected a section of concrete on which the protective walling was built, which could lead to more damage.
Historic Scotland has started a project which will involve digging down to insert new reinforcements.
It is described as important and highly-skilled work.
Stephen Watt, Historic Scotland district architect, said: "The area affected is a bit beyond Skara Brae itself, but it is important because it stops the sea outflanking us.
"These are interim measures which help protect an enormously important part of Scotland's heritage.
"We are currently working with a number of other groups and organisations to put together a strategy to protect the entire bay from the effects of natural erosion."
The settlement was inhabited 5,000 years ago.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7840463.stm
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Ancient Burial Ground Uncovered.
More than a dozen skeletons thought to be thousands of years old, have been found by Oxford archaeologists working at an ancient burial site in Dorset.
Excavations are taking place at the site in Weymouth before builders move in to build an access road to the Olympic sailing centre for 2012.
Archaeologist David Score said they had catalogued finds from almost every period of human life.
He said it "really added to knowledge of the Bronze and Neolithic eras".
"Building the relief road has given archaeologists an excuse to excavate and record finds dating back thousands of years," Mr Score said.
"I think it is very important because it's not very often that you get the opportunity to excavate an area of this size, in a location of such importance with so many burials from a wide span of time.
"I think once we have done all the analysis it really will contribute quite a lot to the corpus of knowledge that we've got about the Bronze Age and Neolithic periods in this area.
"We found more than a dozen skeletons they're in various states of preservation. Some are fairly poorly preserved, but the later ones, particularly the Roman ones are fairly well preserved."
All the finds are being taken back to Oxford where they are being catalogued.
Scientists will also look for small fish bones or charred plant remains to try and find out more about ancient eating habits.
The items will eventually be returned to Dorset where they will be put on display in a museum.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/7804287.stm
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"Oldest human brain" discovered.
Archaeologists have found the remains of what could be Britain's oldest surviving human brain.
The team, excavating a York University site, discovered a skull containing a yellow substance which scans showed to be shrunken, but brain-shaped.
Brains consist of fatty tissue which microbes in the soil would absorb, so neurologists believe the find could be some kind of fossilised brain.
The skull was found in an area first farmed more than 2,000 years ago.
More tests will now be done to establish what it is actually made of.
The team from York Archaeological Trust had been commissioned by the university to carry out an exploratory dig at Heslington East, where campus extension work is under way.
The skull was discovered in an area of extensive prehistoric farming landscape of fields, trackways and buildings dating back to at least 300 BC.
The archaeologists believe the skull, which was found on its own in a muddy pit, may have been a ritual offering.
"There is something unusual in the way the brain has been treated, or something that it's been exposed to that has preserved the shape of it." York Hospital neurologist
It was taken to York University where CT scans were used to look at the skull's contents.
Philip Duffey, the consultant neurologist who carried out the scans, said the find was "amazing".
"It's exciting that scanning has shown structures which appear to be unequivocally of brain origin.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME
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"I think that it will be very important to establish how these structures have survived, whether there are traces of biological material within them and, if not, what is their composition."
He added: "This could be the equivalent of a fossil. The brain itself would generally not survive. Fatty tissues would be feasted on by microbes.
"This isn't like the remains found in bogs; it doesn't have any skin on the skull or any tissue remains elsewhere.
"There is something unusual in the way the brain has been treated, or something that it's been exposed to that has preserved the shape of it."
Dr Sonia O'Connor, research fellow in archaeological sciences at the University of Bradford added: "The survival of brain remains where no other soft tissues are preserved is extremely rare.
"This brain is particularly exciting because it is very well preserved, even though it is the oldest recorded find of this type in the UK, and one of the earliest worldwide."
The skull was found in an area first farmed more than 2,000 years ago
The find is the second major discovery during investigations at the site.
Earlier this year, a team from the university's department of archaeology unearthed a shallow grave containing the skeleton of a man believed to be one of Britain's earliest victims of tuberculosis.
Radiocarbon dating suggests that the man died in the fourth century, the late-Roman period.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of York, Professor Brian Cantor, said: "The skull is another stunning discovery and its further study will provide us with incomparable insights into life in the Iron Age."
