Hi and welcome.
A couple of good questions, the answers to which get regularly thrashed out on the forum with no particular decision being reached :-)
1. Natural Sites-
In Julian’s TMA book he mentions a few ‘sacred’ hills but who is to say which hills or rock features had special meaning to folks 3000+ years ago. Personally I would say if the hill or whatever seems related to a prehistoric site in some way, perhaps to do with sight lines or if a view of it seems to be the reason why several sites were built round it, then it probably earns it’s inclusion.
For example Black Combe-
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/73
is debatable as far as I’m concerned, but the Sleeping Beauty
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/17091
seems much more likely.
Springs
hmmm… Some people post them and love ‘em, others don’t. If it has some kind of pre-roman context ie near to a barrow or circle then maybe or if folklore suggests the well has been in use since ancient times but otherwise it’s the same issue as the hills – who’s to say it was sacred. (And how do you define sacred anyway…) Others will disagree :-)
Rocks with folklore.
Folklore could suggest that the rock has held a special meaning to people for a long time – but for how long a time? There’s a couple of rocks near me that have no prehistoric provenance but have plenty of folklore attached to them but as far as I’m concerned they’re not relevant to the site. If the folklore relates to ancient folks or stories of being thrown by giants or the devil then they would probably end up on TMA. They’re debatable though…
2. Vanished sites.
Another one that gets argued over from time to time. If you look at this-
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1799
The Stonehenge car park post holes – nothing to see but three white splodges, but important in the understanding of the site. Here’s another one, Arras barrow cemetery-
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2265
absolutely nothing to see on the ground but excavation added a lot of knowledge of Iron Age east Yorkshire so I reckon it earns it’s inclusion.
The bottom line for me would be if a disappeared site has supporting documentary evidence ie excavation reports or antiquarian reports or drawings then it’s a valid addition to the website.
As I said, others will disagree (and they will!)
-Chris
