Showing 1-5 of 6 posts. Most recent first | Next 5 
Three Cromlechs in Pembrokeshire
Three cromlechs, I know them so well, Wales is in my blood, its greyness, rain, soft winds and birds are part of the patchwork of my life. The empty roads, winding lanes that have no signposts, softly rounded mountains of the south west, the sheep blending with the stones, soft green mosses and dark bogs of squelchy mud, tumbling sparkling clean rivers and the marvellous blue of the sea with the great crouched rocks that always reminds me of reclining lions heading out into the deep.
This time Carreg Samson, Carreg Coetan Arthur and Pentre Ifan is all we can manage in the day, a brief flirtation with the Presceli mountains and a determination to look at the landscape to see why these three great cromlechs are situated where they are.
Everyone knows the walk down past the Longhouse farmhouse to Carreg Samson, this time a field full of young bullocks and sheep greet us, the field is covered in muck, even the cromlech itself has a brown oozing pond surrounding it, the day to day world of the traditional Welsh farmstead continuing through the millenia. Julian Cope's words "and the cromlech is an ancient stone rhinoceros, caught mid-charge in one instant and destined to remain here forever' is apt.
Its bulk, its size, is an extraordinary testament to human 'oneupmanship'. Aesthetically we modern humans find these great stone barrows pleasing, and yet the people who put them up may have had different ideas, the stones may have been chosen for their 'prettyiness', the white quartz flecked through the great stones, or religious connotations. Somewhere I read, that the great capstones may have already been lying in a particular spot and this is the reason we find them where they are.
Carreg Samson looks out to sea, to the little island that stands so close to the shore, if we concentrate on the peaks on Strumble head, then Garn Fawr, Garn Gilfach and Garn Wnda are the ones that dominate the landscape, all having some evidence of Neolithic ritual, according to Geo.Nash/Geo.Children's book. One of my theories is that the people who built these cromlechs came from Ireland and got homesick, or at least when they built their burial chambers it was with an ancestral longing in their hearts to return to the homeland! Whatever, Carreg Samson is the second greatest megalithic monument to Pentre Ifan's famed beauty.
Before I tackle that creature, first of all Carreg Coetan Arthur just outside Newport, a small perfect mushroom of a capstone, stained a beautiful bronze by the lichen on the seaward side. It stands in its little garden protected by the bungalows that have grown up alongside. I am quite pleased with its suburban setting for the simple reason that IT IS protected by the presence of people. You can sit on the little stone wall and contemplate its upturned capstone which only catches two of the four stones supposed to be holding it up. It's unusual in the fact that it is a lowland cromlech situated near the estuary and has been described as a Portal dolmen, which N.P.Figgis says in his book is not so, recent excavations have shown that there was no 'H' shaped three stones at the front like Pentre Ifan, so it never had a portal stone. Apparently the stones might go down another metre into the earth due to the build up of plough soil. It seems that there might have been other uses to this dolmen, there were cremated bone powder found in several places, under one of the sockets of an upright the cremated dust was dated at about 2700 bc. It's dominating peak is Carn Ingli, and of course it follows the same legend of stone throwing from the top, as St.Samson did with his little finger at Carreg Samson.
Pentre Ifan; Here comes my anti-social moan, why oh why does it go onto the tourist trail of brown signs. Okay its easy to find amongst the welter of lanes but then what happens? everyone goes there, whilst we were there a continuous stream of cars pulled up, visited, jumped up and down on the stones if they were children, took photos and then left. Suddenly I saw this beautiful monument threatened by over exposure (witness Stonehenge and Avebury). I know Wales needs tourists and money but surely it would be better to leave Pentre Ifan in the backwater of peace and quiet.
A model closed portal dolmen that is how Nash describes it, a closing down of its religious function or its burial function, whatever? Its classic, gorgeous 'flying' slender capstone tilting towards the Afon Nyer valley. Stones and sheep hardly distinguishable from each other, the grass softly mounding the stones underneath. This is rocky country, deceptively beautiful and green, look to the ridge above and you will see three stone crags, I think the ridge is called Carnedd Meibion Owen. For me the three stone outcrops reminded me of the 'gorsedd' crags that you often find near to the many cromlechs on this particular part of the Pembrokeshire coast.