Specialists now hope to carry out further tests on the skull to establish how it has survived for so long, and perhaps more about the person whose brain it was.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7777385.stm
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Ancient rock carvings discovered.
More than 100 new examples of prehistoric art have been discovered carved into boulders and open bedrock throughout Northumberland and Durham.
The 5,000-year-old Neolithic carvings of circles, rings and hollowed cups, were uncovered by volunteers.
One of the most interesting discoveries was an elaborately carved panel on Barningham Moor, near Barnard Castle in County Durham.
English Heritage now wants to extend the project to Cumbria.
Kate Wilson, inspector of ancient monuments at English Heritage, said: "We know virtually nothing about this art. That's the exciting part of this discovery.
"What we need to do now is to discover how this art relates to other prehistoric features in the landscape.
"We are talking about very simple and abstract art, using circles, lines and triangles. Mostly the designs are pecked into stone in the shape of simple cups and rings."
Archaeologists have discovered thousands of examples of prehistoric rock carvings in the area in recent years.
Many feature on a website backed by Newcastle University, which includes about 6,000 images.
Ms Wilson added: "We are sure there remains a lot that is still undiscovered in Cumbria."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7534510.stm
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Hunt for ancient manor and circle.
A dig to unearth the remains of a 14th Century manor house and stone circle is to take place in the Lake District.
The search will take place at Castlerigg, near Keswick, where there is already a well-preserved stone circle dating from 3,000 BC.
The hunt is taking place after a farmer found what he believed to be the remains of a manor in his field.
It will be lead by Bassenthwaite Reflections with the permission of English Heritage.
Volunteers with an interest in history are being urged to take part.
A spokesman for the Castlerigg survey, said: "Aerial photographs and ground searches have revealed markings of two potentially important sites.
"There are 14th century references to the castle, which was abandoned around 1460. Notes written in 1770 state the ancient seat of the lords of the manor of Derwentwater went into ruins.
"In trying to find evidence of the manor we'll be looking for building foundations and trenches.
"Our volunteers will also be asked to try to find buried stones or filled in sockets which might have formed a ring."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/7533904.stm
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Excavations reveal Stone Age life.
Excavations at the ancient monument Stonehenge reveal it was used as a cemetery at the time it was created just after 3000 BC.
Many archaeologists had previously thought people had been buried at the site between 2700 and 2600 BC.
This was before the larger stones were put in place.
The new dates give strong clues about the original purpose of the monument and show that its use as a cemetery went on for more than 500 years.
"It's now clear that burials were a major component of Stonehenge in all its main stages," said Mike Parker Pearson, archaeology professor at the University of Sheffield, whose team has been excavating the Wiltshire site.
"Stonehenge was a place of burial from its beginning to its zenith in the mid third millennium BC.
"The cremation burial dating to Stonehenge's sarsen stones (the larger stones) phase is likely just one of many from this later period of the monument's use and demonstrates that it was still very much a domain of the dead."
The earliest cremation burial dated - a small pile of burned bones and teeth - came from a pit around Stonehenge's edge known as the Aubrey Holes and dates to 3030-2880 BC.
The second burial, from the ditch surrounding Stonehenge, is that of an adult and dates to 2930-2870 BC.
The most recent cremation, Professor Parker Pearson said, came from the ditch's northern side and was of a 25-year-old woman.
This dates from 2570-2340 B.C, around the time the first arrangements of sarsen stones appeared at Stonehenge.
Another 49 cremation burials were dug up at Stonehenge during the 1920s, but all were put back in the ground because they were thought to be of no scientific value.
Archaeologists estimate that up to 240 people were buried within Stonehenge, all as cremation deposits.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7425959.stm
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Kit helps pupils enjoy monument
Kit helps pupils enjoy monument
The pack aims to make learning about the monument fun
A new teaching kit has been produced to help children get more out of school visits to Avebury and surrounding monuments in Wiltshire.
The resource is aimed at key stage two and three pupils and includes on-site investigation sheets, puzzles and treasure hunts.
"The site is steeped in a rich and mysterious history," said Lucy Bradley, Education Manager for English Heritage.
"We want to encourage more schools to come to Avebury World Heritage Site."
