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The Dorset Cursus

Visiting the Dorset Cursus

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The Eternal T
The Eternal Aug 6, 2009 18:31:19
Replying to UncleRob

UncleRob wrote:
Seems to me it's hard to picture them in the modern landscape as long passages carved through forest which had only started to be cleared here and there for farming.
I've only seen bits of the Dorset Cursus from the road, but from what I've read it is impressive in parts. I'm not so sure about cursuses being "long passages carved through forest", as a lot of the landscape was cleared at that time, especially around the Stonehenge Greater Cursus.
A good, modern book on the subject is "Inscribed on the Landscape, the Cursus Enigma" by Roy Loveday, Tempus Publishing Ltd,
ISBN 0-7524-3652-X.

Have a good trip, and keep us posted on your experiences.

Cheers,

TE.

U UncleRob
UncleRob Aug 7, 2009 12:57:54
Replying to The Eternal

Thanks guys for the good vibes sending me on my way! Feels like a proper expedition now! I will return with pictures and words to share.

As for the business of being cut through the trees, I got the notion from Martin Green's book "A Landscape Revealed" where microscopic fragments of snail shell in the cursus bank belong to some species which favour open grassland or pasture and others which live only in forests. I don't think it could really be called wild wood at that point in time, but I suspect there were big chunks of virgin forest not far away, like on steeper slopes to the north.

If I'm not back by dinner time, send out the Mounties.
Rob

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