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Stone Worlds: Narrative and Reflexivity in Landscape Archaeology

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<< Our Photo Pages >> West Kennett Long Barrow - Long Barrow in England in Wiltshire

Submitted by Andy B on Friday, 15 July 2016  Page Views: 50760

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: West Kennett Long Barrow Alternative Name: West Kennet Long Barrow
Country: England County: Wiltshire Type: Long Barrow
Nearest Town: Marlborough  Nearest Village: Avebury
Map Ref: SU10506774  Landranger Map Number: 173
Latitude: 51.408589N  Longitude: 1.850426W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
3 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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I have visited· I would like to visit

deepblue 43559959 madmark23 Traumrealistin ajmp3003 rrmoser hallsifer would like to visit

Couplands visited on 12th Sep 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

NDM visited on 1st Mar 2023 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

aolson visited on 24th Jun 2022 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 2 As spectacular as expected. Great to visit a chambered tomb that still has its covering of earth.

TheCaptain visited on 25th Sep 2020 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Up the hill across the fields to West Kennet longbarrow. Its bright and clear but very windy up here, which gives good views all around. A steady stream of people are coming up here for a look, but not enough to get in the way. As I suspect is often the case, there is quite a bit of tat and suchlike inside, put there by people who should know better.

michelle_b007 visited on 14th Aug 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5

Mikesee visited on 1st Jan 2019 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Hodur visited on 29th Dec 2018 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4 A wonderful sacred site if you can get enough time to yourself there.

elad13 visited on 4th Jul 2018 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3

dancing_star visited on 1st Jun 2018 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

bishop_pam visited on 16th Oct 2017 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Chrononaut1962 visited on 24th Jul 2016 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3 Also visited on several previous occasions over the last 15 years or so.

achiersnakes visited on 18th Mar 2016 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4 Amazing long barrow with its structure still in good condition. Parking available and well-gravelled footpath. Inside are small chambers to the side and it is fairly "roomy" inside. Definitely worth a trip after visiting Avebury Stone Circles.

trystan_hughes visited on 22nd Dec 2015 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

XIII visited on 13th Aug 2015 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Chrus visited on 1st Jan 2014 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

Estrela visited on 4th Sep 2013 West Kennet is an impressive long barrow, with huge shielding stones at the entrance end, obscuring the passage leading within. From its top one has a clear view of Silbury Hill to the north. Glass blocks have been let into the barrow roof to give some light in the barrow rooms, but one has been left entirely dark to show what it would have been like.

TwinFlamesKiss visited on 1st Aug 2013 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 3

ModernExplorers visited on 21st Dec 2012 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Your classic Long Barrow, huge megalithic rocks and sausage shaped

Phillwhite visited on 11th Aug 2012 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5

graemefield visited on 27th Jun 2012 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

TheCaptain visited on 11th Jul 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4 Having failed to get dinner at The Barge Inn, we got sandwiches in Marlborough, and then went and sat up on top of WKLB to eat them in the lovely sunshine, overlooking Silbury Hill and Avebury. Its lovely up here. But, there are always nutters about, banging drums, dowsing, tealights etc. What a shame the place has to put up with this.

jeffrep visited on 27th May 2011 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

SteveC visited on 26th Aug 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

johnstone visited on 30th Jun 2010 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

Richard13 visited on 1st Jul 2009 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 3

ForestDaughter visited on 23rd Sep 2008 - their rating: Amb: 5 Access: 3

SolarMegalith visited on 1st Jul 2008 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 4 Access: 4

Woode visited on 21st Dec 2007 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

Andy B visited on 18th Dec 2004 Featured in Episode Two of BBC's History of Ancient Britain with Neil Oliver

RedKite1985 visited on 1st Jan 2002 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

woodini254 visited on 29th Dec 1993 - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4

Orcinus visited on 1st Jan 1989 - their rating: Amb: 4

bat400 visited on 1st Oct 1987 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 4

coldrum visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 3

coin visited - their rating: Cond: 5 Amb: 5 Access: 4 A great atmosphere, one of the best locations in the world.

NorthernerInLondon saw from a distance

Lazulilou visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 3 Access: 4

PAB Humbucker FrothNinja DrewParsons Ogham Bladup sem h_fenton AngieLake PhilipT TimPrevett JimChampion sirius_b davidmorgan mdensham myf NickyD AnnabelleStar ArchAstro Wazza12 hevveh have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4.19 Ambience: 4.62 Access: 3.45

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by jackdaw1 : A shot taken inside West kennet long barrow nr. Avebury on 25 sec exposure at f16-conjuring spooky feels. A small child called jake was happily playing and respectfully enjoying the atmosphere in there. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Long Barrow in Wiltshire. More than 100m long and 2.4m high, this is one of Britain's biggest chambered long barrows, and the 10m long interior chambers are open for viewing.

