Runs from Prestatyn in North Wales down to Chepstow in the south
Posted on 04/13/2014 11:33:12 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
It was thought to have built by King Offa in the 8th century as border between England and Wales But even though it has been part of the British landscape for centuries, the ancient Offa's Dyke may have to be renamed, after archaeologists discovered it could have been completed 200 years before the great Anglo Saxon leader was born.
Experts used radiocarbon dating on the 177-mile dyke and revealed it could have been constructed as early as the 4th century...
The group behind the project said it is a 'tremendously exciting discovery' which challenges the accepted history of the ancient dyke.
The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust excavations were carried out on a stretch of the dyke along the Shropshire border near the town of Chirk.
Paul Belford, director of the Archaeological Trust, said: 'It's been known as Offa's Dyke for centuries but some sections may not have been built by Offa...
Today it is a protected monument and The Offa's Dyke Path is one of Britain's longest walks - stretching rom Prestatyn in North Wales down to Chepstow in the South.
The material came from an ancient layer of re-deposited turf underneath the bank suggesting it was laid down as part of the construction process.
Mr Belford said: 'This is the first time we have accurate scientific dates for Offa's Dyke...
But the section of earthwork near Chirk have been carbon dated and revealed a 95 per cent probability it was built between 430 and 652.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Runs from Prestatyn in North Wales down to Chepstow in the south
Dyke??
Too funny....Perhaps there’s a double meaning hidden in this story.
Dutch spelling. From when the Dutch conquered the place and planted tulips everywhere!
Ambrosius Aurelianus ping!The reason I looked for information on the dating of Offa's Dyke was that I wondered if anyone had ever scientifically dated it. This occurred to me only because I'd watched program one (of three) on this History Channel dvd about King Arthur.
If I built a computer using a 200 year old steel case, do I have a 200 year old computer?
I typed in the search string “Offa’s Dyke dating”, and I found this which is what I was looking for, but yikes, I’ll never be the same.
Was it spelled tulyps ? Two-lips?
Offal dykes - lol
http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2014/04/12/centres-having-to-rethink-over-offa/
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-26921202
and from the FRchives:
Space Age Lasers Reveal Offa’s Dyke Missing Link
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1843418/posts
‘Travellers’ flatten 50 yards of Offa’s Dyke with a bulldozer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3055383/posts
New Dating For Wat’s Dyke
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1181689/posts
Get Offa the dyke
He didn’t build that.
Yeah I thought this another Hillary story.
In 1988, I went through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Stopped along the road and proceeded to carve initials and the year 1788 into the rock with my little set of carving tools. The initials were timely. Laughed as I walked to my car.
Yes. And they made everyone wear wooden shoes! Dark days were those...
The Great Wall of China was basically constructed over 2000 years ago — but if you go there today, you won’t see much of anything that is 2000 years old. It’s mostly Ming and about 500 years old.
Excellent.
Lol
Never google offal+dyke without safe search
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