Geotricks uncover Stonehenge secretsThe tools of the Earth sciences are of great service to archaeol

Geotricks uncover Stonehenge secretsThe tools of the Earth sciences are of great service to archaeology, uncovering ancient environments during excavation using such techniques as soil and pollen analysis, tracing ancient trade routes for gold and obsidian (see http://tinyurl.com/c9nba7f) or the movements of ancient peoples (seehttp://tinyurl.com/pnsv2en). A recent survey using some standard geological techniques at the iconic megalithic monument on England’s Salisbury Plain uncovered over a dozen new ritual structures in the sacred landscape surrounding the standing stones and burial mounds that are visible above ground in the area. New information was also obtained at the nearby site of Durrington Walls, less well preserved but once a much more extensive wooden henge. It is the most complete survey of the area to date.The survey took four years, and involved towing a variety of 3D scanners behind a quad bike such as magnetometers, ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic induction sensors, earth resistance surveys, and 3-D laser scanners, all standard tools in the geophysicist’s kit. The data was incorporated by digital mapping, using Geographical Information System software, a standard tool in all geological data manipulation.The structures include a new long barrow (older than the Henge and around 30 metres long) and sets of aligned pits that seem related to the astronomical function of the monument and track solar movements. At Durrington they found traces of a row of 60 large stones or posts, evidence of an early construction phase, buried by later work. These may still be in the ground, as the ancients often knocked standing stones over centuries after erecting them, for unknown reasons. Several of these shrines take forms never seen before in previous excavations in megalithic Europe.One of the problems analysing complex ritual landscapes like Salisbury Plain is that they are a palimpsest. Layer was superimposed upon layer, and the ancients seemed particularly keen on modifying, rebuilding, remodelling and abandoning sites, for unknown ritual reasons. Our post on the geology of Stonehenge, linked below, gives an idea of how this palimpsest concept applies to this site. The youngest layer the team uncovered were practice trenches built for training purposes during the first world war.The team hope to deepen their understanding of the evolution of the sacred landscape through time, using the extra data provided by future analysis of the new structures. With luck, evidence may also emerge suggesting the possible purpose of the monument, a matter of much debate over the centuries. This survey technology is going to be very useful in the field, allowing similar surveys to pinpoint where to focus energy, time and money on excavation, and revealing much useful data without having to put spade to ground. In fragile sites with poor preservation, or where waterlogged wood is expected to disintegrate when disinterred it may be the only easy way to extract information. This research illustrates the role of careful data gathering and observation in science and archaeology both, but another recent discovery exemplifies the role of serendipity, pure random chance, resolving the long standing debate over whether Stonehenge was originally built as a ring or a C shape, which was prompted by an insufficiently long hosepipe. Its job was to water the grass around the stones, but in the areas it didn’t reach patches of brown grass appeared matching the spots where the ring’s missing stones stood. Some of these matched missing stone locations, and others known excavations from the 19th and 20th centuries. Weather is a big factor in aerial photography, used in search of old roads, walls and boundaries, and the drought of 1976 remains famous as a golden year for new discoveries. LozOur past posts on the geology of Stonehenge:http://tinyurl.com/mlqytj6 and http://tinyurl.com/nbaq8v5Image credit: Ken Geigerhttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/sep/10/stonehenge-teeming-chapels-shrines-archaeology-researchhttp://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/sep/01/stonehenge-dry-spell-grass-perfect-circlehttp://www.fastcodesign.com/3035608/new-stonehenge-discovery-what-took-so-long?partner=pubexchange&utm_source=atlasobscura.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=pubexchange#7 -- source link

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