Ritual Landscapes

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baza B
baza Aug 4, 2003 16:11:45
Replying to Moth

Well, I`m not abandoning my ill-thought out theory yet. :o)

What function does a ditch perform, other than being a barrier to humans or animals? I suppose you could fill it with water, although I don`t see why.

As far as I can see, a steep-sided ditch, dug into the bedrock, would be an effective barrier (to animals) as long as it`s wide enough not to be able to jump across.

As far as it being a danger to animals falling in, I presume that it would be even worse when a human fell in.

>What advantage would a henge have over just a fence or stockade or something?

Err......you could stand on the bank and keep an eye on everything within the henge.


baz

M Moth
Moth Aug 4, 2003 16:28:08
Replying to baza

Your ditch'd have to be bloody steep and/or deep....

Even allowing for erosion and damage over the millenia I can't really see it meself in the henges I've seen Baz.

I still like the meeting, trading/market place ideas....

love

Moth

B BrigantesNation
BrigantesNation Aug 4, 2003 16:45:14
Replying to baza

The ditches may well have been filled with water, some sites it's almost a definate probablility.

Ditches are not actually barriers. When used in a hillfort context they make life difficult for an attacker by adding to the height disadvantage, but they are not a barrier in themselves. You and I may not like to get our clothes dirty by scrambling down a ditch but without someone hurling stuff at you, the only barrier most ditches would provide is a steep but climbable bank. Vertical banks very quickly erode into a slope. If you had animals by a deep ditch filled with water you'd be wise to make it a gentle slope otherwise you'll end up with a lot of dead animals.

Mind, many hanges did not have deep ditches - 1m or so deep, and "V" cut, so not sheer. that would indicate a function other than a barrier.

They could have been watering holes of course. defended from attack from the outside by the hange wall, and constructed with internal ditches to allow maximum speed of intake of water. However, that does not stack up either. many hanges are built in wetland areas - pools all over the place. Why tell your enemy where you are going to be when you could have a random choice of watering.

B BrigantesNation
BrigantesNation Aug 4, 2003 16:56:32
Replying to baza

"you could stand on the bank and keep an eye on everything within the henge."

I expect in the earliest times thats exactly what happened - you found a hill surrounded by scrub and you watched your sheep. But would you build a henge? knowing that after just a few days the sheep will have stripped the grass and you'd need to move on?

Another thought passed my mind, linked with the meeting points - drove points - safe locations to park yer sheep on route to market, parhaps the market as well. But I've got to say that does not really match the surface evidence. Firstly, the henges would be divided up into smaller sections I think in all this discussion we are forgetting how many sheep a tribe were likely to have - perhaps 40? perhaps 30 going to market per year? 15 sheep per go. that's not a lot of sheep - could you afford to build a henge as a temporary refuge for so few sheep? No, it had to be a collective effort - many sheep farmers, in which case they would be arguing about the same rights of pasture.