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Thursday 21 May 2015

Rhosyfelin historic photos






I came across these wonderful B+W photos -- presumably taken by Dr Richard Bevins or one of his colleagues -- in the 2011 Archaeology in Wales publication by Ixer and Bevins called CRAIG RHOS-Y-FELIN, PONT SAESON IS THE DOMINANT SOURCE OF THE STONEHENGE RHYOLITIC ‘DEBITAGE’.

These images are reproduced from the on-line pdf version of the article.  They show the outer tip of the rhyolite spur, from slightly different angles.  The colour photo at the bottom shows what the site now looks like, after the stripping away of a vast amount of vegetation. To the right of the crag, the jungle has disappeared.

The B+W photos appear to have been taken in June 2010 when Richard was taking his eight samples from various rock outcrops on the ridge. No wonder he only took one sample from the "rock face" to the right of the ridge crest!

It is so long since the vegetation was stripped away that we tend to forget what the site looked like originally -- and we can all too easily forget what a huge amount of effort has been expended here by Prof MPP and his team.  Whether features have been "revealed" or "exposed" in the process, or "created" by the diggers, is a rather interesting question........  since the removal of the first tree and its roots in 2011, in the first of four seasons of digging, there have been multiple choices relating to which stones and which debris to take away, and which things to leave behind as evidence in support of the Neolithic Quarry hypothesis. 


7 comments:

Myris of Alexandria said...

Ah after only 5 years and the pet rock boys are already the stuff of history and legends. Tread softly for ....
Still waiting for Eagle over (a) Blue Mountain to come to our rescue.
M

Evergreen said...

The Pet Rock Boys - 'Go West' indeed

Or perhaps a cover of Elton Johns 'Quarry seems to be the hardest word' would be more appropriate.

Hugh Thomas said...

Give it a while nature will begin to return and blur over the damage done , Im sure the site will be cultivated further allowing visitors to see a quarry...
How long before there will be a visitor center selling " bluestone "flavour sticks of rock and Craig Rhosfelyn candy ?

BRIAN JOHN said...

There is of course an old slate quarry in Craig y Cwm -- repouted to be connected by tunnel to the Rosebush slate quarries. Craig y Cwm was almost certainly the site of the most recent glacier in Pembrokeshire -- possibly during the Younger Dryas.

Hugh Thomas said...

I saw an opening in the cliff face hidden behind an outcrop on the left on the way in to the workings. Getting to the opening is tricky as in front of it is all silted up and very soggy ground from water dripping down from above. I shone my torch in but because of it being a very bright day could not see far inside, would not go in without being with someone who knows what they are doing.... Hell of a view fro Craig Y Cwm mind you... ;)

TonyH said...

Aforementioned 'presumed photographer' Dr Richard Bevins is to give a talk at Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes, as part of the Autumn Lecture Series. November 21st: "Old Stones, New Ideas: sourcing the Stonehenge Bluestones". Cardiff - based Dr Bevins will be speaking in English.

Tickets will go on sale in the next few weeks.
www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk
01380 727369
email: hello@wiltshiremuseum.org.uk

BRIAN JOHN said...

Ah -- probably times to coincide with the publication of the all-singing, all-dancing comprehensive paper about the Rhosyfelin dig. Expect a multitude of other talks around the same time, from the usual suspects!