Figgis gives an early probable date of 4000 bc, and its interesting in the three interpretations that are given (and too long to go into) but it seems that there was an early single standing stone, and then the later burial mound with forecourt and covering of soil.
And we found Brynberian, why was it so difficult three years ago when I drove past on a cold morning that falcon (not sure what great bird it was) sitting on the fence, each time he turned his head to watch me as I went back and forth along the lane! Though this time I did'nt go looking for the water monster (Bedd y Afanc) grave in the bog, basically because we had a great storm the night before and lots of rain but one day I mean to visit...
Refs;
Monuments in the Landscape series; Neolithic Sites, Pembs. George Children and George Nash
Prehistoric Preseli - N.P.Figgis
The Modern Antiquarian - Julian Cope
|
Redeeming 'Chalk Giants'
This is an old blog which is rather relevant to giants, (under discussion at the moment) and a bit of history along the way.
The following poem comes from a book called "Soliloquies of a Chalk Giant" by Jeremy Hooker, the giant in question being of course the Cerne Abbas one in Dorset. Its only a small book of reminiscences by the giant brooding on his hill, it seems rather funny this thinly cut effigy scored into the chalk talking to himself as history goes by but it appeals to a sense of fun. The following poem reminded me of Snyders wide falling of words as he traces the evolution of the landscape and history in his native America. Here in this country our smaller landscapes also capture in miniature the faint traces of history, its is like turning the pages of an old book, the words are all but faded but now and then a word will be revealed, and so it is with history on the landscape a faint echo still to be found.
A memorial of its origins, chalk in barns and churches
moulders in rain and damp; petrified creatures swim in
in its depths.
It is domestic, with the homeliness of an ancient
hearth exposed to the weather, pale with the ash of
countless primeval fires . Here the plough grates on an
urnfield, the green plover stands with crest erect on a
royal mound.
Chalk is the moon's stone; the skeleton is native to its
soil. It looks anaemic, but has submerged the type-sites
of successive cultures. Stone, bronze, iron; all are assimilated to its nature;
and the hill-forts follow its curves.
These, surely, are the works of giants; temples
re-dedicated to the sky-god, spires fashioned for the
lords of bowmen;
Spoils of the worn idol, squat Venus of the mines.
Druids leave their shops in the midsummer solstice;
neophytes tread an antic measure to the antlered god.
Men who tresspass are soon absorbed, horns laid beside
them in the ground. The burnt-out tank waits beside
the barrow.
The god is a graffito carved on the belly of the chalk,
his savage gesture subdued by the stuff of his creation.
He is taken up like a gaunt white doll by the round hills,
wrapped around by the long pale hair of the fields
Historically there is no evidence of the date of when the Cerne Abbas giant was originally scratched into the chalk, some would say that like the great white Uffington Horse he belongs to an iron age and is a tribal emblem, Hooker says that just as the 'beaked ' Uffington Horse-Goddess is similar to the horses on Durotriges (dwellers by the water) coins, the giant's depiction can also be found on similar coins.
If as Hooker says, he comes from this time than he must be Helith - "In which district the god Helith was once worshipped" This comes form an old document, and is part of his legend. Helith, an iron age god who takes his name from Hercules. Romano-Britains would have adopted and changed the old roman god to fit their own religion.
Augustine's mission in 601 AD seemed to have renamed him as Cerno El, the pagan saxons renaming him as Heil. But apparently during the saxon period he shared his valley with another god whose neophytes purified the waters that had long been sacred. This reminds me of Silbury with the water and springs that surround her, but of course we have no gods names for her that have travelled down through history which is sad.
But to conclude, here is Hooker's meaning for the words Helith.
"Helith; that is holy stone - or a corruption of Helios, maybe the sun. A sunstone, pediment in earth. The ground is dense with holy names; Elwood, Elston hill, Elwell, Yelcombe (y l cwm). Was there a standing stone on Elston Hill before Helith was fleshed out below the Trendle: Where beth they, beforen us weren? Make your enquiry of the dust, I make no enquiry there. Give me a living name"
|
Sub-megalithics in West Wales (or not?)
The term sub-megalithic or earth-fast was coined by Glyn Daniels and to quote him;
"What we have called the 'sub-megalithic' tombs, however, are in a different category. The essential constructional pecularity of these tombs is that the capstone instead of resting on two orthostats and appearing roughly level, has one end resting on the ground-the whole monument being triangle in section. For this strange and fairly rare kind of monument, which exists in Western France, Wales and Ireland - many names have been suggested such as primary, earth-fast,demi-dolmen or half-dolmen".......