The kit came about after last year's successful project at Silbury Hill to stabilise the ancient man-made mound.
"Pupils from two primary schools and a secondary school visited while the work was in progress," said Ms Bradley.
"The visit was such a success. It really helped the children to get an in-depth learning experience of the mysterious hill so we thought it would be great if we could create a Teacher's Kit which encourages active learning for visits to the whole World Heritage Site."
Avebury World Heritage Site is a Neolithic landscape which encompasses Avebury Stone Circle, West Kennet Long Barrow and Avenue, The Sanctuary, Windmill Hill and Silbury Hill.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7381758.stm
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Stonehenge tunnel to be scrapped.
Winterbourne Stoke's bypass is also threatened
Plans for a tunnel taking traffic away from Stonehenge are likely to be scrapped within days.
The BBC has learned the government believes the tunnel's cost of £510m is too expensive.
Transport correspondent Paul Clifton said an announcement was due next week which will "almost certainly spell the end of the tunnel".
He said Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly would announce another review of the options, the 10th such review to date.
ALTERNATIVES TO THE TUNNEL
A northern route - which would have a junction with the A360 then go south of Larkhill and rejoin A303 at the Countess roundabout at Amesbury. It would involve a cut-and-cover tunnel
A southern route - which would have a junction with the A360 then go south of Stonehenge before rejoining the A303
A cut-and-cover tunnel - like the first tunnel scheme - but closer to the surface than a bored tunnel
A partial solution - which would include closing the A344 at its junction with the A303 and offer options for the end of the Winterbourne Stoke bypass
English Heritage has refused to comment on the story until the government makes an official announcement.
A Department of Transport spokesperson would only say: "An announcement will be made in due course".
The 1.3 mile (2.09km) tunnel was recommended after a public inquiry in 2004 but was put on hold by the Department for Transport (DfT) when its costs rose to £510m.
The DfT insisted on re-examining some of the options the public inquiry ruled out.
Four options to protect the World Heritage site and provide a bypass for the nearby village of Winterbourne Stoke had previously been unveiled by the Highways Agency in February 2006.
They included a "cut and cover" tunnel, which is cheaper than a deep-bore passage and involves creating a shallow channel and covering it with a roof and a bypass to the north or south and changes to the Countess Roundabout.
News the tunnel is now unlikely to be built has a knock-on effect for the people of Winterbourne Stoke which has the A303 as its main street and had been promised a bypass as part of the wider plan.
Councillor Ian West, who lives in the village, said: "We should be challenging them now to disconnect the two objects because Winterbourne Stoke is still suffering from over 30,000 vehicles a day thundering through it.
"We went through the public inquiry and there were no contentious issues on the line so what we want now is it disconnected then let's do Winterbourne Stoke and they can argue about Stonehenge for another century if they wish."
To date the total amount spent on the A303 Stonehenge Improvement from the time the scheme entered the roads programme in the late 1990s is £19m.
The cost of the public inquiry which was held in 2004 was £3m.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/7103371.stm
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Stonehenge's Huge Support Settlement
Archaeologists working near Stonehenge have uncovered what they believe is the largest Neolithic settlement ever discovered in Northern Europe.
Remains of an estimated 300 houses are thought to survive under earthworks 3km (2 miles) from the famous stone rings, and 10 have been excavated so far.
But there could have been double that total according to the archaeologist leading the work.
"What is really exciting is realising just how big the village for the Stonehenge builders was," says Professor Mike Parker Pearson of Sheffield University.
Allowing four per house, he estimates there could have been room for more than 2,000 people.
Analysis of the houses has also showed that some were higher status than others. This is the first evidence for social difference and hierarchy at the time of Stonehenge, indicating that the organisation of labour for moving and raising the stones was not egalitarian.
The settlement is buried beneath the bank of Durrington Walls, a great circular ditched enclosure.
Durrington Walls holds clues to the Stonehenge story
Geophysical survey and excavation work have revealed that the ditch and bank had been constructed in large sections, probably by separate work gangs.
A find of dozens of antler picks in one section of ditch gives some idea of the size of these work parties.
