MPP's new dig near Crosswell

Chris Johnson and the little Crosswell standing stone / scratching post at SN122363, back in 2016.  It's made of foliated rhyolite similar to that exposed at Rhosyfelin

https://brian-mountainman.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-pensarn-mound.html

On 10- Sept MPP and his team will be back in Pembs, digging on four ditched circles, traces of which were seen in 2016-17.  It will be interesting to see what turns up.......

Cambrian Arch Soc:
Professor Mike Parker Pearson was awarded £2000 towards costs of excavations in 2023 at Ffynnongroes, Crosswell, Pembrokeshire on four ditched circles, which may be Middle Neolithic ‘formative henges’ rather than ploughed out Bronze Age tumuli.

The team members mooched about in that area south of the main road some years ago.  I suspect they are  now going to dig on some features picked up near Pensarn with earlier instrumental surveys…..  They have referred in the past to a "bluestone ring" in the Pensarn area, but did not prove its existence.  No doubt they will still be searching for a stone ring (or several) made of Rhosyfelin rhyolite, which can be interpreted as the initial parking place for at least some of the Stonehenge bluestones.

Some years ago I reported:

In the western Pensarn pit there are apparently traces of a Neolithic embanked enclosure of some sort -- a very subtle feature, since the sediments are very thin here and no sign of it could be seen on the ground surface.  It was picked up in 2016 by geophysical work including LIDAR.  Apparently there are some "very unusual features" showing up, which are not commonly seen in the British Neolithic.  It may be a henge of some sort.  Organic materials have been recovered, and these will go off for C14 dating.

https://brian-mountainman.blogspot.com/2017/09/news-from-2017-preseli-digging-season.html

 Here is the advert for volunteers:

===========================

ARCHAEOLOGY EXCAVATION OPPORTUNITY 

You may be aware that Mike Parker Pearson and his team will be excavating at Crosswell, Pembrokeshire between September 10 and 29 and would like to provide an opportunity for volunteers to come and get involved in the excavation. If you would like to take part, please provide the details below:

 

• Name 
• Contact e-mail 
• Contact telephone number
• Emergency contact name and number
• Any medical issues that the team should be aware of
• Dates available between 10 and 29 September.