I thought I should share this one with the scattered followers of this blog. Encountered high up on Preseli the other day. I assume that since it is in a very remote location, only accessible to those with great determination and stamina, it has something to do with a place of pilgrimage. I did not peep inside, for fear of disturbing somebody in the midst of his / her devotions. Am I mistaken, or does the shrine face towards Mecca.....?
Dear Doctor John,
ReplyDeleteA name very appropriate to these extant structures.
Many hours of study have been applied to such constructions which seem to occur across the British Isles and have been found to have strange hieroglyphs scratched on the inside walls together with votive offerings in the form of small cardboard tubes which are formed using a spiral structure. The general opinion among learned folk is that these small edifices are in recognition of Trumpanddump the ancient god of thunder.
I trust that this helps.
Thank you, Eva. It's amazing on this blog that however mysterious and enigmnatic something is, there is always an expert close at hand, ready to help us out in our quest for the truth. Kostas will be delighted.
ReplyDeleteI fear I'm no expert on the subject but I'm told that they provide a source of relief and comfort to many a lonely traveller.
ReplyDeleteI simply pass on what has been told.
Eva
At Larsens in Kenya one of these structures, the one nearest the bar, has a resident bat, it flies out as you go in and returns when you leave.
ReplyDeleteUnsuspecting lady tourists especially enjoy this and exclaim in colourful language.
Is there any record of Trumpandump having attendant animals, a la the Hindoo Gods.
M
's Vestroff May have something, in India are not similar structures q called thunderboxes.
ReplyDeleteMore proof of the Aryan origin of everything.
Anyone know the PIE for this structure. Urrrahh?
M.
Aryan origins - now that's an interesting thought.
ReplyDeleteI once examined one of these structures on a similar desolate hillside, on returning to the base camp I was accused of 'going through the motions'!!
Sad Eva.
Another thought comes to mind. I wonder if this particular shrine has planning consent, located as it is deep inside the National Park? But maybe it's OK, since it isn't a place of residence......
ReplyDeleteA vague entry in Archaeologica Cambrensis implies that these structures are similar to crop circles, they seem to suddenly appear overnight, and then vanish equally as quick, and without any apparent human involvement.
ReplyDeleteThe words of that old Welsh folk song come to mind ------
Gods Hindoo, vindaloo, skip to the loo my darlin'.
Is it under the protection of Cadw, perhaps?
Brian,
ReplyDeleteHumor aside, Kostas delights in knowing 'objective truth'. Like the Rhosyfelin C14 dates. And being given 'sensible explanations' to all the indisputable facts on the ground.
Like, how did the Rhosyfelin rhyolite fragments that don't match any of the stones at Stonehenge got to Stonehenge from Wales. Or, why the Avenue stripes run diagonally downhill and not straight downhill.
I am not in the least interested or delight in knowing what goes on inside a John! But I do admit needing to use one when Nature called.
Kostas
Ah -- so you are a mere mortal after all, Kostas! Good to have that confirmed......
ReplyDeleteIs it not a shrine containing the ancient remains of much that has been written about Stonehenge?
ReplyDeleteNo some of the better writings are written on tablets of gold, but here in the library, we have them all, hallowed, enjoyed and shown as perfect examples of Demotic.
ReplyDeleteAlthough truly worthy of praise they have yet to reach godly heights.
I have taken it as my personal mission to provide even the smallest gloss to the original texts.
Enshrined, May be their just dues, but not in such a small, but universal, structure. Think Thebes,
Thoth,or if down,Memphis.
M
I just found this comment from Phil, lurking in a strange mailbox that has nothing to do with Stonehenge or the Ice Age. Apologies -- so here it is:
ReplyDeleteKostas says ----
"Like, how did the Rhosyfelin rhyolite fragments that don't match any of the stones at Stonehenge got to Stonehenge from Wales. Or, why the Avenue stripes run diagonally downhill and not straight downhill. "
I can't offer anything on rhyolite fragments, but in connection with a separate investigation I've been studying enlarged maps of the Stonehenge area. I've attached an enlargement of the Ordnance Survey 1:25000 Explorer Map Number 130, which shows The Avenue exiting Stonehenge and crossing the 100m contour, then the 95m, then the 90m, and turning east on the 85m contour, with Stonehenge sited at the lower end of the slope between the 105m and 100m contours, with the distance between these levels indicating a shallow gradient with the direction of greatest slope being generally north-east. The shape of the 100m contour at the junction with The Avenue gives no indication of any hollow for melt water to flow in and the same applies to the junction of The Avenue and the 90m contour.
However, where The Avenue intersects both the 95m and the 85m contours there are definite indications of a dip in the ground which may have allowed melt water to be channelled. Unfortunately the scale of the map doesn't provide sufficient information in the area of The Avenue between the 95m and 85m contours to say if a hollow exists, perhaps Professor Gaffney may hold the key?
The Avenue then turns at the 85m contour and I believe that it is at this point that the 'stripes' cease.
I've also attached a sketch should it be unwise to use the Ordnance Survey map due to copyright infringement.
Perhaps this would help with Kostas's question.