Ancient lake reveals a colorful past
Archaeologists say they may have discovered one of the earliest examples of a 'crayon' - possibly used by our ancestors 10,000 years ago for applying colour to their animal skins or for artwork.
The ochre crayon was discovered near an ancient lake, now blanketed in peat, near Scarborough, North Yorkshire. An ochre pebble was found at another site on the opposite side of the lake.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-01/uoy-alr012618.php
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Hill fort brambles to be removed to reveal archaeology for the first time since 1824
The fort, in Worlebury Woods, suffered from vandalism and was classified as being ‘at risk’ by Historic England at the end of 2016.
North Somerset Council has received a £10,000 grant to pay for surveys at the site to see what work needs to be done to preserve it.
The volunteers of Worlebury Hill Fort Group have started to introduce limestone grassland to the area known as the glade.
http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/worlebury-hill-fort-group-to-remove-brambles-to-uncover-archaeology-1-5353052
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Mysterious Stone Tools Unearthed at Bronze-Age Site in Wales
Amateur archaeologists excavating a Bronze Age site in the United Kingdom have discovered a cache of unusual stone tools unlike any that have been found before.
The tools appear to have been deposited deliberately — perhaps ceremonially — in what would have been a stream around 4,500 years ago, according to the researchers.
https://www.livescience.com/60606-stone-tools-unearthed-at-bronze-age-site.html
Thanks to Stone Pages for this information.
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New Stonehenge path open – at last 9 October 2017 |
For those who like to walk and cycle and it's free...
The new Permissive Path at Stonehenge is finally open after a three-year delay waiting for the grass to grow strong enough to bear the weight of a few cyclists and pedestrians.
A group of pedestrians and cyclists from surrounding villages joined together to mark the re-opening of the route, accompanied by former Wiltshire councillor Ian West. He campaigned strongly against English Heritage for the path to be re-opened as specified in a planning agreement.
The right of way passes within a few feet of the Heal Stone and gives free access to the public. The path allows the public to use the old A344 road and the new path from Airman’s Corner roundabout to the A303 free of charge and without any passes.
“It allows you to take some beautiful photographs without having to have a local residents’ pass and then booking your appointment time along with other tourists,” said a jubilant Mr West. “The path opens up the old connection between Shrewton and West Amesbury, if you are brave enough to cross the A303, although the authorities deem it to be a safe crossing,” he added.
Horses are not permitted on the new path, which is part of the old road now grassed over, but they can go from the roundabout to By-Way 12, which passes close to the stones, to Larkhill in one direction and Druids Lodge in the other, free of charge and without passes. This opens up the access to the by-way and allows travel in both directions on horseback.
http://www.yourvalleynews.co.uk/frontpage-news/new-stonehenge-path-open-last/
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Stowe's Pound fairy stack creators 'are historic vandals'
Visitors to a 6,000-year-old site who are removing stones and piling them up to be "artistic" could be causing significant damage, experts say.
Stones from Stowe's Pound on Bodmin Moor, Cornwall, are being used to build the "fairy stacks" by people "probably unaware" they are breaking the law.
The stacks have been described as "historic vandalism".
The practice at the Scheduled Ancient Monument site has also been condemned by Historic England.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-41245644
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Prehistoric Britons ate their dead and carved mysterious markings on their bones
Cheddar Gorge in Somerset’s Mendip Hills is one of Britain’s most beautiful natural wonders, with its sweeping limestone cliffs, and striking natural rock chambers.
But new evidence suggests the picturesque site had a deeply sinister past.
Paleontologists have discovered that around 15,000 years ago, British cave dwellers filleted and ate their dead relatives before inscribing markings on their bones in grisly prehistoric rituals.
It is the first time that such practices have been found in the Paleolithic, or Old Stone Age - which dates from 2.6 million years ago to around 12,000BC - anywhere in the world.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/08/09/ancient-britons-ate-dead-carved-mysterious-markings-bones/
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Is stone most decorated in Southern Britain?
NEW archaeological evidence has suggested that an ancient stone monument near Davidstow was used for moonlit rituals during the Bronze Age, and could top Stonehenge for being the ‘most decorated stone in southern Britain’.
The Cornwall Archaeological Society has found new evidence, suggesting that the Hendraburnick ‘Quoit’, situated near Davidstow, was used for moonlit rituals or ceremonies during the late Neolithic and bronze age period.
The work conducted on Hendraburnick Quoit, was funded and carried out by the Cornwall Archaeological Society and led by Dr Andy Jones, an archaeologist from the Cornwall Archaeological Unit, and Penzance-based Tom Goskar, an archaeologist with a specialism of using digital technologies to find new evidence within artefacts from the past.
Speaking about the new evidence, Dr Jones told the Post: “We’re really pleased. It’s something we’ve known about for quite a long time, but it’s really, really good — a remarkable find.
“It (the Hendraburnick Quoit markings) is a unique find. There are lots of decorated monuments in the UK, but for southern Britain, it’s very remarkable.”
And so forth...
http://www.camelford-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=108583&headline=Is%20stone%20most%20decorated%20in%20southern%20Britain?§ionIs=news&searchyear=2017
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Orkney archaeological dig is a battle between time and tide.
AN archaeological investigation of an eroding mound on the island of Rousay in Orkney dig is revealing extensive settlement.
But there is a battle against time to find the whole truth hidden under the ground at Swandro as the sea continues to eat away at the land.
The dig is being led by the University of a Bradford and Orkney College UHI, and the ancient settlement was discovered by Dr Julie Bond in 2010.
She had spotted a few odd stones only just visible among the pebbles. Since then, the excavation has been changing the understanding of this site.
The tops of stones partly buried by the boulder beach turned out to be set uprights forming part of a prehistoric building around the high tide mark.