Excavations in 1859 and 1955-56 found 46 burials of all ages. The tomb may have been in use for 1000 years!

Access: West Kennet Long Barrow is a short uphill walk (less than half a mile), signposted from the A4 road. Parking in the lay-by can be difficult during busy times. More parking is available about half a mile to the west at the Silbury Hill viewing area.

Note: Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall, see the comments below for links to the published paper paper plus sound samples, spectrograms and other archaeoacoustic experiments
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West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by jimit : 2nd PRIZE WINNER! * A * Best Photo with a Summer Solstice theme Dawn at West Kennett Long Barrow. (20 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by sem : Home to the roost The only shot I got of one of the swallows bringing food for the young in the barrow. Standing inside was a marvellous accoustic experience. Total silence until the swallow entered and then all hell broke loose! (21 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein : A magical sunset 1 week before Summer Solstice 2011. A family of swallows were nesting in one of the chambers. Enjoy (11 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by graemefield : Wesy Kennet Long Barrow at dawn 30th November 2012 (4 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Andy B : West Kennet, one of the largest, most impressive and most accessible Neolithic chambered tombs in Britain, built in around 3640 BC and used by a community for around 20 years. Image copyright English Heritage, used with permission. (3 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by song : west kennet, sundown, november 2006 (4 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by PeterKnight : Virtual Equinox Sunrise as it would be viewed from the inside of the barrow. This image is part of a series of virtual reconstructions I have done for my book 'West Kennet Long Barrow - Landscape, Shamans and the Cosmos' (1 comment)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Nasher : Taken in the end chamber of West Kennet Long Barrow and using the light from said glass thingies. (5 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Horatio : The facade and blocking stones of West Kennet viewed from the south east. Standing a short distance to the southeast of Silbury Hill seen here on the right. Built around 3670BC with the later addition of the large sarsen blocking stones that marked the final closure of the tomb in about 2300BC as beliefs changed at the start of the Bronze Age. (3 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by ForestDaughter : Taken on a rainy afternoon in Sept '08. The entrance.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by PeterKnight : Midsummer Sunrise from WKLB by Peter Knight

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by ogham : A nice site when it is quiet.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by jeffrep : The West Kennet Long Barrow under threatening Wiltshire skies.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by jackdaw1 : Taken inside west kennet long barrow on long exposure no flash. (4 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Horatio : Pretty, no totally amazing site, commands great views and is a must, if visiting Avebury. (3 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Aluta : West Kennet (one 't') Long Barrow, early morning. (3 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Ogham : Entrance to West Kennet.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Bladup : Inside the main chamber at West Kennett Long Barrow. This Original Artwork in a glass frame is £39.99 + Postage (Just whatever it costs), and is 18 cm x 12 and a half cm. A limited (to a 100) edition print in a 8" x 10" glass frame would be £19.99 + £2.90 postage, E-mail me at paul.blades@rocketmail.com if interested.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by ericgrindle : West Kennet Image copyright: Eric Grindle (Eric Grindle), hosted on Flickr and displayed under the terms of their API.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by stevec : West Kennet Long Barrow, Internal Chamber

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by paulinelen : Such an atmospheric place, better inside for covering over the skylights.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by paulinelen : Glorious in the sunshine and no people.

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein : June 2011 sunset. Old mother swallow takes a brief rest from feeding her chicks to admire her wonderous home. Enjoy (2 comments)

