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moss M
moss Jul 12, 2013 09:50:41
Replying to Mustard

Mustard wrote:
moss wrote:
What has always puzzled me about Glastonbury is that historically it is much more a christian settlement than a pagan settlement.
Apart form the bloody big Neolithic maze carved into the tor ;)

(I appreciate the dating is speculative, but it still seems most likely on the balance of probabilities to me).

Well I will grant it is an option given it's appearance in a very flat area, a conspicuous beacon to Neolithic settlers, and could well be true given the 'structuring' of great earthworks in the landscape of both Avebury and Stonehenge, but two other options on the table, it is either natural or medieval lynchets which you can find all over Somerset.

Still if the maze theory is true, why are people climbing a 'sacred' tor then? ;)

ref; Philip Rahtz and Lorna Watts fascinating book on the Myth and Archaeology of Glastonbury

M Mustard
Mustard Jul 12, 2013 11:06:57
Replying to moss

moss wrote:
Mustard wrote:
moss wrote:
What has always puzzled me about Glastonbury is that historically it is much more a christian settlement than a pagan settlement.
Apart form the bloody big Neolithic maze carved into the tor ;)

(I appreciate the dating is speculative, but it still seems most likely on the balance of probabilities to me).

Well I will grant it is an option given it's appearance in a very flat area, a conspicuous beacon to Neolithic settlers, and could well be true given the 'structuring' of great earthworks in the landscape of both Avebury and Stonehenge, but two other options on the table, it is either natural or medieval lynchets which you can find all over Somerset.

Still if the maze theory is true, why are people climbing a 'sacred' tor then? ;)

ref; Philip Rahtz and Lorna Watts fascinating book on the Myth and Archaeology of Glastonbury

The lynchets theory doesn't stand up to examination. There was no shortage of land in medieval Glastonbury, and no need to build lynchets around 360 degress of a very exposed big hill. It's about as likely as t the Glastonbury zodiac. As for natural formation.... it can't be dismissed as impossible, but it's certainly incredibly unlikely.

The Neolithic maze (or other prehistoric landscaping) theory isn't proven, but looking at the options rationally it is by far the most likely explanation.