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Standing with Stones DVD

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Jane Jan 28, 2008 19:52:45

Replying to Michael Bott

Hi Rupert and Michael
Well, the DVD arrived today and me and Moth sat down immediately to watch it. Moth had already 'accidentally' watched it earlier in the day while I was at work...

It's truly superb. A labour of love.

Beautifully paced, beautifully photographed. Great music, Michael, and great graphics, too. We love the computer enhancements and the lovely maps....

Rupert, your comments and delivery style was friendly and honest, and the narrative was clear and you constructed a real story. So much so, I feel like you're a friend! (Corny, but true.)

So I just wanted to say THANK YOU for taking me on this journey. I sincerely hope that you make some cash enough to pay back what you have invested and better still, it gives you the chance to get a TV production company interested in something...

Can't wait to watch the outtakes and commentary now!

We were very VERY interested to hear your theory about the petrified tree pillar in the middle of Bryn Celli Ddu... It makes so much sense. I'd like to know more! What do other viewers think?

Lots of love
J
x

Rupert Soskin Jan 28, 2008 20:49:56

Replying to Jane

Hi Jane,
Thanks so much, Mike and I are both pretty thrilled that our time wasn't wasted.

Regarding Bryn Celli Ddu, I have much more experience in geology than archaeology and have a fair bit of petrified wood in my own collection. It's quite true that I sat on the floor of the chamber like a gibbering idiot and still don't really understand why it hasn't been picked up before. The thing is that, even if it is a freak piece of stone (unlikely), its reason for being there makes total sense in terms of representing life and death. It was definitely one of the high points of our journey.

best wishes and thanks again

Rupert

scubi63 Jan 28, 2008 21:05:29

Replying to Jane

I couldn’t agree more with you comments on the making of the DVD Jane and the fact that they have made it regardless shows a commitment I can only envy.

Jane wrote:

We were very VERY interested to hear your theory about the petrified tree pillar in the middle of Bryn Celli Ddu... It makes so much sense. I'd like to know more! What do other viewers think?

The fossilised tree is a little bit of an enigma and I hope you have now seen the commentary.
Obviously the tree was already in that state when it was placed in the barrow and was probably very precious object. As Rupert and Michael mention, the combinations of both wood and stone in the same object would have brought together the two symbols of life and death (or afterlife?)
Trees may fossilise in a relatively short period of time but how common could this be? Is there any way of dating such an object?
To me the compression mark have probably been made as and when the tree fell.
The cut marks however, looked quite regular on the DVD.
Could they have been made by an animal or insect of some type? I am not sure if they could.
I am also not sure that the trunk rolling along the ground or down a hill would form such defined and regular marks either. Could they be scrape rather of hacking marks caused by movement of the tree rubbing against something when it was alive?

All very interesting and open to a good healthy debate.

:o)

Scubi