West Kennett Long Barrow
West Kennett Long Barrow submitted by PeterKnight : The large megaliths of West Kennett are bathed in the golden light of the rising sun at Autumn Equinox, 2010. This was part of my astronomical study of the site.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 295m WNW 298° West Kennet Barrow Round Barrow(s) (SU10246788)
 537m NW 312° Swallowhead Spring* Holy Well or Sacred Spring (SU101681)
 627m NNE 12° Silbaby* Misc. Earthwork (SU1062668354)
 678m NE 47° West Kennet Palisaded Enclosures* Ancient Village or Settlement (SU110682)
 876m SW 226° Beckhampton Penning circle* Stone Circle (SU09876713)
 929m NNW 328° Silbury Hill* Artificial Mound (SU10016853)
 1.3km WSW 244° Beckhampton Penning barrows Barrow Cemetery (SU09356717)
 1.4km NE 49° Overton Hill barrow cemetery* Barrow Cemetery (SU11526863)
 1.4km ENE 78° The Sanctuary.* Stone Circle (SU11836802)
 1.4km SE 129° East Kennett longbarrow* Long Barrow (SU11636684)
 1.5km ENE 74° The Sanctuary Barrows* Barrow Cemetery (SU11966816)
 1.6km N 7° West Kennet Avenue* Multiple Stone Rows / Avenue (SU10696928)
 1.6km SSE 149° Harestone Down* Stone Circle (SU113664)
 1.6km NNE 17° Falkner's Circle* Stone Circle (SU10986931)
 1.6km ESE 109° East Kennett garden feature* Modern Stone Circle etc (SU12066720)
 1.7km N 2° West Kennet Avenue polisher* Polissoir (SU10576947)
 1.8km SSE 160° Harestone Down Tumulus* Round Barrow(s) (SU1111766058)
 1.9km SW 216° Allington Down Tumulus* Round Barrow(s) (SU0936366184)
 2.1km NNW 347° Alexander Keiller Museum* Museum (SU100698)
 2.1km NW 316° South Street Long Barrow* Chambered Tomb (SU09006927)
 2.2km N 354° Avebury* Stone Circle (SU10266996)
 2.2km NW 314° Longstone Cove* Standing Stones (SU0888769301)
 2.3km NW 308° Longstones Barrow* Long Barrow (SU08706914)
 2.3km NNW 347° St. James's Church (Avebury) Ancient Cross (SU0997669968)
 2.3km N 354° Avebury - The Cove* Standing Stones (SU10257002)
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"West Kennett Long Barrow" | Login/Create an Account | 49 News and Comments
  
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Zooks777 on Monday, 16 August 2021
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Major feature on the Environment Agency lidar (grey icon next to that for CamRA)
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West Kennet Long Barrow Archaeological Watching Brief by Andy B on Monday, 17 May 2021
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West Kennet Long Barrow Archaeological Watching Brief

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology during remedial works at West Kennet Long Barrow in 2016, comprising the replacement of three concrete-framed top lights with new units, re-profiling of the barrow at the eastern end to replace material lost due to erosion, and grading of the internal floor to incorporate a membrane to improve drainage.

https://legacy-reports.cotswoldarchaeology.co.uk/content/uploads/2018/01/Binder1.pdf
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by 4seasonbackpacking on Tuesday, 25 June 2019
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The Social Significance of Cotswold-Severn Burial Practices, Julian Thomas, 1988 by Andy B on Monday, 21 January 2019
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Thomas, Julian (1988). The Social Significance of Cotswold-Severn Burial Practices. Man. 23 (3): 540–559. JSTOR 2803265.
Free to view with registration:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2803265
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by JNIV on Friday, 18 January 2019
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Thank you one and all for your comments
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Talking About My Generation: the Date of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Andy B on Saturday, 01 December 2018
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Alex Bayliss, Alasdair Whittle & Michael Wysocki

Thirty-one radiocarbon results are now available from the West Kennet long barrow, and are
presented within an interpretive Bayesian statistical framework. Two alternative archaeological
interpretations of the sequence are given, each with a separate Bayesian model. In
our preferred interpretation, the barrow is seen as a unitary construction (given the lack of
dating samples from the old ground surface, ditches or constructional features themselves),
with a series of deposits of human remains made in the chambers following construction.
Primary deposition in the chambers is followed by further secondary deposition of some
human remains, including children, and layers of earth and chalk, the latest identifiable
finds in which are Beaker sherds. In the Bayesian model for this sequence, the construction
of the monument at West Kennet, as dated from the primary mortuary deposits, occurred
in 3670–3635 cal. bc, probably in the middle decades of the thirty-seventh century cal. bc.
The last interments of this initial use of the chambers probably occurred in 3640–3610
cal. bc. The difference between these two distributions suggests that this primary mortuary
activity probably continued for only 10–30 years.

