Willing adventurers required to dig deep into Wiltshire’s past. History hunters young and old can discover artefacts from Old Sarum, find out how objects are found and preserved, and get hands-on with a spot of digging. Dirty hands are a must!
Periods: Prehistory, Saxons and Vikings, Romans
Latest News
July 8, 2015
June 30, 2015
I don’t know whether Rupert Soskin posts here any more (if he does come on to discuss this I will delete this entry). I’ve just read this on the Facebook “Standing with Stones” page and, having not long since visited Bryn Celli Ddu, found it Very Interesting indeed.
Below is Rupert’s FB post:
“Hi folks, Rupert here.
I thought it important to share this as many of you have expressed an interest. I was contacted last night on Twitter by Ffion Reynolds who had been to Bryn Celli Ddu with a geologist who identified the ‘tree’ pillar as blueschist – i.e rock, not fossil.
Now, the interesting thing about blueschist is that it is a metamorphic rock which only forms in extremely particular circumstances, best explained by this quote from the United States Geological Survey’s website:
...................................
For many years geologists have been able to relate individual facies to the pressure and temperature conditions of metamorphism.
But they had no satisfactory explanation for the geologic processes that form metamorphic rocks, that is, until the theory of plate tectonics emerged.
One good example is this relatively rare metamorphic rock called “blue schist.”
Experimental work had shown that the minerals in blue schist form only under very unusual metamorphic conditions.
These conditions are a pressure range equivalent to a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers in the crust and a very cool temperature, only 200 to 400 degrees centigrade.
That’s the approximate cooking temperature of a kitchen oven or toaster.
At a depth of 15 to 30 kilometers, however, the temperature is normally about twice as hot, 500 to 750 degrees centigrade.
So the only way that rocks can be metamorphosed to blue schist facies , is to be quickly shoved down to those extreme depths and then rapidly brought back up before the rocks have time to heat up completely.
And that’s exactly what happens where two tectonic plates are colliding in a subduction zone.
In fact, blue schist bearing rocks normally occur in long linear zones that mark ancient plate subduction boundaries.
..................................
One of the principal reasons I clung to the fossil theory was the cylindrical tree-trunk shape which had clearly not been cut, despite all previous descriptions of it being ‘carefully worked’.
The formation of blueschist could allow a seam of cooling rock to literally roll up between the tectonic plates rather like a piece of seaside rock.
This leaves us with two, rather lovely points:
One: The builders of Bryn Celli Ddu would know no difference, it was still a magical stone tree.
And Two: Metamorphic rock does not form in conveniently sized pieces. There must be more.”
June 19, 2015
Stonehenge sun-disc from the dawn of history goes on display in Wiltshire for summer solstice
Wiltshire Museum will exhibit a gold ‘Stonehenge sun-disc’, which may have been worn on clothing or a head-dress
Marking this year’s summer solstice an early Bronze Age sun-disc, one of the earliest metal objects found in Britain, has gone on display for the first time at Wiltshire Museum.
Archaeologists believe the disc was forged in about 2,400 BC, soon after the great sarsen stones were put up at Stonehenge. It is thought it was worn on clothing to represent the sun.
The sun-disc, one of only six such finds, was discovered in a burial mound at Monkton Farleigh, just 20 miles from Stonehenge.
It was found during excavations by Guy Underwood in 1947 along with a pottery beaker, flint arrowheads and fragments of the skeleton of an aWe have the best Bronze Age collections in Britain and we are delighted to be able to display this incredibly rare sun-disk through the generosity of the donors,” said David Dawson, Museum Director.
Preserved by Dr Denis Whitehead since its discovery, the sun-disc was seen by the museum’s archaeologists the first time was when he brought it to the opening of the Prehistory Galleries in 2013.
It joins and unparallelled collection of Bronze Age treasures at the Museum dating to the time of Stonehenge and worn by people who worshiped inside the stone circle. Chief among them are the famous golden Bush Barrow treasures found in the Normanton Down Barrows less than a mile from Stonehenge.
