The lesser known stone circles of Avebury are the
Although all of the stone monuments are from 6,000 to 4,000 years ago, the Mesolithic nomads of the last ice age also visited the rolling greens of Avebury some 10,000 to 7,000 years ago. Remains of the Roman road to the south provide clear evidence of early Roman activity. The Saxons were here too, of course, and the ruins of the north wall of a Saxon church can still be seen where it was conspicuously constructed adjacent to the pagan henge. The Medieval period brought about much destruction to the circles with most of the big stones being buried.
West Kennett Long Barrow, with it’s stone passages and chambered tombs, combines two distinct burial traditions and it has yielded, though disarticulated, the remains of some 46 individuals that had been formally buried there over a course of 1,500 years.
The huge Sarcen stones, weighing many tons, that were used at Avebury were chosen specifically for their shape and, unlike those of Stonehenge, are completely natural and unworked. These stones, formed of silicaceous sand about 20 or 30 million years ago, were hauled into position using ropes and rollers of wooden logs. The number of stones and the size of them makes this almost unbelievable. There are between 150 and 200 stones, or pieces of stones, weighing anywhere from 20 tons to the enormous “Portal Stone”, estimated to be nearly 65 tons.
The Southwest sector is definitely the most interesting and contains the bizarre Barber-Surgeon Stone. Under this huge stone archaeologists found the crushed but still well preserved remains of a male skeleton. The unfortunate individual had with him that fateful day, a pouch containing a pair of scissors, an iron probe and some coins – hence the name.
The brochure will tell you that Silbury Hill is the largest man-made mound in Europe. It covers an area of more than 5 acres, is 130 ft. high and is composed of a million cubic meters of chalk and soil. Only the bottom 9ft. are a natural terrace, the rest is entirely man-made. This is truly a remarkable feat considering the primitive implements that must have been used.
The Hill, given its massive size and well-planned structure, shows a great deal of organization. This may indicate a small group of individuals in charge of a very large work force. It is estimated that it would have taken 700 men 10 years to build it, making it one of the most labor intensive sites of its time in Europe. Even after two hundred years of investigation it still remains one of Britain’s most enigmatic sites.
Perhaps a visitor should pause here for a moment to contemplate these dimensions and meditate on the mysteries of this fascinating place because, even to this day, the reason for building this enormous structure, or what it was used for, has never been discovered.
With it’s hundreds of landmarks and historical sites, England can tend to feel like a giant living museum, but not Avebury. Avebury is different. It is a mystical ethereal place.
In the quiet of a lovely morning one might feel a sense of walking in the same footsteps of those who were here so long ago. Perhaps your ears might strain to hear a vague and distant sound that could be the soft murmur of their voices; the ancient ones who wore the skins of animals and spoke in languages now long extinct. They can almost be felt moving the air as they shuffle past: the little family groups slowly ascending together to the hill’s summit to welcome the dawning of a new day.
Avebury is one of England’s special places.