After a hiatus probably lasting for
rather more than a century, the infilling of the chambers began in 3620–3240 cal. bc and
continued into the second half of the third millennium cal. bc. In an alternative interpretation,
we do not assume that all the people dated from the primary mortuary deposits were
placed in the monument in a fleshed or partially articulated condition;they could therefore
have died before the monument was built, although they must have died before the end of
the formation of the mortuary deposit. In the Bayesian model for this interpretation, the
monument appears to belong either to the thirty-seventh century cal. bc or the mid-thirtysixth
century cal. bc, and deposition again appears short-lived, but the model is unstable.
Results are discussed in relation to the setting and sequence of the local region.

http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/10754/1/10754_wysocki.pdf

http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/10754/

Wysocki, Michael Peter, Wittle, A and Bayliss, A (2007) Talking About My Generation: the Date of the West Kennet Long Barrow. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 17 (S1). pp. 85­101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0959774307000182
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The West Kennet Longbarrow Initiation by Andy B on Saturday, 01 December 2018
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Bruce Fenton writes: let me take you for a moment into the possible world of Britain’s lost race, these dark-skinned, dark-haired people who had dominated the land for thousands of years. They were the inhabitants of the British Isles from at least 11,500 years ago until the arrival of the light-skinned and light-haired Beaker People of the Eurasian Steppe.

We can imagine a young man accompanied by a learned elder, his shamanic guide for the process at hand. Having fasted for days and abstained from human contact, he is ritually cleansed in the icy waters of the Swallowhead Spring, the source of the River Kennet. This process allowing the mother goddess to remove all contamination from his physical body before purification of the spirit can begin. Wrapped in furs once again the youngster walks alongside his instructor as they slowly head towards the top of the rise, he is informed of the correct way to carry himself in the evening ahead and told stories of his people relevant to this chapter in a youngster’s life.

As the pair reach see the great sarsen stones marking the entrance to the long barrow the sun is falling fast, and dusk turns the landscape to shadows, this is the time of the powerful spirits which reside in rocks, trees and sometimes the animals around them. Ahead of them, the sun sinks into the ground directly below the end of the barrow, it has died, darkness consumes everything.

The old man ushers the youngster forwards reminding him that where he goes now, he must go alone. If the spirits and the goddess are satisfied with how he fares then the two of them will meet again in this life, if not he may see him in the world of spirits after his own time has ended. This is a life or death journey, not all survive.

The young man stoops down and then crawls on hands and knees to enter the low tunnel, passing into pitch blackness. As he enters a strange throbbing sound begins, echoing through the darkness around him, unseen behind him the elder begins to twirl his bullroarer through the air allowing the throbbing sound to cascade into the tunnel producing a hypnotic and perturbing effect within the chambers ahead (including infrasound, known to affect human perception). He moves slowly forwards aware he is moving over strange objects on the ground – he reaches down and feels a skeletal human hand and then a skull. He is indeed in the realm of the dead now.

The combination of pitch blackness and rising and falling resonant frequencies takes its toll on the mind of the initiate, he starts to sense a presence in the darkness around him and now and then hears whispered voices hidden in the strange pulsating rhythm. He knows that the spirits of the ancestors are there with him now and inevitably they are but forerunners for a meeting with the lady herself, the great mother. Psychedelic multi-coloured, and three-dimensional, visions break through his inner darkness, he falls into a full-blown altered state of consciousness.

Read more at
http://earth4all.net/the-west-kennet-longbarrow-mother-goddesss-womb-initiation-site/
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    Re: The West Kennet Longbarrow Initiation by Runemage on Saturday, 01 December 2018
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    Nice to see a revival of Womb not Tomb, it's been a very long time since that was aired, but why is it not "We can imagine a young [wo]man accompanied by a learned elder, [her] shamanic guide for the process at hand" Patriarchy isn't essential for society. I think there's also room in imaginings about initiations for drum and chant and the use of psychedelics growing wild near the site.
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by 4seasonbackpacking on Thursday, 15 November 2018
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by JNIV on Sunday, 04 November 2018
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Has anyone ever experienced a presence of family and love and peace in this barrow?
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Aluta on Sunday, 04 November 2018
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    It seems a lot of people experience something here. Certainly I did, although it would be difficult to explain.But decades after my first visit, from far across the sea, I could still remember that feeling I had when I was there and felt as if it were just minutes ago that I stood inside—and I had been brought up being told there was nothing to this "vibrations" nonsense. (a lot to unlearn and I'm still working on it)

    I have heard other stories, from other people. An extraordinary site. If I could, I would live within walking distance and wander up there some early mornings.
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Runemage on Sunday, 04 November 2018
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    It's not an unusual experience at all in a lot of barrows and passage mounds like Newgrange, Knowth and Maes Howe to cite the most popular ones. It can happen in some circles too.

