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Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Boles Barrow 2023 Dig -- official photos





Some fantastic photography from Exercise Bluestone, under the auspices of Nightingale Archaeology, Wessex Archaeology and MOD.  The photographer was Harvey Mills. 

 https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN3fS-EPUF2H6cwPYq9ekwBEWviwqRRz8I44sm6C6DWcyHi2ClL9aY49wzPauuJvw?key=ZTRXSXBHeXRsVTY4ZEVWY0hwVFhXS0tJV21YN1Jn

Most of the photos -- with high definition and beautifully composed -- are of the dig, with Julian Richards slaving away manfully along with a small group of diggers. But these are the photos that took my eye.  We await further info on these finds and their surface characteristics.


The two above are recorded as sarsen and "burnt sarsen".


This is an image of a Roman coin found in the dig. Presumably front and back.

No doubt we will soon see further images of the egg-sized pebble reported on Twitter.......


6 comments:

BRIAN JOHN said...

I can't see what the logic of this dig actually was. They labelled it as a "bluestone dig" but then only examined a narrow superficial strip at one end of the elongated mound -- and found what was essentially chalk rubble thrown up long after the mound was used as a burial site. Probably the area least likely to reveal any bluestone remnants?

Tony Hinchliffe said...

I have tonight emailed Brian to deliver to him the contents of a Twitter message from notable former English Heritage employee Amanda Chadburn. She says " more questions raised though so hope they get a second season! "

I also noticed amongst those featuring in the photographs of those visiting the excavation my own local M.P, Andrew Murrison.

Tony Hinchliffe said...

In reply to Brian wondering what the logic of this dig actually was, it seems to me its main purpose is PUBLICITY. It is as though they are drawing attention to Boles Barrow itself. Let us trust that sufficient folk of good sense will realise that EVERY possible reason for how any bluestones, found in the 19th Century by William Cunnington the First OR on this present dig in 2023 or future digs, reached this Heytesbury Parish EITHER by glacial transportation or by the far less likely means of human movement.

Tony Hinchliffe said...

At 01.25 on Thursday morning, I am able to throw some LIGHT on why Boles Barrow is being investigated in the last few days. It turns out, for example, that my local M.P. Andrew Murrison is, to be precise, Minister For Defence: People and Veterans. That means Operation Nightingale itself is close to his heart.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/minister-for-defence -PeopleandVeterans

Press release 29/03/23

Tony Hinchliffe said...

Probably the precise AREAS where excavation recently occurred was dictated by the need to assess the damage done by BADGERS to this famous ancient monument. It like others has been protected by meshing over the years as I have witnessed on the Plain.

Tony Hinchliffe said...

Richard Osgood is doing an online talk (raising funds for Salisbury Museum) on Thursday, April 20th) on the subject of Boles Barrow. Wonder if he'll have anything major to say by then, or will this be just an MPP - type teaser......??