With respect to the things we have been talking about recently, I came across this on a Facebook page and thought it might be a nice representation of an archaeology class at one of our best-known universities........
This is the final sentence of my "working paper" of August 2016:
"It is for the academic archaeological community itself to determine whether the telling of stories has now become more important than the objective collection of field evidence and the application of scientific rigour in the process of analysis and the drawing of conclusions."
CrRyFNOTaquarry1Sept-2.pdf
11 comments:
I understand there is now, at last, a Max Bygraves Block within the Institute of Archaeology, University of Central London. Videos of him telling stories and singing "You Need Hands" are felt to be mandatory viewing for all Undergraduates and also new staff.
I've heard that MPP has taken to warbling "I'm a Blue toothbrush you're a Pink toothbrush" for most of the day!
Looking back through recent posts and the suggestion that 'softer' materials, rather than hard stuff, may have been used as wedges to break dolerite slabs if there were existing, and inconvenient, fractures in the proto-orthostat. Do the authors of the paper not realise that the rock will break at the weakest point no matter how soft the wedge, and how gently it's used.
Additionally, they're quarry hunting in the wrong area for there are far more promising dolerite outcrops elsewhere, but apologies to Brian for they tend to support human transport rather than glaciation.
Best wishes.
Phil.
Go on Phil -- tell us about these dolerite outcrops that favour the human transport thesis. We are all ears.........
I would GLADLY pay Peanuts to attend MPP's eagerly - awaited (?) village hall talks at out - of - the -way locations deep in the Preselis this autumn. I might even bring some peanuts to throw.
I remember reading Peanuts with fellow students back in the 1960's. Nearest thing I got to mind - altering drugs (apart from tutorials with fresh - faced Dr Brian John, that is). But the fellow who introduced me to hardcore Peanuts DID go on to mind - altering drugs, and just scraped through his Degree. Those were the days, my friends......
Hello to Brian and blog followers.
The above mentioned dolerite outcrops are currently part of an ongoing investigation and it would not therefore be prudent to divulge locations at this time, for no doubt it would attract the attention of other interested parties.
However, what I can say is that outcrop #1 would have been capable of providing a sufficient quantity of orthostats to satisfy the requirements of Stonehenge,and although there is currently no indication of human quarrying activities the surface features militate against them being formed by glacial action.
Outcrop #2, would also have been capable of producing sufficient dolerites to cater for Stonehenge,and has, without doubt, been extensively quarried. Additionally, it appears to rest well beyond the limits of the Devensian, but I'm not sure about other glaciations.
Sorry to be vague but, hopefully, time will tell.
Phil
Phil -- I am intrigued! Remember that there is dolerite and dolerite -- the Preseli spotted and unspotted dolerites have very specific geochemistry and petrography, and the links with Preseli have been established over many years by many different geologists, culminating in the work of Bevins and Ixer. So dolerite from the Mendips or from the Welsh Borders will probably not pass the provenancing test.......
Anyway, we look forward to hearing about this mysterious business in due course.....
Hello to Brian,
Yes, all the above is agreed the problem being that at seventy years of age I avoid digging holes and fighting with undergrowth. I shall keep you informed.
BW
Phil
According to Brian there are thirty flavours of bluestone at Stonehenge, all of which occur around Preseli, including the sandstone I discovered although I thought including the altar stone among the blues was a tad mischievous.
To have discovered an equivalent source somewhere more convenient for human transport would be wondrous indeed.
By the way, Brian once told me that the bluestones (Carn Menyn spotted dolerite) were more green than blue. Still working on my own little treasure but I can confirm Brian is 100% right. I wonder if the spotted dolerite at Goedog is more green than blue when you get close? Anybody know....
The colour of these stones is fascinating. Mostly they look Grey, but after rain and in the right light they look Blue (also on Carn Menyn) while up close they can look emerald green.
Well done Phil on finding a second source. Bated breath and all that ....
I count and recount, and always come back to that sort of figure. I had many arguments about this with Rob Ixer, since he and Richard Bevins always try to keep the figure of "rock types" below ten. But if you read their papers carefully, as I have done, you find over and again that references to a specific rock type are followed by statements to the effect that the specimens studied have come from different locations. Subtle differences in geochemistry and petrography. So one rock type but maybe four or five locations........
Then there is the underground stuff -- the packing stones, hammer stones and mauls and some rather big lumps of rock in the debitage. Nobody seems to have studied it properly. I wonder why?
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