    WKLB has a good resonance as well, great for drumming to also experience altered states of consciousness. See below for investigations into acoustics and other peoples' experiences.
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      Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Aluta on Monday, 05 November 2018
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      I respect that people do drum. I could never bring myself to do that. Drums or anything loud would completely disrupt my personal way of relating to sites. But everyone has their own methods of reaching outside the ordinary. I have to be alone and very silent.
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        Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Aluta on Monday, 05 November 2018
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        My most intense experience of this kind in the UK was at the Uffington Horse and Dragon Mound in 2015. But I've had them in the States, out in nature.
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Tuatha on Saturday, 16 July 2016
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An aspect of the relationship between the Long Barrow, where use ceased about 1,500BC and Silbury, which was created afterwards, suggests a major change in the religious sense of the time which I have not seen commented upon.
If anyone is aware of such speculations, I would welcome references.
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Anonymous on Friday, 15 July 2016
I used to belong to a rather weird"Earth mysteries group" A bunch of disparate souls, ranging from hippies to Asatruir to sensible old ladies in hiking boots! It was fun! We usually stayed local, places you lot know nothing about I am not about to enlighten you. I really dont understand what some people are looking for here. That isnt meant badly, it is just I genuinely dont know. You measure things, you go on for hours about the possibilities of this and that. When we visited a site we would meditate and try to tune in. What were they thinking and what have we lost? That simple. We trekk ed off to Avebury once. We started at the Sanctuary walked the Avenue, as they would have,and into Avebury. We then went to Silbury and West Kennet. We often chanted in places, t o se if we could hiton so somethinhg West Kennet yes, You keep adjusring the pitch until you hit it. sadly we werent granted visions so what it meant to them is still a mystery. but it is definitely there. And many other places. And dont write off churches.theres a clue. Not chanting, that is obvous, but I know of many with pagan images and one that has whar we t hought was astanding srone as an altar! Another that has a megalith as na entrance gate post. You need to see this on a broader spectrum.
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Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall by Andy B on Monday, 11 July 2016
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Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow, Avebury, Wiltshire by Steve Marshall (PDF) Free access download

Continuing on from a 2011 preliminary study, this paper investigates further the acoustical properties of one of Wiltshire’s best-known monuments, the West Kennet long barrow, in the Avebury complex. Its two pairs of transepted chambers resonate at frequencies that are musically a ‘perfect fourth’ apart – a ratio of 4:3. The frequency of the resonances is dictated by the size of the chambers, which in plan are also proportioned 4:3.

Several other Cotswold-Severn tombs contain chambers with this 4:3 ratio. Furthermore, the central passage of West Kennet resonates at an extremely low frequency that can produce certain psychological effects; other Neolithic tombs are similarly-proportioned. It is possible that these effects were employed for some ritual purpose in West Kennet and other monuments.

DOI: 10.1080/1751696X.2016.1142292

Download from
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1751696X.2016.1142292

Extra material for the paper, including sound samples and spectrograms can be found here
http://stevemarshall.org.uk/WKLB%20Acoustics.htm
http://soundcloud.com/stevemars
http://www.flickr.com/photos/139051661@N07/albums
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    Re: Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Tuesday, 12 July 2016
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    Most interesting. Anyone that plays massive djembes inside the chamber will know that there are some most unusual acoustic properties. I've never been further from the world than inside West Kennet. Beyond magical...
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      Re: Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall by Bladup on Wednesday, 13 July 2016
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      I agree, We know that the place still "works" and Steve's work goes a long way to proving why it "works".
      I love your comment "I've never been further from the world than inside West Kennet" but my mind added [hope you don't mind] my own little bit "I've never been further from the world [yet closer to it] than inside West Kennet".
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      Re: Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Friday, 15 July 2016
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      Like it Bladup! The research is extremely interesting. Mr Marshall is a dedicated man. I have a very strong belief that drums are far more important to our ancestors than now. Drumming can be a state of mind and can release you from anything else. Drumming is very powerful - I can make anyone move with a couple of congas or a huge lenke djembe. Absolutely anyone. Drumming gets inside you. Drumming connects people. An animal skin over the end of a hollowed log. Perhaps pulled tight with strips of hide, nettle cordage or even withies - such a simple idea but such a powerful acoustic device. Sadly we have very little more than the Folkton chalk drums from this time period in Europe in terms of percussion. No neolithic European wood and hide drums have been found to my knowledge (please correct me). Plenty of ceramic examples from Asia and Europe (and prob UK). Some amazing bronze age horns from Denmark. I can only imagine how powerful drums were in an age far away from electricity and all it's little wizards. Just on my own I can get a large crowd of people moving and connecting with my drums. Now imagine 20 djembes playing as one...my fifth dimension... PS have just discovered the word "membranophone". Still laughing. I think I may have chronic membranophonitis
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        Re: Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall by Bladup on Friday, 15 July 2016
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        Ha ha, I'd also never heard of it but it's a great word and membranophonitis is an even better word.
        I've got 5 drums around the house so i'd say i'd got a case of mild membranophonitis myself, and how nice is this?- http://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=a312&file=index&do=showpic&pid=154718
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          Re: Acoustics of the West Kennet Long Barrow by Steve Marshall by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Saturday, 16 July 2016
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          Yes tis a lovely axe. Not one I have handled but I strongly recommend making friends with some museum curators and getting to handle some jadeiteite axes. They will make you tingle...still laughing re membranophonitis. I may have to get some t-shirts printed!
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    The flint that roared by Andy B on Friday, 15 July 2016
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    An article from British Archeology by Steve giving his experience with bullroarers and the potential that some prehistoric 'ritual flint knives' have been used for producing sound
    http://stevemarshall.org.uk/docs/Flint%20v2.pdf

