Tag: Silbury hill

Silbury Hill’s true story – construction process was more important than design

Standing 30 metres high and 160 metres wide, Silbury Hill in England is one of the world’s largest man-made prehistoric mounds. It was constructed in the Neolithic, about 25 kilometres north from Stonehenge.

Silbury Hill Construction

It is estimatedtheconstruction of Silbury Hill involved half a million tonnes of material and around four million man-hours of work equivalent to about ten years for a crew of a hundred people working 7/7 for more than ten hours a day.

New and more precise dating of materials found inside the hill nowsuggests the main construction happened in about 100 years, involving some three generations between 2400 and 2300 BC right after nearbyStonehenge‘s thirty enormous sarsen stones were put in place.

But new evidence is increasing telling us that our Neolithic ancestors display an almost obsessive desire to constantly change the monument to rearrange, tweak and adjust it. Its as if the final form of the Hill did not matter it was the construction process that was important.

Early 2000, a large hole suddenly appeared on the top of Silbury Hill. It was soon clear what had happened: the head of an old excavation shaft, dug in 1776 to penetrate to the heart of the monument, had begun to collapse. Archaeological examination of the freshly exposed deposits showed that the top of the shaft had slumped and been filled up again several times before. In other words, the collapse was a recurring problem.

Shortly after, English Heritage began a multi-disciplinary research and restoration programme which led to some intriguing discoveries.

The survey suggeststhe prehistoricmound is not in fact truly circular: on the summit it appears to be more angular than circular, while at the base it is almost octagonal in form.

It is possible a spiralling ledge led up to the mound if so, this makes good sense in terms of access routes during the construction of the monument, and perhaps ritual processions to the summit.

The research has also shown that Silbury Hill was at the centre of a Roman-British settlement to the east and south, straddling the now nearby A4. Much pottery and other artefacts of this period have been found on and around the mound in the past. Indeed, the monument itself may have acted as a focus for the settlement and it could have been considered as sacred in the Roman period as when originally constructed.

Later, in the medieval period, the top of the hill was flattened and a building possibly defensive was constructed on the summit.

Placed on the junction of a chalk spur and the valley floor, Silbury Hill is integrally related to the springs and rivulets close to the source of the River Kennet. – Copyright: English Heritage, credit David Field

The digital model derived from the 2007 ground survey of Silbury Hill shows traces of what appear to be spirally arranged construction or access terraces and a prominent platform (centre) situated towards the base of the mound facing south-east. This is an artist’s impression ofSilbury Hill showing a spiral method of construction, possibly used for access to summit. – Copyright English Heritage, Picture Credit Judith Dobie

The Story of Silbury Hill

In the new book The Story of Silbury Hill, published by English Heritage, all this emerging evidence has given rise to a radical new theory: Silbury Hill was not a single construction project and that the builders did not have any blueprint in mind. Instead, the creators were building the mound as part of a continuous storytelling ritual and the importance of the shape that we see now is of secondary importance.

Jim Leary, English Heritage archaeologist and co-author of the book, explains: Most interpretations of Silbury Hill have, up to now, concentrated on its monumental size and its final shape. It has generally been thought to be a concerted effort of generations of people building something out of a common vision and spiritual zeal akin to that that spurred the creation of soaring medieval cathedrals. The flat top, especially, was often seen to be a platform deliberately built to bring people closer to the skies.

This interpretation challenges mainstream Western way of viewing ancient monuments as architecture or structures that have a defined grand plan and purpose.

Further, analyses of the material composition of the mound have revealed that chalk, stones, gravel and antler picks were consistently used in an ordered fashion and combined in different ways to yield discrete patterns, textures and colours.

The most intriguing discovery is the repeated occurrence of antler picks, gravel, chalk and stones in different kinds of layering, in ways that suggest that these materials and their different combinations had symbolic meanings, Jim Leary says.

We dont know what myths they were representing but they must have meant something quite compelling and personal. What we do know is that by the time work on the hill had started in the later Neolithic period, the surrounding area was already saturated with evidence of past use; it was a place that was heavily inscribed with folk memories that recalled ancestors and their origins.

What is emerging is a picture of Neolithic people having the same need to anchor and share ideas and stories as we do now, and that built structures like Silbury Hill may not be conceived as grand monuments of worship but intimate gestures of communication.

Silbury Hill has now been restored to as near its original condition as possible. All the known voids inside the prehistoric mound, and the crater on the summit, have now been re-filled which took about 1,465 tonnes of chalk.

Marden Henge Excavations Reveal Prehistoric Building

ripple flaked arrowhead,

An Update on the dig at Marden Henge – Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,500 year old dwelling!

According to the BBC, English Heritage volunteer archaeologist Jim Leary was excited by the discovery, saying “It’s exceeded all of our expectations”. The dwelling appears to have been constructed between 2500BC-2400BC and appears to be different to a normal home, with Leary suggesting it may have been a priest’s quarters.

The finds echo those discovered a couple of years ago at Durrington Walls where several neolithic dwellings were also discovered. The newly discovered dwelling at Marden Henge, Wiltshire included an oven known as a hearth, which was regularly cleaned by the occupant. “Just outside the front door we can see this long spread of charcoal and general rubbish material”, Leary told the BBC.