Although the tops of the stones are worn and battered by the sea, the beach has partly protected the deposits. Animal bone and pottery were recovered, finds suggesting an Iron Age context.
continued...
http://www.scotsman.com/regions/inverness-highlands-islands/orkney-archaeological-dig-is-a-battle-between-time-and-tide-1-4514267
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Orkney Neolithic 'butterfly-like' motifs found by chance
"Neolithic markings carved into a stone in Orkney that were missed for years by archaeologists have been discovered by chance.
The faintly incised "butterfly-like" motifs were revealed on Tuesday as sunlight lit up the rock at the "right moment, at the right angle".
Experts believe the marks were deliberately made to be delicate and to catch light at certain times of day.
The find was made during excavations at Ness of Brogdar.
The incisions are so faint they do not show up in photographs taken so far of the stone.
The block formed part of wall of a structure at the dig site. It has since been moved to safe location."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-40653877
Dig diary date;
http://www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk/dig-diary-tuesday-july-18-2017/
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Dig finds UK's oldest sacred site is in Shrewsbury
"Barker and Jenks discovered prehistoric burial mounds and cremations, slots for standing stones and two rows of Neolithic post holes and a ditch, known as a cursus, which they interpreted as a processional way. It was aligned east to west, extending towards the current church building.
“The current church appears to have incorporated and deliberately built over late Neolithic/early Bronze Age remains. The 15-inch section of post we found was sticking up into the Medieval foundations,” said Janey Green, of Baskerville Archaeological Services.
“It is an incredibly complex site and appears to have been used and re-used for religious purposes for over 4,000 years. It is well known that Christians liked to build churches over pagan sites.
“More work needs to be done but early interpretations indicate that it is the earliest known sacred site in Britain that is still in use today."
Read more at https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/2017/05/18/dig-finds-oldest-sacred-site-in-the-uk/#3jeResuJxr0OjCLo.99
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Antisocial behaviour means ancient Iron Age Worlebury hill fort is now ‘at risk’
An ‘outstanding’ ancient monument in Weston-super-Mare has been placed ‘at risk’ by Historic England after falling victim to antisocial behaviour.
The Iron Age Worlebury hill fort, in Weston Woods, is thought to have been created some 700 years before the Romans arrived in Britain as a form of defence.
Historic England says it is an ‘outstanding example’ of its type and is also unusual, as few of these forts were created along the coast.
It has previously been listed by Historic England as being in a ‘vulnerable’ condition, but it has now been re-registered as ‘at risk’ after people camped nearby and moved parts of the structure.
A Historic England spokesman said: “Historic England made a recent visit to the hill fort in response to concerns from volunteers working on the site.....
continued.....
http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/antisocial_behaviour_means_ancient_iron_age_worlebury_hill_fort_is_now_at_risk_1_4840121
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Dartmoor stone circle undisturbed for hundreds of years being excavated
AN undisturbed stone circle which has been buried in the peat since its abandonment in prehistory has been lovingly excavated.
Sittaford Stone Circle, discovered in 2008 by Alan Endacott, a local amateur archaeologist, appeared to have remained undisturbed. It was revealed by the actions of peat cutters in more recent centuries and then a moorland fire in 2008 enabled Alan to spot some of the stones poking out of the surface.
A stone circle which has remained undisturbed is highly unusual. Many of Dartmoor’s stone circles have been subjected to various degrees of disturbance, ranging from ‘mining’ of the sites for stone, to investigation by antiquarians and early archaeologists.
Dartmoor National Park Authority archaeologist Lee Bray said: ‘This lack of disturbance is one of the facts that makes the site special. That this hasn’t happened at Sittaford — as far as we know — makes the site of national significance as it has the potential to shed light on stone circles which is unclouded by the activities of intervening periods.’
The monument itself is located about 300m south west of Sittaford Tor at over 520m elevation, on the summit of the ridge separating the catchments of the North Teign and East Dart. It consists of 30 stones, all of which are currently recumbent, arranged in a circle with a diameter of in excess of 30m.....
http://www.tavistock-today.co.uk/article.cfm?id=416866&headline=Dartmoor%20stone%20circle%20undisturbed%20for%20hundreds%20of%20years%20being%20excavated§ionIs=news&searchyear=2016
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A 9,000-year-old axe sheds light on burial practices
Analysis of an axe that is more than 9,000 years old, found at Ireland’s earliest burial site, in Co Limerick, has shed light on the ancient burial practices of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.
Archaeologists believe the highly-polished stone axe, known as an adze, was made especially for the funeral of a very important person, whose remains were cremated and then buried at the site.
Microscopic analysis has revealed the shale tool, believed to be the earliest fully polished adze in Europe, was only used for a short time, and then deliberately blunted.
Situated on the banks of the river Shannon at Hermitage, Castleconnell, the burial site, dating back to between 7,530 and 7,320 BC, is twice as old as Newgrange.......
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/a-9-000-year-old-axe-sheds-light-on-burial-practices-1.2852585
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Pristine pressed flower among 'jaw-dropping' bronze age finds
3,000-year-old complete pressed flower is among the “absolutely jaw-dropping” late bronze age finds unearthed in Lancashire.
The thistle flower appears to have been deliberately placed inside the hollow end of an axe handle and buried with other weapons, jewellery and ornaments, many in virtually pristine condition. Other axe handles in the hoard had been filled with hazelnuts, as part of a ritual offering.
Dr Ben Roberts, a lecturer at Durham University and the British Museum’s former curator of European bronze age collections, described the pressed flower as unique for a votive offering of its time.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/sep/30/pristine-pressed-flower-among-jaw-dropping-bronze-age-finds
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