"From the number of antler picks left in the bottom of one section - 57 - if you allow two people with one pick plus a team of basketeers carrying the rubble away and you've got to have the sandwich makers as well.
"This suggests a minimum team size of 200. If the 22 sections of Durrington's ditch were all dug at the same time, that's a work force of thousands."
The settlement beneath Durrington Walls dates from around the time of the construction of Stonehenge's sarsen stones, about 2600 to 2500 BC.
For Mike Parker Pearson, the new evidence throws an important light on how Neolithic society worked - how people organised themselves to build mega-structures.
Bone and other artefacts are being dug up
Apply this to Stonehenge, and he believes there were groups of about 200-400 people working under a clan head, responsible for completing individual sections of the overall monument.
"It's possible that most of Southern Britain may have been involved at one stage or another," Parker Pearson says.
Other evidence from cow and pig bones found on the site suggests that people were coming into the area on a seasonal basis.
"This was a temporary settlement," he says. "They were not doing basic daily chores, not grinding corn, not raising animals. There were no baby pigs and cows. It looks like the livestock had been brought in."
And there is also evidence of feasting at Durrington Neolithic village such as bones still connected together.
"This is the sort of thing you are expecting at feasting occasions - discarded but still-edible joints of meat - when everyone has got enough to eat."
So far, only a fraction of the area has been excavated
The team has also found a tantalising artefact: a piece of chalk with cut marks that Parker Pearson believes was made by a copper axe.
He is not surprised at the evidence - as copper working in neighbouring parts of mainland Europe dates back to 3000 BC - but it would be the first evidence from Britain before 2400 BC.
The theory is also supported by the almost total absence of evidence of stone or flint axes in the village.
The current excavations at Stonehenge began four years ago and are part of a 10-year project.
Secrets of Stonehenge is on BBC Radio 4 at 2000 GMT on Monday, 5 November.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7078578.stm
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New suspect in Skara Brae enquiry.
Police searching for vandals who scrawled graffiti at the site of the ancient Skara Brae settlement are now looking for a 35-year-old man.
The man, who might speak with a Liverpudlian accent, is said to be 5ft 6 in, of medium build with fair hair.
He may be using the name Brian Finlay and make conversation about the Celts, police on Orkney added.
Staff found the graffiti daubed on the 5,000-year-old site - including the words "Scouse Celts" - on Tuesday.
Monument managers said vandals had entered one of the houses at the site and drawn a smiley face, their name and the date with black marker pen, defacing both the dresser and one of the bed posts.
It was initially thought that the vandalism may have been carried out by tourists travelling round the island in a silver people carrier.
However, police ruled the group out of their inquiries after questioning the vehicle's occupants earlier.
The man they are now looking for is believed to be sleeping rough on Orkney and has a backpack with him.
Historic Scotland, which is responsible for the upkeep of the world heritage site, said that it was liaising with its conservation centre in Edinburgh to find the best way of removing the graffiti as soon as possible.
"Graffiti removal on buildings of historical or architectural importance needs to be handled sensitively," said a spokeswoman.
"The careful process needs to ensure any long-term damage caused by the graffiti is kept to a minimum and the stone itself is not further damaged as part of the graffiti removal process.
"Our visitors have reacted with surprise and sympathy to the damage caused."
The cost - which is expected to be substantial - is not yet known.
Skara Brae was first discovered following a major storm in 1850, which battered the island to such an extent that an outline of a series of stone buildings was revealed.
A series of excavations was carried out over the next century, finally revealing eight stone dwellings which were originally believed to be an Iron Age settlement.
However, in the 1970s radiocarbon dating showed that the village was originally built between 3200 and 2200 BC.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/6951100.stm
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Dig Planned for Lakes Beauty Spot
Archaeologists are hoping to unearth ancient treasures during excavations in a Cumbrian valley.
Volunteers are needed to join archaeologists during the digs in the Duddon Valley in the south west of the Lake District beginning on 30 June.
Much of the work will focus on the cairn at Seathwaite Tarn - a mound of landmark and burial stones.
The Ring Cairns to Reservoirs Project is backed by a £50,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
Around 60 local people have been trained in archaeological survey techniques.
