nickbrand

Archaeologists from the University of Manchester have excavated a new stone circle in Callanish, Lewis, that is already widely acknowledged as being second only to Stonehenge. Although a destroyed circle was reported as far back as 1928, a team of eight archaeologists only recently excavated the site and have already uncovered 12 new stones. The stone circle, which is thought to be more than 3,000 years old — older than Stonehenge — has been discovered in close proximity to the four other existing stone circles at the famous standing stones of Callanish.

The new circle, called Na Dromannan (’The Ridges’), is around 30 metres in diameter — larger than the existing ones — and is situated on the crofters’ common grazings. It includes a regular outer circle and various stones irregularly placed in an inner ring. Each stone measures between 2.5 to four metres long and is made of Lewissian gneiss — a metamorphic rock containing feldspar, quartz and mica, which give it its sheen. The archaeologists excavating the site have been particularly intrigued by one of the stones exposed, which is covered by a complete layer of quartz.

The stones are of particular interest because of their unusual construction. Instead of being bedded in earth, they are situated on a rocky outcrop and were originally propped up by stones encircling their bases. As such, they were less stable and were found lying in the positions they fell in — some of them broken.

The team of Manchester undergraduate and postgraduate archaeology students on Lewis are being led by Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the University, Dr Colin Richards, who has been working on a project for the last two years on the construction of stone circles in North West Britain, including Orkney and Arran. Dr Richards stressed that the discovery of the ancient stone circle was very exciting, particularly because the circle was built on the site of a quarry from which the stones probably came, and where the team has found a large monolith. Although archaeologists have geologically located the mountains which the stones to build Stonehenge would have come from, no evidence of the quarry has ever been found.

Dr Richards said: “We have uncovered 12 stones already. Some are rectangular and thick and some are smaller, thin stones. When we started taking the peat off, we realised how big these stones were. Some are up to four metres long.” Dr Richards acknowledged that a ‘destroyed circle’ was recorded in 1928 by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
“It was long thought that there may be a further stone circle on the site but, until now, it has lain undiscovered, buried in the peat,” he said. “When I came here last year, I could see the ends of stones poking up above the peat. We came up here again in late July and did two weeks. I then came up about a week ago. This is the result of around three weeks’ work. People have always assumed that the stone circles were built for a purpose, but I wondered whether these things were actually considered greatly. It could have just been the case of gathering people together socially to move the stones.”

Dr Richards added: “Why they chose this area and not somewhere else is very interesting. The site may have been special because the stones were sacred. I would date them around 3000BC.” He continued: “This site is kind of nice because you see sites like the main circle and it’s very manufactured and precise. This is good because it shows what happens when things go wrong. Because the stones are irregular, we don’t know how many we expect to find. It is very difficult to say, but perhaps 16 or 17 in the outer circle.”

The archaeologists are planning to leave Lewis on Saturday. The uncovered stones will be covered with plastic, until the team return next year to continue work at the site.

stornowaygazette.co.uk/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Newspaper/Article&pid=1034254631790&cid=1060350159439

thescotsman.co.uk/index.cfm?id=776042003

Joy over double Stone Age find in Fife

TWO hugely significant Neolithic finds have been made in Fife within weeks of each other, thanks to sharp-eyed amateur archeologists. Historic Scotland has confirmed that intricate markings on boulders on the Binn Hill, a volcanic plug above Burntisland, are neolithic cup and ring marks which may be 4,000 years old. In a separate find, an outstanding example of a ceremonial Neolithic axe, which may have belonged to a leader or a priest, has been unearthed in a newly ploughed field at Mid-Conlan, just below East Lomond Hill.

Amateur archeologists Colin Kilgour and Jock Moyes contacted Historic Scotland after seeing photographs of Neolithic carvings in an exhibition and recognising the designs they had seen as children playing on the Binn Hill. “It was then we realised we had seen these markings before,” explained Mr Kilgour. “When we were kids we used to play on the Binn Hill, and I remembered finding patterns just like that when we were building a gang hut. We went back and, sure enough, the carvings were still there. We knew what the markings were, but had never imagined they would be so important.” Historic Scotland is now considering the best way to protect the neolithic cup and ring marks on Binn Hill.