The sun-disc is a thin embossed sheet of gold with a cross at the centre, surrounded by a circle. Between the lines of both the cross and the circle are fine dots which glint in sunlight.
Pierced by two holes, it is thought the disc, which is the size of a two pence piece and not much thicker than aluminium cooking foil, could have been sewn to a piece of clothing or a head-dress.
Until recently it had been presumed that early Bronze Age gold may have come from Ireland, but thanks to new scientific techniques developed at Southampton University evidence suggests the gold may have originated from Cornwall.
Presented to the museum in memory of Dr Whitehead, it has now been cleaned by the Wiltshire Council Conservation Service and placed on display in time for this year’s mid-summer solstice.
June 16, 2015
phys.org/news/2015-06-exploring-ancient-life-vale-pewsey.html
The Vale of Pewsey is not only rich in Neolithic archaeology. It is home to a variety of other fascinating historical monuments from various periods in history, including Roman settlements, a deserted medieval village and post-medieval water meadows. A suite of other investigations along the River Avon will explore the vital role of the Vale’s environment throughout history.
Dr Leary continued: “One of the many wonderful opportunities this excavation presents is to reveal the secret of the Vale itself. Communities throughout time settled and thrived there – a key aim of the dig is to further our understanding of how the use of the landscape evolved – from prehistory to history.”
Duncan Wilson, Historic England Chief Executive, added: “Bigger than Avebury, ten times the size of Stonehenge and half way between the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Sites, comparatively little is known about this fascinating and ancient landscape. The work will help Historic England focus on identifying sites for protection and improved management, as well as adding a new dimension to our understanding of this important archaeological environment.”
The Vale of Pewsey excavation also marks the start of the new University of Reading Archaeology Field School. Previously run at the world-famous Roman town site of Silchester, the Field School will see archaeology students and enthusiasts from Reading and across the globe join the excavation.
The six week dig runs from 15th June to 25th July. Visitors are welcome to see the excavation in progress every day, except Fridays, between 10:00am and 5pm. Groups must book in advance
June 8, 2015
“Residents will get the chance to see the dig in action at the Neolithic Bryn Celli Ddu site during a fortnight-long event which ends with a Summer Solstice celebration.
An ancient tomb on Anglesey will be excavated this summer as part of a two-week long archeology event.
The Neolithic passage tomb of Bryn Celli Ddu is one of Wales’s best-known prehistoric monuments.
The fortnight-long event starts on June 9 and will culminate in a public open day and celebration of the Summer Solstice from June 19-22.
The excavation of the tomb will be led by the Welsh Government’s historic environment service Cadw and Manchester Metropolitan University.
It is hoped it will break new ground exploring the landscape’s ‘rock art’- a term used in archaeology to describe the human-made markings discovered in natural stone.”
More at Daily Post:
June 7, 2015
Volunteers from Northumberland National Park have seen the culmination of many years of work as major conservation started this week to repair the crumbling ramparts of Harehaugh Hillfort in Coquetdale.
Harehaugh Hillfort was built by Iron Age people 2,500 years ago and the essential conservation work now underway will see the hillfort finally removed from the Heritage at Risk register.
he work to save the hillfort is a direct result of more than 20 years of research, excavation and monitoring by archaeologists from Newcastle University that has been funded by Northumberland National Park Authority, Historic England and Natural England.
National Park volunteers and staff have been helping to fill 2,000 sandbags with organic topsoil to restore the profile of the badly-eroded sections of rampart.
A layer of wire mesh will be laid over and across the sandbags and buried beneath a fresh layer of soil and organic grass seed to discourage burrowing animals from returning.
The repair work will utilise 60 tonnes of organic soil and the number of hessian sandbags used equals approximately one sandbag for each year of the hillfort’s life.
continued on the following link.....
June 5, 2015
David Keys in the Independent article....
