How much do we know about Stonehenge? Less than we think. And what has Stonehenge got to do with the Ice Age? More than we might think. This blog is mostly devoted to the problems of where the Stonehenge bluestones came from, and how they got from their source areas to the monument. Now and then I will muse on related Stonehenge topics which have an Ice Age dimension...
THE BOOK Some of the ideas discussed in this blog are published in my new book called "The Stonehenge Bluestones" -- available by post and through good bookshops everywhere. Bad bookshops might not have it.... To order, click HERE
Saturday, 26 September 2020
What was Stonehenge for?
Love it! Kindly posted on Facebook by Pete Glastonbury........
Years ago, I was on a walk in the Stonehenge landscape led by a certain Julian Richards, former field archaeologist of that Parish. He got into conversation with a well - known character who writes books on stone circles, wind circles etc. Somehow, they ended up talking about erecting a facsimile of Stonehenge at Longleat near the Safari Park. So, perhaps Neil, Julian Richards and the anonymous gentleman are all on the right track/hoofprints.
Quite like the giraffe idea -- presumably they have giraffes at Longleat? On the other hand some of the dinosaurs had quite long necks too, or so we are told by the people who dig them up......
Now then, just supposing the keepers/owners of the Longleat giraffes were to gently lead one or two of their giraffes up Cley Hill, a prominent chalk hill fairly adjacent to Longleat House etc, they would make quite a prominent spectacle (or pair of spectacles even) in silhouette for those tourists as they arrive ready to pay their admission to the Longleat animal park. Are you able to provide us with a photo of Cley Hill please?
Maybe we should credit the Neolithic Folk with possessing very far - seeing perspectives......did they build it with NO particular reason in mind, neither mystical nor practical?........they just wanted to build it for their more gormless descendants in the future to argue about ad infinitum.
No -- I think the builders of cromlechs and the setters-up of standing stones must have had some purpose behind all the effort put in. And of course there were cultures and traditions that determined to some degree what they built and how they did it. The "why?" question is a big one, which people can happily argue about ad infinitum. The "where?" question is interesting too. What we are more concerned about is the "how?" question. And the answer, it seems to me, in the great majority of cases that I am aware of, is this: "As easily and as cheaply as possible...."
8 comments:
Finally! Someone's asking the REAL questions.
Stonehenge was clearly intended as a Giraffe Pen.
Neil
Well, yes -- that sounds reasonable too...... we must keep an open mind.
Years ago, I was on a walk in the Stonehenge landscape led by a certain Julian Richards, former field archaeologist of that Parish. He got into conversation with a well - known character who writes books on stone circles, wind circles etc. Somehow, they ended up talking about erecting a facsimile of Stonehenge at Longleat near the Safari Park. So, perhaps Neil, Julian Richards and the anonymous gentleman are all on the right track/hoofprints.
Quite like the giraffe idea -- presumably they have giraffes at Longleat? On the other hand some of the dinosaurs had quite long necks too, or so we are told by the people who dig them up......
Oh yes, they certainly have giraffes at Longleat. Our grand - daughter has an annual pass to peer up at them.....
Now then, just supposing the keepers/owners of the Longleat giraffes were to gently lead one or two of their giraffes up Cley Hill, a prominent chalk hill fairly adjacent to Longleat House etc, they would make quite a prominent spectacle (or pair of spectacles even) in silhouette for those tourists as they arrive ready to pay their admission to the Longleat animal park. Are you able to provide us with a photo of Cley Hill please?
Maybe we should credit the Neolithic Folk with possessing very far - seeing perspectives......did they build it with NO particular reason in mind, neither mystical nor practical?........they just wanted to build it for their more gormless descendants in the future to argue about ad infinitum.
No -- I think the builders of cromlechs and the setters-up of standing stones must have had some purpose behind all the effort put in. And of course there were cultures and traditions that determined to some degree what they built and how they did it. The "why?" question is a big one, which people can happily argue about ad infinitum. The "where?" question is interesting too. What we are more concerned about is the "how?" question. And the answer, it seems to me, in the great majority of cases that I am aware of, is this: "As easily and as cheaply as possible...."
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