Avebury has become too untidy
Avebury (England) parish councillors have criticised the National Trust for the “disgraceful” state of their village, which is a World Heritage Site, and have agreed to write National Trust Director General Fiona Reynolds to seek her help in getting Avebury cleaned up for their hundreds of thousands of annual tourists.
As much of Avebury and its stone circles are under the control of the National Trust, the councillors state that the organisation is not doing enough to keep the place tidy, citing, for example, grass on the High Street being “as high as an elephant’s eye”. Chairman Jenny Baldrey said, “When you live in a World Heritage Site this is quite appalling.”
A lot of National Trust land in the village contains the tall, uncut grass, which is said to be prohibiting some residents from seeing out of their cottage windows, and to be encouraging people to throw their rubbish into it.
As talks with local National Trust managers have achieved little, councillors hope they will have better luck with the Trust’s “top brass”.
Source: This is Wiltshire.co.uk (26 June 2003)
Malvern ditch may date to Bronze Age
Shire Ditch, one of the most prominent man-made features of the Malvern Hills (England) may be very much older than previously thought. Until now it was thought that the ditch, also known as the Red Earl’s Dyke, was built in the 13th century during a boundary dispute between Gilbert de Clare, the Red Earl of Gloucester, and Thomas de Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford. But an archaeological survey suggests that the prehistoric fort at Midsummer Hill was built on top of part of the ditch, which must therefore be the older of the two. The Shire Ditch, which runs along the ridgeline of the Malverns, could therefore date back to the late Bronze Age and the Red Earl would have just strengthened or refurbished it, rather than creating it from scratch.
The archaeological survey, now complete, was a collaboration between English Heritage, the Malvern Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Herefordshire and Worcestershire County Councils and other bodies. First begun in 1999, the survey was interrupted by the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001, when public access to the Hills was forbidden. Results are now being written up and will be published next summer.
Source: This is Malvern (8 July 2003)
7,000-year-old tools in Dorset
An archaeological dig in West Dorset (England) has unearthed primitive tools dating back to the late Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The site, at Thorncombe Beacon near Charmouth, was previously thought to be of Bronze Age origin. But the flint tools indicate that the site was probably occupied from around 5000 BCe and are thought to be the oldest artefacts ever found in the area.
The dig was organised by the National Trust, who own the Golden Cap estate on which the site is located. The Trust feared that cliff erosion would destroy the site before its history was understood. Patrick Woodford, West Dorset Property Manager, said: “In the Mesolithic period people would have been able to walk to France, but over thousands of years the English Channel has been formed and the cliffs have moved steadily north. The coastal erosion is gradually causing the archaeological evidence to tumble into the sea.” The panoramic views from Thorncombe explain its attraction both as a lookout and as a secure defensible settlement throughout prehistory.
The dig lasted two weeks and was carried out by conservation volunteers under the supervision of National Trust archaeologists. Experts are now examining the finds and soil samples.
Source: This is Weymouth & Dorchester (5 July 2003)
Prehistoric stone axe found at Ulverston
A polished stone axe dating back 5,000 to 6,000 years was one of the most exciting finds unearthed during a test dig in Ulverston (England). The axe is thought to have been made in Langdale, a centre for Stone Age tool production in the English Lake District. Other prehistoric finds include a Bronze Age flint scraper, a burnt piece of flint blade and a fragment of another stone axe. The dig also revealed artefacts from other periods including a 16th century groat and various domestic items from the 19th century.
Excavation of the test trench was undertaken as part of the Channel 4 Time Team dig at Sir John Barrow’s Cottage, and was a joint venture between Ulverston Heritage Centre and the Morecombe Bay Archaeological Society. Daniel Elsworth, director of the Heritage Centre and chairman of the Archaeological Society and co-director of the dig, said that the prehistoric finds suggested early activity on the site. However, centuries of digging and the actions of earthworms and roots had mixed up artefacts from different periods.
Source: www.megalithic.co.uk (3 July 2003)
Ancient Aboriginal art discovered
Thought to be one of the most significant finds of Aboriginal art in Australia’s history, a series of 203 images in a cave near Sydney (Australia) are being investigated by an expedition led by museum anthropologist Paul Tacon. The paintings, stencils and prints are in pristine condition and depict human figures, god-like human/animal composites and animals. Eleven superimposed layers have been identified so far, dated from around 2000 to the early 1800s BCe. Included are delicate life-sized representations of eagles, kangaroos and a very rare depiction of a wombat, in various colours including red, yellow, white and charcoal black. The combination of rare depictions and multiple layers is virtually unique, according to Tacon.
The cave, some twelve metres long by six metres deep and 2-3 metres high, was the chance discovery of a hiker in the Wollemi National Park in 1995. The find was not announced until researchers were able to begin full-scale investigations of the inaccessible site, in May 2003. Its location will remain secret to deter sightseers and vandals.
New South Wales Premier Bob Carr said: “The discovery confirms the richness of Aboriginal culture and spiritual life on the outskirts of the Sidney basin at a time when civilisation was flowering in Mesopotamia, Egypt and China and when Stonehenge was being built”. Local Aboriginal representative Dave Pross said the art gave a picture of local tribes' rituals and needed to be studied.
Sources: BBCi News (1 July 2003); iol.co.za (1 July 2003)