New archaeological research is revealing that south-west Britain was the scene of a prehistoric gold rush.
A detailed analysis of some of Western Europe’s most beautiful gold artefacts suggests that Cornwall was a miniature Klondyke in the Early Bronze Age.
Geological estimates now indicate that up to 200 kilos of gold, worth in modern terms almost £5 million, was extracted in the Early Bronze Age from Cornwall and West Devon’s rivers – mainly between the 22nd and 17th centuries BC.
New archaeological and metallurgical research suggests that substantial amounts were exported to Ireland, with smaller quantities probably also going to France. It also suggests that the elites of Stonehenge almost certainly likewise obtained their gold from the south-west peninsula, as may the rulers of north-west Wales, who took to wearing capes made of solid gold.
Continued......
June 1, 2015
Devizes Museum will be holding an exhibition of our work from 13th June till 31st August 2015.
wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/events/index.php?Action=2&thID=1016&prev=3&catID=5
May 26, 2015
National Trust spends £1m to secure precious archaeological site on Great Orme in North Wales
A chunk of the Great Orme, the imposing limestone headland on the North Wales coast which is home to Britain’s largest prehistoric mine and a herd of Kashmiri goats acquired from Queen Victoria, has been secured by the National Trust.
The £1m purchase of a large farm on the promontory overlooking the resort of Llandudno is the latest acquisition by the Trust’s 50-year-old Neptune campaign to protect special areas of coastline under threat of development.
The 140-acre Parc Farm will now be managed to promote the Orme’s status as one of Britain’s most important botanical sites as well as an area rich in archaeology, including the underground workings of the biggest Bronze Age copper mine in the UK.
The purchase means that the Trust has now secured 574 miles of coastline in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the Neptune campaign was begun half a century ago in May 1965.
May 19, 2015
Old news I know.
A road near Avebury stones in Wiltshire could be permanently closed to protect the World Heritage Site (WHS).
May 18, 2015
A group of volunteers has helped to repair a 5,000-year-old burial cairn on one of Northern Ireland’s most significant mountains.
Around 30 of them trekked to the top of Slieve Gullion in south Armagh at the weekend to carry out the work, under the supervision of an archaeologist.
They helped to fix damage done to the huge passage grave by the weather and increasing numbers of hill walkers.
Stones had become dislodged from the top of the ancient cairn.
As a result, the entrance to the site was in danger of being blocked.
The burial chamber is lined up to illuminate with the light from the setting sun of the winter solstice on 21 December every year.
GGAT have reported that someone has scratched a cross into the surface of Maen Penddu.
Not dissimilar from the cross on one of the stones at The Druid’s Circle nearby. Seems there’s still some people who think pagan monuments need to be “Christianised”
May 10, 2015
THE first stone circle for more than a century has been discovered on Dartmoor.
The set – at least 4,000 years old – is the highest circle in southern England and the second-largest on Dartmoor.
Read more:
May 7, 2015
Last year the known burnt mound at Meur was removed to another site, now there is a larger and even earlier mound being excavated in the usual race against time.
facebook.com/31395967167/photos/a.222229797167.114824.31395967167/10152415664612168/?type=1 and Thursday’s edition of Around Orkney (available on Soundcloud now)
May 6, 2015
A new law to protect historical monuments and buildings in Wales aims to make it more difficult for those who damage them to escape prosecution.
It comes after 119 cases of damage to sites between 2006 and 2012 resulted in only one successful prosecution.
The Historic Environment (Wales) Bill will give ministers powers to make owners who damage monuments undertake repairs.
Councils can also take action to stop decay by recovering urgent work costs.
In 2013, a stretch of the 1,200-year-old Offa’s Dyke, on privately owned land between Chirk and Llangollen, was found flattened....
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-32587349
This is good news and hopefully extends to prehistoric monuments..