There is a small group of sub-megalithic or earth-fast cromlechs to be found in Pembrokeshire and further afield. They are simply designed with the capstone normally supported by one or several orthostats with the back of the capstone resting on the earth or a ledge, they are very low to the ground the underlying ground having been dug or excavated out and the capstones raised on small uprights.
Garn Gilfach; Strumble Head(http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/4436/carn_gilfach.html) at Llanwnda backs on to a rock face, and the tomb itself is cut into the underlying rock but is supported by four uprights. Apparently it has an impressive view overlooking the lowlands to the south and west and St.David Head.
Garn Wen; Strumble Head(http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2364/garn_wen.html) has a similar set of four earth-fast cromlechs, set low amongst verdant vegetation and overlooked by houses, these cromlechs are not very prepossessing. But again large low capstones supported by uprights and backing onto the ridge called Garn Wen with views out to the sea, the landscape setting would have been perfect.
Garnwynda; Strumble Head
Further along the coast and there is the single cromlech called Garnwynda. (http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2365/garnwnda.html) Set against the rock face, it is rather 'hidden' and this feature is probably one of the strange things about this type of cromlech. It has only one upright supporting its large capstone, and according to Nash/Children is the only tomb of this type not to have intervisibilty with other tombs, though again it faces out to sea and commands a fine view. An excavation revealed evidence of a cremation dating it probably to late Neolithic early Bronze Age.
Carn Llidi;
(http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3555/carn_llidi_tombs.html)
But it is the St.David's Head group that is intriguing, for we have three earth-fast cromlechs showing that it is not necessary to alway have the tomb against a rock face. Two cromlechs are to be found up on Carn Llidi, one facing you as you approach the old gun emplacements has its capstone resting on the earth, whilst the tomb behind against the rock face, seems to have had the capstone slip from the rock ledge behind, this is what Daniel believes, and it looks fairly obvious.
Coetan Arthur;(http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1595/coetan_arthur.html) which is the third, a splendid tomb set amidst a jumble of rocks just under the promontory fort at the the tip of St.David's Head. There is a puzzle here, for it may not necessarily be an earth-fast tomb, for according to Nash/Children there are another two uprights lying on the ground not too far away and these could have supported the back of the tomb. It faces inland and looks up towards the valley. One fact about these particular type of tombs is whether they were covered with a mound, it seems unlikely given their locations and the thin soil on the rocky outcrops, Daniels has said that the tombs "were probably originally surrounded by a low accumulation of stones sufficient to ensure that the chambers were efficient burial vaults and that they were not disturbed by beasts of prey".
Why 'hidden', there are an interesting set of tombs called the Morfa Bycham A,B,C, & D, set amongst rocky debris and well hidden by merging into the surrounding landscape, a trait that can be seen at some of the above tombs. What does this tell us? Nash is of the opinion that they were deliberately concealed for ritual reason, only those with special knowledge would be able to find them, though it seems to me that should any hostile people come in from the sea, after all Ireland is just over the water, they were concealed from any hostile act, something we see much later in the history of Britain.
Ref;
The Megalith Builders of Western Europe - Glyn Daniels;
Neolithic Sites of Cardiganshire, Carmathenshire & Pembrokeshire - Geo.Children and Geo.Nash
p.s The Devil's Quoit at Manorbier has the classic earth-fast' credentials, being on the same coastline as the others and overlooking the sea on a steep hill, though whether it has a fallen third orthostat needs to be considered.
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1898/kings_quoit.html
|
Rock Music - Rock Art
This is not really a blog, but three links to a trip to the Island of Lolui, in Lake Victoria, Uganda made by an art/music group.
Though I have'nt been to Africa the vibrancy of nature, music and people is something else, and the following two videos on Youtube captures the essence of a particular landscape. Part music, art, stones, sculpture, Neolithic rock art and modern rock art all can be found in both these short videos.
The sculptor Peter Randall Page, takes you through ochre rock paintings and musical rocks, Rocks that are almost the spitting images of Cornish Tors, his final sculptural work spiralling circles on two rocks is, of course, based on what we at the present moment in time think how some of our stone monuments might have been used, with the morning sun lighting up the patterns........
