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Bryn Celli Ddu

Chamber pillar a fossil tree trunk?

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goffik G
goffik May 12, 2009 13:37:06
Replying to Michael Bott

Hi Michael

As I'm not a geologist or owt, I can't offer any expert advice, but have been thinking about this a fair bit recently...

I was trying to dig out a nice photo for the monthly wallpaper over at the Heritage Action website (http://www.heritageaction.org) when I came across our photos of Bryn Celli Ddu - I remembered a discussion on this from last year and lo and behold, some photos of the very stone in my collection!

I was unaware of the discussion on my visit, and only discovered it afterwards. Looking at the photos though, and with the benefit of hindsight, I'm absolutely convinced you're right on this one! It looks exactly like a tree trunk. Astonishing, as you say, that nobody's picked up on it previously!

Hopefully one of our resident geologists will be able to shed some more "official" light on this, cos it'd be great to know for sure :)

G x

M Michael Bott
Michael Bott May 12, 2009 14:41:54
Replying to goffik

Hi goff.

I can't tell you how Rupert and I tried to put the idea out of our minds. We spent a long time in the chamber there, shaking our heads. The problem is not so much the possibility of it being a fossil, but the explanation for the 'cut' and 'blow' marks. It is hard to convey in words how compelling the visual evidence is that these marks were made *before* it became rock. I cannot conceive of a tool hard or sharp enough to make marks like this in any kind of rock without shattering it and leaving such sharp, well defined edges. Well, not beyond a diamond edged buzz saw, that is.

It's a tough one. We're in the realms of 'forbidden archaeology' here. You can see why Rupert and I really didn't want to have to deal with it.

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