May 3, 2015
From the Liverpool Echo:
Liverpool schoolboy Connor Hannaway has made history after discovering a carving which had somehow escaped the notice of archaeologists for hundreds of years.
The 13-year-old only spotted the etching during a school trip to Calderstones Park by chance – after dropping his pencil on the floor while he was making some notes!
Connor, who lives in Aigburth and attends Calderstones School, saw the bird carving at the bottom of one of the six Neolithic calderstones his school is named after – but, initially, no one believed him.
He recalls: “I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t dropped my pencil. Because of the light I could only see the head of the bird, but then its back and tail became visible. I just thought that everyone must know it was there.”
Full Story: liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/liverpool-schoolboy-makes-amazing-historical-9066645
April 30, 2015
Calderstones archaeological project aims to dig up evidence of prehistoric scousers
Calderstones park is hosting an archaeological dig to uncover Liverpool’s buried history and possibly the remnants of the prehistoric scousers.
The south Liverpool park is playing host to a series of heritage activities until May 8 as part of the Connect Calderstones project by The Reader Organisation.
Two of the three trenches which have been dug are near the historic mansion house and have been placed there as they are the most likely to uncover historic evidence.
The third trench is further away closer to the actual neolithic Calderstones. The hope is that this trench will date back closer to the stone age and prehistoric era.
Richard MacDonald, from The Reader Organisation, said: “As the park has never been built on there could be anything under our feet. We may even find evidence of the first humans to live in this area – relics of the earliest scousers!”
After just three days of the dig, which is open to the public, and a foot of top soil there is evidence of life from 50-100 years ago as well as the unearthing of pottery which is 200 years old.
Richard said: “This is hands on for locals who love getting involved in their history.”
There are no professional archaeologists at the dig and it is the first time Calderstones has been accessible to the public for an excavation such as this.
Richard said: “Diggers are from the local community and volunteers, without these the dig would not be possible.”
Through ‘The Big Dig Blog’ at caldies.big.org.uk up to the minute information about the dig can be found as it happens.
Richard said: “The Calderstones are of national importance and this dig is an exciting opportunity for people in the local area to get involved in a community dig and support The Reader’s plans for the future.”
More info on following link....
liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/calderstones-archaeological-project-aims-dig-9142301
Note; The Calderstones are elsewhere and not near this amateur dig.
From 'druidical erection' to Spinal Tap: a history of Stonehenge as tourist site
It has been a place of pilgrimage for many centuries and a tourist attraction probably since Roman times.
But a new exhibition opening at Stonehenge on Friday tells the fascinating story of how the monument developed from a crumbling curiosity in Victorian times to one of the world’s most visited sites, drawing in more than 1 million people a year.
Over the past 15 years, the archeologist, broadcaster and writer, Julian Richards, has collected hundreds of books, souvenirs, postcards and pictures related to the prehistoric monument.
His “Stonehengiana” – as he terms it – ranges from lurid pink pottery adorned with a picture of the great circle to the earliest guidebooks with lovely black and white illustrations but some, frankly, odd conclusions about the history of the site.
The exhibition, called Wish You Were Here, also reveals how 20th century advertisers used the image of Stonehenge to sell everything from cars to beer and the fascination rock bands and comic writers have with the ancient stones.........
Keep reading on the link below...
April 24, 2015
Saw signs about the fundraising on the hill when we visited the hillforts a few weeks back. Nice to see they have raised the money to buy the hill.
April 16, 2015
Pictish Coastal Fort discovered near Stonehaven
A team from Aberdeen University are examining the Dunnicaer sea stack near Stonehaven – and believe their discovery could have been a “precursor” to Dunnottar Castle.
pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/551385/archaeologists-discover-pictish-fort-near-stonehaven/
April 15, 2015
They have cleared all of the (quite substantial) gorse within the enclosure, revealing a lot more lumps and bumps. Worth a look if you are in the area.