Finds at the site’s archaeological dig also included a ripple flaked arrowhead, fresh flint flakes, pottery and bone pins, offering an insight into the history of the dwelling. On the 15th of July, EHArchaeology tweeted “Looks like we may have a Durrington Walls style neolithic building surface at #mardenhenge. Need to confirm that but looks promising.”

The henge definitely has plenty of features thatshould get experts excited. In the centre is a huge mound, similar to nearby Silbury Hill, which collapsed in 1806 and was completely flattened by 1817. The team is working on dating the material in its centre. A large circular feature, surrounded by a bank and gullies, is also being scoured as the mystery of Marden unravels.

EHArchaeology tweeted “Looks like we may have a Durrington Walls style neolithic building surface at #mardenhenge. Need to confirm that but looks promising.”

The archaeological excavations were accompanied by geophysical and topographical studies to understand and preserve what English Heritage archaeologist Jim Leary says is an ancient sleeping giant. “Marden Henge deserves to be understood more partly because of its size, but also due to its proximity to the more famous stone circles at Avebury and Stonehenge,” he says. “The relationship between the latter two sites – chronology of their construction, whether it is built by the same people, how they were used, etc – is of immense interest” adds Leary.

During the 18th century a skeleton and deer antlers were found within the bank of Hatfield Earthworks, a key feature of the Marden Henge site.The archaeological dig uncovered Neolithic pottery, animal bones, antler picks, stone tools, and a human skeleton from the ditch. A Romano-British disc brooch made of bronze was also found. The nearby Hatfield Barrow are the remains of a large mound barrow which once stood 15 metres high, and 64 metres in diameter.

HD Video: Digital Digging – Marden Henge

Digital Digging recently created a fantastic video based on Google Earth using an illustration by Philip Crocker, from Sir Richard Colt Hoare’s “Ancient Wiltshire” (1812) and overlaying onto the site to show clearly the distinct features of the site, including Hatfield Barrow. You can check out more reconstructions by Digital Digging of Durrington and Avebury here.

The discovery comes hot off the heels of the announcement of the discovery of a henge at Stonehenge, hailed as the most significant find at the Salisbury Plains site in 50 years. Marden Henge finds itself sited between UNESCO World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury.

You can watch the sun rise over Stonehenge from your own home with Stonehenge Virtual. Meet Neolithic builders, wander through the stones and even try putting a trithlon up yourself.

Work Begins on Ancient Stone Circle ‘Ten-Times Bigger that Stonehenge’

Archaeologists began working on one of Britain’s most mysterious ancient landmarks this Monday, as they aim to unravel its many hidden secrets (UPDATE: Click here to read about some of the finds). And while Marden Henge in Wiltshire may be almost unknown alongside its neighbour at Stonehenge, it is at least ten times bigger, making it one of Britain’s biggest stone circles.

Unlike Stonehenge, and nearby Avebury, Marden contains no standing stones. Yet the six-week project by English Heritage, fresh from their visitor centre disappointment, will probe the site for clues as to whether it once did, and what it was used for after its construction around 2,400 BC. The henge, close to the source of the River Avon, could prove this year’s biggest Stonehenge-related discovery after last year’s unveiling of Bluestonehenge, a smaller circle also by the river.

The henge has plenty of features that are getting experts excited about the dig. In the centre is a huge mound, similar to nearby Silbury Hill, which collapsed in 1806 and was completely flattened by 1817. The team hopes to date material in its centre. A large circular feature, surrounded by a bank and gullies, will also be scoured as the mystery of Marden becomes clearer.

“The study of prehistory is entering a very exciting phase.”

Geophysical and topographical studies will accompany the archaeology, as the team aims to understand and preserve what English Heritage archaeologist Jim Leary thinks is an ancient sleeping giant. “Marden Henge deserves to be understood more partly because of its size, but also due to its proximity to the more famous stone circles at Avebury and Stonehenge,” he says.

“The relationship between the latter two sites – chronology of their construction, whether it is built by the same people, how they were used, etc – is of immense interest” adds Leary.

“How Marden relates to them is another layer of interest which we want to study. We are potentially looking at a much more intricate system of Neolithic ritual sites in this part of the world than we previously thought.”

Wiltshire is one of the world’s richest Neolithic regions, and is littered with mysterious monuments such as Woodhenge, West Kennet Barrow and Durrington Walls, an ancient settlement you can explore now at Stonehenge Virtual. Leary hopes that the work at Marden can be as groundbreaking as Durrington’s discovery was. “The study of prehistory is entering a very exciting phase with lots of fascinating research and dating techniques emerging,” he says.

“The stunning discovery of Neolithic houses at Durrington Walls near Stonehenge a few years’ ago, for example, has really turned things on its head,” adds Leary. “We certainly hope that this excavation will bring more pieces of the puzzle to light.” Perhaps people will be visiting Marden, rather than Stonehenge, for the summer solstice in years to come.

See the sun rise over Stonehenge from your own home with Stonehenge Virtual. Meet Neolithic builders, touch the stones and even try putting a trithlon up yourself.