Re: Durrington Walls on TV today | Forum

Durrington Walls 10

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Durrington Walls on TV today

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nigelswift May 17, 2006 07:11:53

Replying to Chris Collyer

No-one has commented about this. Is that because it was a repeat and it has already been gone over?

I thought it was fascinating. I was really struck by Mike Parker Pearson's vision of huge winter festivals with people coming together to feast - and to engage in shooting pigs as a competitive bit of sport. I immediately thought of Littlestone's suggestion about Avebury - maybe the pigs were put in the ditch to be picked off?!

moss May 17, 2006 07:36:41

Replying to nigelswift

Nothing was said about Woodhenge's relationship to Durrington and all those huts maybe gives the lie to the term "sacred space within a henge. Also, being critical this morning, Robinson's idea of all that colour - just where did they get purple, etc, and great flags flying between the posts - doubt if they could have woven something fine as that. Reconstructional work is best seen through drawings and paintings - the spirit can be captured more easily, Poor old pigs always get the worst of it for being so tasty - pity they are quite intelligent creatures.....

Littlestone May 17, 2006 21:38:28

Replying to nigelswift

>...maybe the pigs were put in the ditch to be picked off?<

Well, that's what I've been sayin' all along but no-one believes me ;-)

The ditch at Avebury might have been used as a mega-circular pig run. Dudes would stand on the bank picking off their own (and maybe other people's pigs as well ) in a ceremonial Pig-Pop followed by a ceremonial Porky-Fest. Makes sense, and I'm sticking with the idea until a better one is advanced for the Avebury-type bank and ditch construction :-)

As for a good purple - difficult and expensive to obtain (hence its association with royalty) but I guess you could approximate the colour with combinations of blue and red.