Picture this. Visitors to the Vatican arrive in St Peter’s Square and are shepherded into a modern reception centre cleverly hidden under Bernini’s colonnades. After looking at a display on Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescoes, they are filtered into a full-scale replica, with a ceiling that is a giant photograph of the famous artwork.
rest of article: theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2015/apr/15/chauvet-cave-art-replica-is-nonsense
April 12, 2015
In a world heritage fist, the ancient goddess Sulis may be called upon to warm today’s true believers using Bath Abbey.
Although the Abbey was granted planning permission for this unique £18 million scheme two years ago, this month, engineers have begun to explore the ancient Roman drain that runs beside the Abbey. At present, the drain empties 850,000 litres of natural spring water every day into the River Avon. They hope to divert the warm water instead through a network of underground pipes to provide a world-first natural under floor heating system for the abbey. Church leaders believe the plans would provide a unique source of green energy for the abbey and help the 10th century building reconnect with the city’s ancient roots.
The Bath springs are the warmest geothermal springs found in the UK. The water which bubbles up from the ground at Bath falls as rain on the nearby Mendip Hills. It percolates down through limestone aquifers to a depth of between 2,700 and 4,300 metres (8,900 and 14,100 ft) where geothermal energy raises the water temperature to between 64 and 96 °C (147.2 and 204.8 °F). Under pressure, the heated water rises to the surface along fissures and faults in the limestone. This process is similar to an artificial one known as Enhanced Geothermal System which also makes use of the high pressures and temperatures below the Earth’s crust. Hot water at a temperature of 46 °C (114.8 °F) rises here at the rate of 1,170,000 litres (257,364 imp gal) every day, from a geological fault (the Pennyquick fault).
The first shrine at the site of the hot springs was built by Celts, and was dedicated to the goddess Sulis, whom the Romans identified with Minerva. Geoffrey of Monmouth in his largely fictional Historia Regum Britanniae describes how in 836 BC the spring was discovered by the British king Bladud who built the first baths. Early in the 18th century Geoffrey’s obscure legend was given great prominence as a royal endorsement of the waters’ qualities, with the embellishment that the spring had cured Bladud and his herd of pigs of leprosy through wallowing in the warm mud.
In the middle of the 20th century, the city’s swimming pool sourced its water directly from the King’s Spring through one of three pipelines beneath the River Avon. However, the old municipal hot pools were closed in 1978 after the discovery of an infectious organism in one stratum of the aquifer. After that date, bathing was prohibited. In 1983 a new spa water bore-hole was sunk, providing a clean and safe supply of spa water for drinking in the Pump Room.
April 2, 2015
Archaeologists say dozens of square barrows found in an East Yorkshire market town contained the skeletons and goods of people from the Arras Culture, living in the region in the Middle Iron Age between the 1st century BC and the Roman invasion.
A set of excavations at Burnby Lane, in Pocklington, have investigated 16 barrows and revealed a further ten during construction works to create housing.
“We already know that the area has prehistoric heritage, so we’re very interested to discover what these findings could reveal about prehistoric society and, of course, what we can learn about our ancestors,” says Paula Ware, of MAP Archaeology Practice.
More information about the Parisi tribe here...
pocklingtonpost.co.uk/news/local/your-article-burial-ground-of-international-importance-1-7172344
March 30, 2015
The Late Bronze Age hoard of two ‘lock’ gold rings were discovered in the Community of Rosset. The wearer would’ve been a person of wealth and status within Late Bronze Age Society, between 10000 and 800BC.
In terms of their use, archaeologists aren’t certain whether they were used as ear-rings or worn to gather locks of hair, as the name suggests.
In Wales, lock-rings have previously been found at Gaerwen, Anglesey, the Great Orme, Conwy and Newport, Pembrokeshire.
This largely coastal pattern hints at possible trading and communication links between Late Bronze Age communities living in Wales and Ireland....
itv.com/news/wales/2015-03-26/ancient-gold-artefacts-uncovered-in-north-wales/
Further information...