Part one; Eginja Eriyimba
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzbQRip5Ms8&feature=related
Part two;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRAt0eccibY&feature=related
and the words to explain it all...
http://www.resurgence.org/magazine/article2761-Rock-Music-Rock-Art.html...
|
Constructing the Past
There is to be another consultation about the 'display' of Stonehenge in time for the Olympics of 2012, at least that is how the government sees it. The archaeologists maybe see it from a different light, and so may the public and various bodies interested in what must happen so they gather together to discuss the possible options.
What is landscape? hills, mountains, downs, rivers and streams, what do we do with it? we farm it, build towns and roads in it, walk in it, take visual pleasure in its beauty.
What is a prehistoric landscape? now that of course is a difficult question, the land would not have been so manicured as it is today, its rough edges and bumps would be on show, trees would not follow a straight hedgeline or field boundary, they would be dotted around savannah type, the grass would not have that unnatural green colour we see today, but would be full of summer flowers, yellowing to that bleached looked wild grasses have.... stones would lie scattered around the surface and no metallic roads with their load of cars and lorries would be seen, only narrow brown trackways.
So Stonehenge has a long way to go before it even begins to vaguely look like a prehistoric landscape.
It is of course a vast necropolis with great barrow cemeteries stretching across its plains, the stones themselves the great altar to which the dead might have been brought, also the scene of ritual ceremonies that gathered round the natural cycles of the year.
Cursuses, ceremonial roads leading from the river, all part of the drama of a vibrant landscape, so how do we get from this scene to the one that faces us at Stonehenge at the moment..
Probably impossible, the focus is always on the lintelled stones, imprisoned in wire, with an artificial surface to traipse round, this is not the way to present such a monument, though footfall dictates otherwise of course. A 'temporary' reception area and the car park so closely juxtapositioned with the stones may be removed in the future, and modern day trappings removed.
Perhaps the answer lies in opening out the landscape, allowing the barrows to tell their own stories, small winding trackways, removal of straight lines, whether they be trees, fence lines or hedges, they just did'nt happen in prehistory. Such a lot is lost with the trunk road that drives it miserable way through the whole scene, that it seems an almost impossible task, but a modern tunnel would not have helped, perhaps the best that can be done for Stonehenge is to keep the stones intact and to allow future events to dictate its place in history.
Temporary measures could screen the road, but the greatest problem that Stonehenge faces is of course that it is a 'tourist honeypot' sold by one and all as the greatest treasure of prehistoric fame this country has. This is its downfall, the narrowed vision of ignorance and imagination that sells the stones without its place in a prehistoric landscape, it fails because of lack of education, that somehow thousands of years ago, a group of people very different to us once lived and occupied this land.
Perhaps in the end all we can do is reconstruct this landscape, make it visually aware to the modern eye that villages such as the one at Durrington Walls had houses, crafts, a living existence that related to the temple of Stonehenge, we have obscured this fact with the arrival of modern day pagan assemblies, coach parties, solstice parties, look at any reconstructed iron age house such as the one at Barbury, and we see today's artists replicating the past quite happily...
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2617/barbury_castle.html
So instruction and education maybe - through the visual presence of the past, the same could of course also be said of Avebury.
Keiller re-erected some of the fallen stones in his day, much more lies hidden, the great fallen stone that lies near the entrance to the lane up to the Ridgeway would be a start, but that is another argument, but until we show the public what there real heritage is and was, interest in it will only be superficial, a day out amongst the fields of Avebury and Stonehenge will be a pleasure, adding the 'feel of place' so much more.
Links to this post
http://www.gallica.co.uk/butser/peter.htm - Dr. Peter Reynolds
http://www.gallica.co.uk/butser/
|
Showing 1-5 of 6 posts. Most recent first | Next 5 |
Likes, so many things; history, prehistory, Wales, wild flowers, landscape, Saxon poetry, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, John Ruskin, William Morris
Pembrokeshire has been a place I return to for my spirits to be replenished since way back in time. It's where I find prehistory, not so Avebury anymore, a place of dissent.
Favourite site; has to be Stoney Littleton, the little river with its water plants gently streaming away, the barrow itself is a place to sit and dream in the summertime.
Partner; Littlestone who lives in the megaless desert of Essex, and who always corrects other people's writing.....
http://northstoke.blogspot.com/
|
Log in |
Register
Top of page