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Silbury Hill - Updates |
brigantia
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from Yorkshire & Argyll
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|  Posted 25-11-2007 at 16:01
Hi there -
From the heart of the hill come updates reported here are they emerge. Please note: this information has been passed on from the people at the heart of the work there. This information will be updated and reported as and/or when I receive it. This info was received following work at Silbury Hill at the end of the week:
Workers at the site found 3 small sarsens in the primary mound one of which needed 2 people to pick up. They will going back in if they haven't been placed back already.
At the top small sarsens were used to pack the chalk blocks and a few were found in the saxon post holes. These also are being placed back.
Hope that keeps the ferrets happy!
[ This message was edited by: brigantia on 2007-11-25 16:01 ]
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AngieLake
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from Newton Abbot, Devon
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|  Posted 25-11-2007 at 22:45
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On 2007-11-25 16:01, brigantia wrote:
Hi there -
From the heart of the hill come updates reported here are they emerge. Please note: this information has been passed on from the people at the heart of the work there. This information will be updated and reported as and/or when I receive it. This info was received following work at Silbury Hill at the end of the week:
Workers at the site found 3 small sarsens in the primary mound one of which needed 2 people to pick up. They will going back in if they haven't been placed back already.
At the top small sarsens were used to pack the chalk blocks and a few were found in the saxon post holes. These also are being placed back.
Hope that keeps the ferrets happy!
[ This message was edited by: brigantia on 2007-11-25 16:01 ]
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Hi Brigantia
Thank you for this. Much appreciated.
Did anyone think that the small sarsens at the top were anything other than packing material?
(Before reading this I'd wondered if they were bigger, like the ones described in the primary mound, which at a stretch of the imagination, could have been more significant.... ie: part of a circle, or something. Though I guess the sarsen packing material at the top could have come from something larger already erected on the summit, which was broken up where it stood?)
From 'The Musings of Ma Ferret' .....
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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|  Posted 28-11-2007 at 14:36
It seems that wherever neolithic folks did a bit of quarrying or digging, they felt compelled to leave an antler pick behind, maybe as a thank you to the land. The tip of such a pick was found inside Silbury Hill earlier this year as soon as digging started. Who knows how many more have been left in there?
I find it hard to imagine that this quantity of antlers were collected at random, by people searching round the countryside hoping to stumble across them.
Is there any evidence that ancient man ensured a steady, annual supply of antlers, (and other products), by managing herds of deer?
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tiompan
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| Posted 28-11-2007 at 14:51
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On 2007-11-28 14:36, BERNARDQUATERMASS wrote:
It seems that wherever neolithic folks did a bit of quarrying or digging, they felt compelled to leave an antler pick behind, maybe as a thank you to the land. The tip of such a pick was found inside Silbury Hill earlier this year as soon as digging started. Who knows how many more have been left in there?
I find it hard to imagine that this quantity of antlers were collected at random, by people searching round the countryside hoping to stumble across them.
Is there any evidence that ancient man ensured a steady, annual supply of antlers, (and other products), by managing herds of deer?
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Deer antlers are shed in early spring and if you are in the right area you'll find plenty , they are often chewed by the deer but those that are not would still be useful years later . I don't know of any evidence for deer farming and doubt it took place .
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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| Posted 28-11-2007 at 16:47
I think that a lot depends on what you call plenty. There must have been a phenomenal number in use.
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tiompan
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| Posted 28-11-2007 at 18:23
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On 2007-11-28 16:47, BERNARDQUATERMASS wrote:
I think that a lot depends on what you call plenty. There must have been a phenomenal number in use.
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What's the estimate for workers on Silbury ? Deer will provide 2 antlers a season , e.g. Mar Lodge estate has an estimated red deer population of 1650 , if they were also stored from previous seasons or imported wouldn't that be sufficient &
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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| Posted 29-01-2008 at 02:43
Update number 28............
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/upload/pdf/Silbury_Hill_web_update_28.pdf
At least the centre of the hill seems sound.
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chimera
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from Australia
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| Posted 29-01-2008 at 05:54
Deer will domesticate in contrast to wild oxen, and reindeer Lapps may be an example. Yak and camel herders also like wild males to rut with the herd to improve it. It would make sense to capture fawns and breed in preference to chasing your fast food take-away (or runaway).
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Jimit
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from winchester
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| Posted 29-01-2008 at 15:30
Hmmmm!
One would have thought that the re-excavated Atkinson tunnel would have been reinforced to prevent this sort of collapse happening. What effect will this have on the holes on the surface which are being back-filled ? Will they need to be done all over again ?
Jim.
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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| Posted 21-02-2008 at 00:50
Update 29 has been added to the EH Silbury site. 
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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| Posted 02-02-2009 at 07:08
I believe that a report of last years findings has been released.
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brigantia
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from Yorkshire & Argyll
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| Posted 02-02-2009 at 12:38
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On 2009-02-02 07:08, BERNARDQUATERMASS wrote:
I believe that a report of last years findings has been released.
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Well this was added to the TNA Forum in the early hours, if that's what you're thinking of:
http://northernantiquarian.forumotion.net/cairns-tombs-tumuli-f6/silbury-hill-2009-reports-t5.htm
A fine report indeed.
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