    See also THE BECKHAMPTON COVE, AVEBURY - an archaeoacoustics experiment
    http://stevemarshall.org.uk/covetest.htm
    and the experiments done at Silbury Hill
    http://stevemarshall.org.uk/silbury.htm
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      Re: The flint that roared by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Friday, 15 July 2016
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      Roaring flints. Sounds very plausible to me. You could use your flint roarer to carve a larger wooden one!! Over the last 30 years I have looked at many thousands of prehistoric stone tools through lenses and microscopes and I haven't come across anything with distinctive lashing marks/wear other than amulet type items, fishing net weights (often have a pecked groove with wear all the way round the equator of a 8cm sphere), 1 lashed giant Danish perforated greenstone battleaxe and a core axe that seems to have been lashed oddly to a haft. Hope that helps in some way...
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    An excellent interview with Steve Marshall about Exploring Avebury by Andy B on Saturday, 01 December 2018
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    LINDA: So what have you done by way of field work that is different to what an archaeologist would do?

    STEVE: To me, Avebury comes alive in the winter, which seems wrong, but it’s because springs and rivers are seasonal and depend on the water table rising with rainfall. Summer is when most people visit Avebury, including archaeologists, but the springs don’t run in the summer and the rivers are dry. Because I lived just a couple of miles from Avebury for 10 years, I was able to go at all times of day and in all seasons and weathers. Unfortunately, those are the times when it’s raining and frozen! Not many people explore Avebury under those conditions, but that’s when I find it interesting and that’s how I discovered all the springs around Silbury Hill.

    https://globalspiritualstudies.com/exploring-avebury-with-steve-marshall/
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Anonymous on Saturday, 01 December 2012
My research has found that West Kennet long barrow would have been built as a bolt hole for early cattle farmers at times of strife, the standing stones would have been protection for defenders.
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by graemefield on Saturday, 01 December 2012
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    An interesting theory. What research have you done to give evidence to this?
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Talks about West Kennett Long Barrow by Peter Knight for 2012 by Andy B on Friday, 02 March 2012
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Illustrated talks about West Kennett Long Barrow coming up this year by Peter Knight, all based on his book. Talks are open to all.

Mar 7. BERKS. West Kennet Long Barrow. Mind, Body, Soul Group, 11, Kings
Rd West, Newbury. Tel: 01635 38084.

Apr 4 DORSET. West Kennet Long Barrow. Museum Society, Sturminster
Newton. Tel: 01258 473179.

Apr 23 HANTS. West Kennet Long Barrow. Basingstoke Theosophical Soc.
Church Cottages, Church St. 7.30pm.

July 2 BATH. Shamanism of West Kennet Long Barrow. Bath Positive Living
Group. Manvers St Baptist Church. 7.30pm

Nov 6 WILTS. West Kennet Long Barrow – Landscape, Shamans and the
Cosmos. Mere Historical Soc.

