tjj wrote:
I just caught quite an in depth report on News 24 including an interview with Vince Gaffney and footage of Stonehenge and surrounding landscape.
Although the stones at Boscawen-un has been heavily restored, so it's not entirely "as found" either. Boskednan circle has benefited greatly from having some of its fallen stones re-erected in the last 10 years, even Merry Maidens had three stones re-erected in the 19th century too. All of which present opportunities to have a poke about without causing damage. One time we went to Nine Ladies in the Peak District and it was being excavated - although it kind of detracted while it was going on, you would never know it had happened now. What I found exciting is that this was discovered by use of hi-tec scanners, not a trowel in sight. Really good news; the idea of a dig taking place say somewhere like Boscawen-un, a place so elemental and peaceful filled me with a shudder.
But yes, better technology means that digs can be targeted more accurately and only go ahead when there's a pretty good chance of being worthwhile. Gone (mostly) are the speculative treasure-hunter trenches of old. Although, on a (slightly) related matter I saw on the news today that the bloke who found the "largest ever Roman coin hoard" (tm) in Somerset is set to get a big payout as it has been classed as treasure. I hope this doesn't encourage yet more night time digging at monuments.
