This map shows Neolithic ring ditches and 2013 excavation trenches at the archaeological site near Damerham. Image credit: Wickstead H et al.
Posted on 12/03/2013 6:43:48 PM PST by SunkenCiv
A team of archaeologists from London’s Kingston University has mapped a prehistoric temple complex at a Neolithic site near the village of Damerham – located about 15 miles from the iconic Stonehenge – and discovered a sink hole of material that may hold information about plants that thrived there 6,000 years ago.
“The site at Damerham is on chalk land, so we don’t often find materials like this that capture and preserve the plant remains – pollen or phytoliths – from a specific time period,” said Dr Helen Wickstead, head of the archaeological team. “It was evident that prehistoric people living in the area had also come across the sink hole and excavated the material during their own construction work. A pile of matching waste material was also seen at one of the other mounds.”
“We didn’t expect to find this and suspect it would have surprised the original architects of the site too. Moments of unexpected discovery could have had cultural significance for prehistoric people. The henge itself was a focus for rituals, life and death, so questions about the impact such a discovery would have had on their activity will be interesting to consider.”
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Evidence of archaeological remains at Damerham was first detected in 2003 when aerial survey investigators spotted crop marks in a photograph. The different colors visible in the crops indicated that there were historical earthworks just beneath the soil and Dr Wickstead teamed up with colleagues to begin the long process of trying to find out more about the site.
(Excerpt) Read more at sci-news.com ...
This map shows Neolithic ring ditches and 2013 excavation trenches at the archaeological site near Damerham. Image credit: Wickstead H et al.
Huge Pre-Stonehenge Complex Found via “Crop Circles”
nationalgeographic | June 15, 2009 | James Owen
Posted on 6/16/2009 9:06:31 AM by JoeProBono
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2272750/posts
Teepee rings. The Brits need to start funding our Bureau of Indian Affairs.
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