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Re: West Kennet Long Barrow Discoveries by PeterKnight on Friday, 11 March 2011
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My research into West Kennet Long Barrow has now been published in my book, West Kennet Long Barrow: Landscape, Shamans and the Cosmos. It it I describe the excavations, the structure etc but also lots of new things: West Kennet is involved in some intricate alignments, some astronomical, with local site such as Silbury Hill, East Kennet LB, The Sanctuary, and other sites. I observed the sun and the moon enter the chambers TODAY, despite the blocking stone 45. Amazing! Also, I have furthered John North's findings about stellar alignments - Orion and Sirius play a big part here.
I also looked into the earth energies, acoustics and symbolism of the barrow. Very interesting results.
We can visit WKLB today for healing and to experience phenomena, and meditate, but we have to do it responsibly. I have included a section that suggests ways we can go there today, and not leave 'ritual litter' behind, or burn or soot the stones. West Kennet needs our love and respect - not our litter.
Love and hugs, Peter Knight.
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Peter Knight's West Kennet Long Barrow Project by Andy B on Tuesday, 15 June 2010
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See
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Forum&file=viewtopic&topic=4012&forum=4
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Street View by coldrum on Wednesday, 17 March 2010
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View Larger Map
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by AngieLake on Friday, 03 August 2007
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ADMINS please note:
Not sure if there ARE two ways to spell this, but was unable to find 'West Kennet Long Barrow' by entering that title in 'Search'.
I have been spelling it with two 'T's in 'Kennet' in diary, and letters and postcards to friends that I've sent from Wilts holiday, but see that official EH/NT spelling in Avebury booklet is only one 'T'.
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by TheCaptain on Saturday, 04 August 2007
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    There are two 't's on the OS maps for both the villages and the barrows. The BBC uses two. But in my Burl book it only has one, as does the local river.

    So, is it named after the local village, or the stream ? I do not know a definitive answer, but think we should stick to two.
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by PeterKnight on Friday, 11 March 2011
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    Hi. In writing my new book about West Kennet, I too had to decide whether to spell Kennet with one 't' or two. OS maps still have two t's, as to the road signs locally. But most old and current asrchaoelogical research and papers have just one 't', so that is what I have used. The word originates from Cunetio, th Roman settlement further down the River Kennet. That only has one 't'. In the Domesday Book, it is Chenete, again one 't'. It is Kenate in a record of 1227.
    Hope this helps.
    Pete http://www.stoneseeker.net
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      Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by PeteG on Saturday, 12 March 2011
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      your research seems to be very sloppy.
      Kennett for the villages and Kennet for the river and archaeology is the accepted convention.
      Did you ever approach any professional archaoe's or the Archaeological and Historical Research Group during your short research period?
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        Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Andy B on Saturday, 12 March 2011
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        Peter has gone with one t, which is what you said, what's the problem?

        The name we used on the Portal was taken from the OS map, it's very awkward to rename it now it has so many attached photos so we'll have to leave ours as Kennett with Kennet as an alternative name
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        Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by PeterKnight on Wednesday, 21 September 2011
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        My 'research is sloppy' seems a little sweeping from someone whose work I respect and I feel should know better. I actually spent years researching the area and the barrow, and combed through everything available, including your work Pete. My comments on the use of one 't' or two in Kennet still stand as true. Praise for the book as been almost universal, as people can see the effort that has gone into it, and that it was a true labour of love for a site I have a very spiritual connection too.
        Is some axe being grinded here? Respect man. You are more than this.
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Anonymous on Sunday, 20 May 2007
I've only recently visited the West Kennnet site, as the Avebury stone circle NT car park was charging £5, which I flatly refused to pay on good friday this year! So we hared off to view Silbury Hill, and I was pleased to see that the boggy area below it, showed signs that indeed the lake was still there. The lAst time we visited, many moons ago, a swan had been on the lake.Then off to the west kennet barrow, and looking for those other three mounds, not sure what they are...?

I was appalled to see many people,walking up fast behind us, so we went off on a false trail, leaving the others to climb the hill, whilst I inspected the old trees bordering the feild, and the rags hung on them... then up to pay my respects, in my own way, I do not hold with children jumping all over the top, I thought this a good time to visit, on Good Friday, when all the xians would be at their kirks, and I for one would be honouring our long dead ancestors.

Knowing Im odd, or a sensitive,on the walk up, I stopped and linked in with the silbury hill vibrations,and other spritual genii loci, and did my invitation , like an spiritual shamanic song under my breath, tos ee what would happen, if anything...

so told hubby not to go in, but to go alongside to the left, in a semi circle and view it from the other end, as if I was taking an invisible host of people to view it, from another age, it seemed like, walking round it firstly, honouring the area it stood on.

When the others had stopped visiting, and children running and jumping on the top, which incensed me no end, that i had to apologise to the spirits, for the awful way the site was being treated, and for all the graffitti, there... I then found I was rewarded when the stones talked back to me!

