One can't possibly object to Adrian Green doing something energetic in support of a good cause, but I do object to the manner in which this wretched myth is simply perpetrated unquestioningly in a multitude of different ways. Adrian Green -- if he is doing his job properly -- must know that the Stonehenge bluestones did not all come from the Preseli Mountains (let alone from one "quarry") and he must know that there are major doubts about the thesis that they were carried all the way by human beings -- but still he trots out this nonsense in the media. I am not impressed.
Am I just being a grumpy old man? Maybe, but Adrian could perfectly well have done his cycle ride and publicised it in a more nuanced and honest fashion.
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Museum director uses pedal power to highlight redevelopment campaign
Saturday 28th July 2012
http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/9843424.Museum_director_uses_pedal_power_to_highlight_redevelopment_campaign/
THE director of Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum took on the Stonehenge Cycle Challenge to raise awareness of the museum’s redevelopment campaign. Adrian Green successfully completed the 200 mile bike ride from the source of the bluestones in South Wales to Stonehenge over three days. Mr Green wanted to raise awareness of the museum’s campaign to develop its new Archaeology of Wessex galleries which have just received a grant of £1.8m from the Heritage Lottery Fund. He said: “I have always been amazed that our ancestors managed to transport the bluestones from the Preseli Mountains to Stonehenge some 5,000 years ago.
“It was a challenge but only doing 60 to 70 miles a day is doable so it was also enjoyable.”
The new Archaeology of Wessex gallery will feature discoveries from Stonehenge and the surrounding landscape. The overall costs for the gallery are £2.4m, with the museum responsible for raising £600,000 to match the lottery grant. The museum has already raised £55,000 through donations and grants, but still needs to raise the outstanding £50,000 this year.
So far, Mr Green has raised more than £1,500 but he is looking for more donations.
To donate, visit http://justgiving.com/Adrian-Green4 or by send donations to the museum marked Stonehenge Cycle Challenge.
Brian
ReplyDeleteGlastonbury Tor on Saturday did not show any erratics.
I hope that you will complain to the OC-upC or whatever the proper Jubolympics authorities are called.
I wanted moving glaciers not smoking chimneys.
What chance the Preseli-two biking it. Perhaps a tandem with one leading and the other one pedalling- I would give good money to see that.
But good for the director.
M
The major erratic featuring at the Ceremony on Saturday was MacCartney's intro to "Hey Jude" but I blame Seb not 71-year-old Macca who is OF COURSE infallible (except when it comes to Geordie lasses).However, Macca made up for that intro flaw by allowing Sheffied's (and thus MPP's) Arctic Monkeys to sing "Come Together": so at least the Arctic featured. Incidentally,this last Song Title could have featured in MPP's own "Stonehenge" 2012 book title, for he makes valiant attempts within to smooth over any ' little local difficulties' experienced with the stubborn N.H.S. tandem pairing of Geoff and Tim.
ReplyDeleteCould it be that Adrian Green is in the pocket of the archaeological equivalent of the Soviet Union Kremlin's inner sanctum??? Surely not! I do know he had a lot do to with the "unique" Seminar held a couple of years back at his Salisbury Museum when the creme de la creme of living Stonehenge trowellers sat upon a dais and dazed us all with their knowledge of all things Stonehenge. That evening featured a cosey quadrupedal coterie consisting of Parker Pearson, Darvill, Julian Richards & Pitts:the event all tightly coreographed to avoid awkward questions from the floor.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a shame that, seemingly justified on marketing grounds, Green is content to insult the intelligence of the modern British public by failing to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help him. An does he even realise he is the custodian of the Boles barrow bluestone, which has some bearing on the debate? Oh, no, of course, there IS no debate.
Adrian Green's telephone number has changed to:-
ReplyDelete01722-332151
There is a general museum email address which is:-
museum@salisburymuseum.org.uk
A friend sent me this link has anyone seen it? I am wondering if it should be my next set of Christmass (yes it has come around again)presents.
ReplyDeletehttp://pete975.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/review-stonehenge-apocalypse/
Great pity about Macca but what can he do-damned if he says no damned when he does it (poorly).
M
"I have ALWAYS been amazed that our ancestors managed to transport the bluestones all the way from the Preseli mountains in Wales some 5,000 years ago".
ReplyDeletePerhaps Adrian Green is living in a state of suspended amazo - cryno - animation...........The rest of us are doing our best to try to keep up with the entire geomorphological v mythological debate. This do is doable and enjoyable.Less peddling, more cogitating, Adrian!
J K Rowling
I actually feel sorry for the guy down in Salisbury...perhaps he's actually started to believe all these dimmed-wit Yanks who contact him about bluestones being FLOATED over the Bristol Channel or wherever by prehistoric Brits!! Jimmy Connors is a good case in point. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteJohn McEnroe
Hopefully someone someday will fall in love with a surly loser.
ReplyDeleteAndy Murray
I thought Macca done good and was fab, let's be clear about that. The problem was with his INTRO, and that was what I was referring to, which was more of a technical hitch between the musicians and the technical/ electrical side.
ReplyDeleteMacca can do no wrong for me, AND he may have brought the stones over from Ireland [with John of course] much more recently than we all thought. Not that I'm biased.
A FAN
Like at least half of the population of Great Britain this Wimbledon summer? What say you, GeoCur?
ReplyDeleteAnd at least, unlike Tim Henman, he doesn't sound like I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue's host, Jack Dee [on a non-surly day].
Every time I hear your hero I cringe. In the words of a famous Irish storyteller, "he should have went home" several years ago, when he still had a voice and could sing in tune.
ReplyDeleteSo you don't subscribe to Wales' bluestone-gravelled voice, Bonnie Tyler's cry,"Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?", then.(Holding Out For a Hero)
ReplyDeleteAt least he's drinking COCA-COLA...........IT IS THE REAL THING!!?! (unlike certain other legends)
ReplyDeleteProbably something to do with sponsorship. He's probably got a supply of Big Macs in his saddlebag as well......
ReplyDeleteBrian, Dennis bumped an old thread about your book with some new input. I doubt you check his site regularly so decided to bring this to your attention.
ReplyDelete