Fife Council archaeologist Douglas Speirs said: “It’s fantastic – truly amazing. The carvings are what is called a cup and ring design on a large boulder, with a spiral carved out on a nearby rockface. They are about 4,000 years old – which means they were already about 3,000 years old when the famous carvings were made in the Wemyss Caves. We know of examples of this style mainly from Perthshire and Argyll, and even there they are rare, so to find one here in Fife is hugely important. The fact that one of the cup and ring marks has not been completed gives us confirmation of the method used to carve them.”

Cup and ring marks are found throughout Scotland and date from about 2000 to 3000 BC, making them up to 5,000 years old. But only six known examples have been discovered in Fife, and one of those, in a cave at West Wemyss, was lost in a rockfall in 1902. Common to all cup and ring carvings is a central scoop, or “cup” surrounded by spiral incisions and often surrounded by other curvilinear decorative designs. Archeologists are unclear about the significance of the recurring patterns, with theories that they were used for making offerings of milk or blood or that they are artistic representations of elemental forces. Despite the mystery which surrounds their creation, experts agree the find in Burntisland is of national historic significance. Councillor William Leggatt has pushed for the site to be both recognised and protected since the discovery came to light. “There’s a lot more in Fife and I’m quite sure there is a lot more to find on the Binn Hill itself, because it has been an important site through the ages,” he said.

The actor and poet Michael Kelly, who has appeared in films with Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson, made a similarly momentous discovery when he noticed something glinting at his feet in a freshly ploughed field, while scouting for film locations. The polished axe head, which may be 5,000 years old, is a very rare example of a ceremonial axe. The craftsmanship that has gone into its production means it could have been used or owned by an important individual or by a religious figure for ceremonial or ritual purposes. The stone itself is probably not native to the area and appears to have been imported from another region, possibly as far away as Cumbria, probably already as a finished tool.

Such long-distance trade in fine exotic axes is well recorded in the Neolithic period and there were various centres that produced axes that supplied large geographical areas. Mr Kelly discovered the axe head in April, but it wasn’t until he showed it to a friend that he began to realise its true significance. He has so far resisted requests to hand over the small axe head, saying he intends to resist the law of treasure trove, which means artefacts of a certain age have to be handed over to the Crown. He said: “It really is something to hold in your hand, and think about what has happened. I found it two miles from my house and it makes you think about people working and living in your own wee town all those years ago.” He added: “I am aware of the laws. But I want to make my film and I think if Fife Council want to put this in their museum or their library they should put up some money. I have been told I will be given about £300 or £400 for it but I think it is worth at least £5,000. If they don’t manage to come up with that I might just lose it.”

Mr Speirs has had an exciting few weeks, having been privy to two hugely significant Neolithic discoveries on his patch. Of the axe-head, he said: “This is exciting, a rare and remarkable find, and an outstanding example of a mid-neolithic ceremonial piece.”

17 July 2003

fifenow.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1015&ArticleID=557553

ANCIENT stone carvings found on Burntisland’s Binn Hill have excited major interest among archaeologists.

As a result they look likely to be designated a scheduled ancient monument, given the same status as national treasures such as Edinburgh Castle. And local enthusiasts hope it could prompt a fresh archaeological survey of the whole area, believing more discoveries could be waiting. The object of such excitement is a set of rock carvings thought to be about 4000 years old and of a design rare in Scotland and almost unique in Fife.

Fife Council Archaeologist Douglas Speirs enthused: “It’s fantastic – truly amazing. The carvings are what is called a cup and ring design on a large boulder, with a spiral carved out on a nearby rockface. They are about 4000 years old – which means they were already about 3000 years old when the famous carvings were made in the Wemyss Caves. We know of examples of this style mainly from Perthshire and Argyll, and even there they are rare, so to find one here in Fife is hugely important. The fact that one of the cup and ring marks has not been completed gives us confirmation of the method used to carve them.”

