Normanton Barrows from the air
I've been reminded that there are many other bluestone occurrences on Salisbury Plain besides those mentioned in the last post. In the big OU study published in 1991 there are about 30 mentions of bluestone fragments / flakes / pieces found in locations outside Stonehenge. Among the barrows mentioned are Amesbury 51, Amesbury 4, Amesbury 39,Stoke 28, Heytesbury 1 (Boles Barrow), Lake, Winterbourne Monkton, Cursus, Fargo Plantation, and about 20 fragments mentioned by Julian Richards. Some fragments appear to be flakes from axes, but many are not. Included are spotted dolerites, rhyolites, unspotted dolerites, diorite, granodiorite and other bits unidentified. Much work is still to be done on these fragments and pieces. Are they all related to the working of bluestones at Stonehenge? That's very doubtful indeed -- as it is also doubtful that the fragments are all bits or roadstone or "surface litter." Many of the pieces are in barrow soil or fill -- and are not in positions where they might be placed if they were being treated with reverence because of some special "quality."
I think we are beginning to answer those who keep on saying "If the bluestones are erratics, why aren't there bluestones all over the place on Salisbury Plain?" Well, there apparently ARE bluestones all over the place........
I think we need to check a very large and detailed archaeological book, entitled "Salisbury Plain", approximately, and written by Woodward some time in the years 2000 to 2010. Sorry to be vague, but am inserting this into this Post whilst I have it in front of me, over 5 years later on!!
ReplyDeleteThe book I was trying to recall is:-
ReplyDeleteLawson, A.J. 2007. CHALKLAND: AN ARCHAEOLOGY OF STONEHENGE AND ITS REGION. Salisbury: Hobnob Press
Perhaps it will refer to bluestone fragments elsewhere on Salisbury Plain, beyond Stonehenge, as in this Post.