Stonehenge lintel holes | Forum — The Modern Antiquarian

Pete G Dec 20, 2006 01:56:54

Re;
http://www.eternalidol.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/hengedrawing372.jpg
I was wondering why this sketch shows holes in the top of the lintels.
When I was inside the stones recently I photographed the fallen lintel from the back trilathon and noticed it has holes on both sides.
Various archaeo books say this was a mistake...but....
if this was the only fallen lintel at the time that the above sketch was made it is only reasonable to assume that the artist thought All the lintels had holes on the top side eh?
PeteG

wideford Dec 20, 2006 09:48:08

Replying to Pete G

Pete G wrote:

Re;
I photographed the fallen lintel from the back trilathon and noticed it has holes on both sides.
PeteG

Multi-storey circle ;-)

nigelswift Dec 20, 2006 11:19:06

Replying to Pete G

I'm inclined to think the illustration was made to show tenons projecting through to the top surface merely to convey the fact there WERE tenons, which couldn't be clearly shown otherwise.

Anyone familiar with woodworking - and more people were in those days maybe - would know that having tenons as long as that would be totally impracticable, strengthwise and assemblywise.

IMO the actual tenons are actually pretty sophisticated since their "bulbous cone" shape allows for considerable subsequent structural movement without structural failure. I reckon they were very clever people with a long term view.

The Eternal Dec 20, 2006 22:20:41

Replying to Pete G

PeteG,
I've read somewhere (Burl or someone of similar ilk) that the mortice hole on top of a (few) lintel(s) is due to the hole being f***ed up, or badly positioned, so the stone was turned upside down, and the hole started again on the upspoilt side. Saves re-making a lintel.
Cheers,
TE.