Science - Reuters Stonehenge 'King' Came from Central Europe

Science - Reuters ^ | 2/10/03

[CobaltBlue]

LONDON (Reuters) - The construction of one of Britain's most famous ancient landmarks, the towering megaliths at Stonehenge in southern England, might have been supervised by the Swiss, or maybe even the Germans. Archaeologists studying the remains of a wealthy archer found in a 4,000-year-old grave exhumed near Stonehenge last year said Monday he was originally from the Alps region, probably modern-day Switzerland, Austria or Germany.

"He would have been a very important person in the Stonehenge area and it is fascinating to think that someone from abroad -- probably modern-day Switzerland -- could have played an important part in the construction of the site," said archaeologist Andrew Fitzpatrick in a statement.

The so-called "Amesbury Archer" was found in a grave about three miles from the landmark, buried with 100 items, including gold earrings, copper knives and pottery.

Researchers hailed the find -- dating from about 2,300 B.C. and the oldest known grave in Britain -- as one of the richest early Bronze Age sites in Europe.

He was dubbed "The King of Stonehenge" because of the lavish items found in his grave, including some of the earliest gold objects ever found in Britain.

It was tests on the enamel of his teeth that revealed he was born and grew up in the Alps region.

"Different ratios of oxygen isotopes form on teeth in different parts of the world and the ratio found on these teeth prove they were from somebody from the Alps region," said Tony Trueman from Wessex Archaeology.

"It is important proof that culture imported from the continent helped bring Britain out of the Stone Age," he told Reuters.

Stonehenge, built between 3,000 and 1,600 B.C, is a ring of 20-tonstones on Salisbury Plain and attracts up to one million visitors annually.

Celebrations at the site during the summer solstice -- the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere -- attract thousands of revellers, including the Druids who believe Stonehenge was a sacred temple.

[CobaltBlue]

Did I beat you guys to the punch for once?

[EggsAckley]

neat information.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Uh....when was the Amesbury Archer discovered?

[Bigg Red]

Cool! Thanks.

[r9etb]

Uh....when was the Amesbury Archer discovered?

He was originally discovered about 4000 years ago, some time prior to when they buried him.... ;-)

[PatrickHenry]

No Stonhenge thread can be complete without at least one of these:

[Constitution Day]

Wessex Archaeology: Amesbury Archer site

[Varda]

bump for Stonehenge. If I ever get to England it will be a must see.

[Focault's Pendulum]

He was originally discovered about 4000 years ago, some time prior to when they buried him.... ;-)

...and it's only hitting the media now??

Seriously tho...I'm reading some stuff off google...but all I get are days and months...what year was the discovery made....I'm tired hungry and cranky..I don't want to search anymore...somebody just tell me.

I'm working wierd hours right now...my circadian rhythyms are off. I know it's still light out...but I got to get some sleep.

[cdefreese]

Other than him being alive, rich, and in the neighborhood during the 1500 or so years that Stonehenge was being built, how have they linked him with Stonehenge?

[CobaltBlue]

>>I'm tired hungry and cranky..I don't want to search anymore...somebody just tell me.<<

May, 2002, according to a website link posted upstream on the thread.
http://www.wessexarch.co.uk/projects/amesbury/archer.html

>>The Archer will be put on display in the British Museum from November 2003 to February 2004.<<

Looks like a reason to plan a trip to England.

Hope you get something to eat and take a nap. :)

[Pilsner]

If I ever get to England it will be a must see.

Calculate the drive time from wherever you are in England, and add 20 minutes. Stonehenge is very underwhelming in person, err, stone.

[CobaltBlue]

>>how have they linked him with Stonehenge?<<

I don't see any direct links, other than, as you say, he lived in the neighborhood while Stonehenge was being built.

[Doctor Stochastic]

By his being dead and buried in the neighborhood?

[Calvin Locke]

I'm surprised present-day Druids didn't claim him as some sacrificial lamb their predecessors captured from
les primates capitulards et toujours en quête de fromages on this side of the Alps.

[VadeRetro]

Former_Lurker isn't here anymore, so I'll say it. No human being could have stomped those crops like that.

[Stentor]

Stonehenge is very underwhelming in person, err, stone.

Take in Salisbury Cathedral while you're there and it's not a bad double.

All those ground up aspect photos do look better than the view from behind the rope line.

[Bernard Marx]

how have they linked him with Stonehenge?

With great leaps of faith? I have the same question. Anyone who's been to that area knows that Woodhenge, Avebury and lots of other ancient stuff is concentrated in that region. Besides, the most recent dating for Stonehenge's construction (from a book I bought at the souvenir shop there) sets it around 3200 B.C. -- about 1200 years before the archer showed up).

[Junior]

"Different ratios of oxygen isotopes form on teeth in different parts of the world and the ratio found on these teeth prove they were from somebody from the Alps region," said Tony Trueman from Wessex Archaeology

A radiometric dating ping.