The find has also excited Historic Scotland, which is set to declare the site a scheduled ancient monument, giving it the maximum legal protection from development or other damage. Councillor William Leggatt has pushed for the site to be both recognised and protected since the discovery came to light. “There’s a lot more in Fife and I’m quite sure there is a lot more to find on the Binn Hill itself, because it has been an important site through the ages,” he said.

The discovery was a tale in itself. Local men Colin Kilgour and Jock Moyes, who shared an interest in archaeology, came across a picture of cup and ring-marked stones at an exhibition. “It was then we realised we had seen these markings before,” explained Colin. “When we were kids we used to play on the Binn Hill, and I remembered finding patterns just like that when we were building a gang hut. We went back and, sure enough, the carvings were still there. We knew what the markings were, but had never imagined they would be so important.’‘

10 July 2003

I can’t supply a URL for this one, as the site won’t let me but it was published in The Herald on 25th June this year:

DNA suggests the Celts held their ground – Scientists shatter Anglo-Saxon myth, writes STEPHEN STEWART

THE first analysis of DNA passed from father to son across the UK has shattered the Anglocentric view of early British history, it emerged yesterday. For decades, historians have believed that successive waves of invaders, such as the Anglo-Saxons, drove out the indigenous population of the British Isles, labelled Celts, pushing them to the fringes of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. However, work by a team of scientists on the Y chromosome, which is passed from father to son, has shown the native tribes left their genetic stamp throughout the UK and not only in the “Celtic fringe”. The evidence suggests that Anglo-Saxons tend to dominate British history merely because they kept better written records than their indigenous counterparts.

A large number of native people remained in England and central Ireland and were never entirely replaced by the invaders, often surviving in high proportions throughout the British Isles, according to the research by Professor David Goldstein, Dr Jim Wilson, and a team of experts at University College London. The study was based on comparing Y chromosomes from Britain with the invaders’ Y chromosomes, represented by descendants of Danes, Vikings (in Norway) and Anglo-Saxons (in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany).

Dr Jim Wilson, a population geneticist from Orkney who is now based at University College London, said: “The recent paper was based on a study that I carried out on Orkney to tell if the inhabitants were descended from Vikings. It found the genetic profile was halfway between Norway and Ireland, suggesting that the Vikings did have a significant effect on the population. In the new study, samples were collected from the whole of Britain in a grid pattern. The study contradicts the notion of the complete replacement of the indigenous people by incoming Anglo-Saxons. The data set doesn’t show that but illustrates that the English are largely indigenous in origin. We wanted to look at whether culture and genetics go together. In Orkney and Shetland they spoke Norwegian until the 1700s and there we have a strong case for genes and culture going hand-in-hand.”

Dr Wilson and his colleagues established that Y chromosomes of Britain’s indigenous populations were almost identical to those of the Basques, who live on the French-Spanish border and speak a language unrelated to the Indo-European tongues that swept into Europe 8000 years ago. “We tended to avoid the term ‘Celts’ as there is some debate about it. For example, the Irish and Welsh are indistinguishable from the Basques, who are the earliest indigenous inhabitants of Europe,” he said. “The Basques were in Europe before farming and before the development of Indo-European languages such as those spoken by the people labelled Celts.”

The indigenous population, genetically very close to the Basques, must also be drawn from the original Paleolithic inhabitants of Europe. They are possibly the first modern inhabitants of Britain, who settled the islands about 10,000 years ago. As well as the Vikings’ genetic trail in Orkney, a centre of Viking activity from 800-1200, many men in York and east England carry Danish Y chromosomes but there was little sign of Anglo-Saxon heritage in south England, once believed to have been heavily colonised.

Cultural evolution
The notion there is a specific history of the Celts, as opposed to the individual histories of the Irish, Welsh and Scots, is a recent phenomenon. Between the fall of the Roman Empire and circa 1700, “Celtic” was used only to describe the ancient Gauls of France and related continental peoples. The conventional view has been that Celts shared certain cultural traits such as related languages; they were also all non-literate and non-urban. The alternative view is that great differences occurred between so-called Celtic cultures. For example, Druidic cults may have been confined to the British Isles and much of Gaul, and were possibly unknown among most of the continental tribes called Celts in the Iron Age.