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Arbor Low

What Is It??

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Anna,

Unfortunately I have no wacky theories and subscribe to the archaeologists' view that henges are trading centres. Arbor Low and The Bullring in Dove Holes are both located next to very old routes which add some weight to this.

How that fits into the three (very threatened) Thornborough Henges I don't know but then you do get supermarkets in close proximity to one another and you know what they say - the present is the key to the past.

Cheers

Grendel
(Paul)

Perhaps the UK henges were trading centres at some point in their life, but in Ireland (the only other places they exist I believe) I don't think it fits the bill.

Take Forenaghts Great where I was yesterday:
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/6219

Excavations here found a network of ritual pits and a couple of cists, one of these at the base of the longstone itself. There are 4 other (very) longstones in the area, none of them in henges and at least two mark burials.

The east and west entrances to henges do not fit a trading post theory for me. These mark the equinox and thus are ritual. A trading post would probably have four entrances at the cardinal points, showing through great symbolism that 'all were welcome' no matter where they came from.

The henge at Dowth is in the midst of a passage tomb cemetery. The one below Newgrange similarly. The Giant's Ring near Belfast encloses a passage tomb.

Avebury is a henge. Does that look like a trading post to you?

I hate to use the 'R' word too much, but henges must have had a large ritual context. Admittedly, that ritual <i>could</i> have been to do with trading, but I personally don't see it being so.

If in theory, Arbor Low is a trading post of some kind, why do you think there was a person buried there? Do you not think this could suggest a more ritualistic purpose such as ancestor worship? Also, I have a friend who thinks the stones may have bee placed to reflect different features in the landscape. Having been to Castlerigg in this week I can kind of see what he means as the entrances seem to reflect the valleys, larger stones in line with larger hills! What do you think...... could it be true or am I just imagining things?? xxx