I went first to the left hand side, and then to the right, opened up the channels, and waited, with hand outstretched on the cold stones... eyes closed in prayer, to see if anything would happen.... wowee, yes it did... I would need a further visit, to interpret the talk of those stones...! Wowwweee I was high, and been transported to another land, had to steady myself, on the large stone outside, before I could come abck to land and walk back,l after doing my song and dance and waved my owl handled walking stick at the mound, in honour of the old ancestors, lurking there,.. whoever they were, and whatever its used for today, those stones said it all!!!!!!
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by f1racer on Wednesday, 14 September 2005
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You will fine these tea lights and flowers are not left by youngsters but by pagans who should know better the so called goddess og Glastonbury uses this barrow quite often for there rituals. If they carry on causing damage we will find the monument either closed or a fence around it like stone henge
I visited the barrow last week and glad to say it was clean. it should be respected as a burial sight as intended there may be bodies there now but the spirits of the dead are . all I can say to the pagans is use a torch like ever one else and take your rubbish home. it,s Abuse it you loose it. then we all suffer.
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by PeterKnight on Wednesday, 21 September 2011
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    Let's not be too hard on Pagans and such like. I am one such creature myself! But it is somewhat ironic that most of this 'stuff' is left by people who genuinely come to do good healing work, which is brilliant. The Earth Mother needs our help big-time. Let's just all do it responsibly. The ancestors know what is in our hearts. Pete K
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Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by Anonymous on Monday, 28 October 2002
I visited the barrow on Thursday. The fields approaching the monument are now unfenced, but there has been a half-hearted attempt to enclose the
monument plus incorporate an aluminium farmer's gate into the fenced enclosure. But the gate has been left off its hinges, slumped against the fence. The general effect is of a run-down farmyard - you expect to find spare bits of tractors dotted around the barrow. It's so bad it's bizarre.

Once inside the barrow I removed no less than 5 night lights, one still burning away at the crumbling dry stone walling, at the extreme west end of the interior. With an electric torch looking for more, I discovered numerous chalk drawings all over the megaliths, and numerous black, waxy burn marks where candles have been set into stone crevices and allowed to burn out.

Now I suspect some of the contributors to this list may know or know of people who are actively involved in this business - probably local youngsters - from Marlborough, Swindon or Calne, etc. And this is what I'd like to say to them: If you want to spend some time in West Kennet Long Barrow, take an electric torch. Fire harms stone. Please don't light fires near or within megalithic monuments. And remember, you are not the only ones who want to enjoy this monument - please clean up after yourselves. I'm talking about plastic bags left around and small piles of gently
rotting fruit. After you have dedicated things, you
can take them away again - and perhaps give them away to people, a nice gesture.

And please don't draw on the stones - if you want to be an artist, go to art school.

Rick
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    removal of night lights by Anonymous on Thursday, 25 March 2004
    so it is a museum and not a place of worship?
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: removal of night lights by PeterKnight on Wednesday, 21 September 2011
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      It is CERTAINLY a place of worship, as I partake in this sort of practice on a regular basis. I am just saying that if we come to honour the ancestors and the place why do we feel we have to leave 'ritual litter ' behind when we leave. And why place candles that drip all over the stones? I beleive that the only thnig the Ancestors want us to leave behind is our love. Any flowers and such like can be left on the OUTSIDE of the mound, where our Mother can take them back into Her body. Hugs, Pete K
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    Re: removal of night lights by Anonymous on Tuesday, 06 September 2005
    Im glad you removed the night lights from west kennet long barrow, Its because of people like the ones who left them there that stonhenge has a fence around it. And it stops responcable folk like me taking photographs with is my intersest. I want to photograph these places as they were left not some bodies drawings and defaced stones . they should remember these place may well be old but they are a burial sight and should be given respect as such. the people 4000 years ago left these places for us to see and learn how they lived . these mindless vandals should be procecuted. Dave.Stubbs
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: removal of night lights by PeterKnight on Friday, 11 March 2011
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      Hi. I totally agree about the 'ritual litter' that is left in West Kennet. I go up there on a weekly basis to remove rubbish and clean the stones. ironically, it is my fellow-Pagans who do much of this. People come with all good intentions but do not think about the consequences. I myself lead meditation and drumming events at the barrow, but at the end of the gathering anyone following us in would not know anyone had been there. This is the way forward. In my new book about the barrow, I have a whole section on this issue, suggesting how people can use the site mindfully, so that it stays open and undamaged forever. West Kennet needs our love and respect - not our litter.
      Blessings Be, Peter. (stoneseeker.net)
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    Re: West Kennett Long Barrow by PeterKnight on Wednesday, 21 September 2011
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    Hi Rick,
    I concur fully with your comments. Sometimes I have found the place in a right mess. I go up there once a week and clear things, like you did on your visit, and I ask everyone who visits the site to clear away and take home any nightlights or candles. It may not be our rubbish, but it becomes our responsibilty when we find it. I devote a whole chapter to this in my book on the site. Once again, thanks for your comments.
    Hugs Pete Knight
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