The project will be led by the National Park Authority's senior archaeologist John Hodgson, with help from Oxford Archaeology North, students from Durham University and the Duddon Valley Local History Group.
Part of the work will involve pollen analysis to find out what Seathwaite Tarn and the surrounding vegetation could have looked like during the Bronze Age.
Chairman John Hoggett, of the local history group, said: "This will be the first excavation of a ring cairn in the Lake District and we are hoping that it will give us clues as to what was happening here thousands of years ago."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/6243312.stm
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Dig at Ruins Uncovered by Storm
Archaeologists are excavating the remains of houses believed to date back 2,000 years after they were uncovered by a ferocious storm.
Fife-based charity Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problem of Erosion (Scape) is leading a community project at the site on North Uist.
Scape is investigating the suspected Iron Age round houses before they vanish in another powerful storm.
The organisation is also carrying out work at another historic site in Brora.
Violent weather exposed the ruined houses at Baile Sear, North Uist, in January 2005.
Tragically, a family of five died on Benbecula in the same storm.
Scape has helped Historic Scotland survey 30% of the Scottish coast, which runs to thousands of miles.
Three thousand sites of historic interest have been located so far.
The sites include ancient Norse houses, burial sites, brochs and World War II observation posts.
Scape co-ordinator Tom Dawson, a research fellow at the University of St Andrews, said Historic Scotland was helping to fund the project at Baile Sear.
He said: "People had seen bits and pieces of the remains before, but as the cobbles and sand washed way the structures are just sitting there on the beach.
"There are thought to be two roundhouses. We believe they are Iron Age making them 2,000 years old."
Scape has started investigating the remains of salt pans on sand dunes at Brora in Sutherland.
The large metal trays were filled with sea water and heated below by fires fuelled by coal from a nearby pit to produce salt.
Brora is the location of the most northerly deep mine in the British Isles and coal was dug from it from 1598 until 1974.
A total of 15 miners died in a coal mine roof fall in the 18th Century.
Set up in 2001, Scape has helped Historic Scotland survey the Scottish coastline for archaeological sites.
Mr Dawson said climate change posed a serious threat to many of the relics record so far.
He said: "Erosion has always happened, but it is said that climate change and global warming will leave Scotland one of the places worst affected by storms."
The charity has been targeting its resources at sites where the local communities have shown a willingness to excavate or try and protect them.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6238302.stm
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Experts reveal 'ancient massacre'
Bones found at a prehistoric burial site indicate they belonged to victims of an ancient massacre, say scientists.
Remains of 14 people were discovered at Wayland's Smithy, near Uffington White Horse, Oxfordshire, in the 1960s.
Latest techniques date the bones at between 3590 BC and 3560 BC, and have led experts to believe the people may have died in a Neolithic Age massacre.
English Heritage carried out the work with the help of Cardiff University and the University of Central Lancashire.
Michael Wysocki of the University of Central Lancashire says the findings suggest the Neolithic Age was more violent than previously thought.
This dating programme demands a revolution in our thinking about prehistory.
Alex Bayliss, English Heritage
The victims - three of them probably killed by arrows - could have died in a rush for land or livestock, he added.
He said: "We know one person was shot through the lower abdomen because we have found the tiny tip of a flint arrowhead embedded in their pelvic bone.
"We also know that the bodies of two people were scavenged and partially dismembered by dogs or wolves before their remains were buried in the monument.
"All this new evidence suggests that the period between 3625 BC and 3590 BC may have been one of increasing social tension and upheaval."
The research also indicates that the use of Neolithic long barrows was short-lived - and did not take place over hundreds of years as previously thought.
English Heritage radiocarbon dating expert Alex Bayliss said: "With this research, we can now think about the Neolithic period in terms of individuals and communities and make useful and revealing comparisons between their choices and behaviour in the remote past.
"This dating programme demands a revolution in our thinking about prehistory and not just that of early Neolithic burial monuments in southern Britain."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/6439401.stm
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Eyes I dare not meet in dreams
In death's dream kingdom
These do not appear:
There, the eyes are
Sunlight on a broken column
There, is a tree swinging
And voices are
In the wind's singing
More distant and more solemn
Than a fading star.
T.S.Eliot "The Hollow Men"
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