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Cursus at the Temple end of the Ridgeway |
SteveDut
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from Newcastle Australia
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|  Posted 24-03-2010 at 10:25
Good Evening from Australia all.
I was looking at the Ridgeway on Google Earth the other day
(from the East Kennett end)
and saw a cursus that I haven’t found mentioned in anything as either a Avebury type feature or in the vicinity of Avebury/Sanctuary/Temple and I don’t really know how to find out about it's name) I hadn’t even got to Marlborough (just how many of these things over there??).
The co-ordinates of the cursus are:
North: 51°26'30.37"N 1°49'5.67"W
South: 51°25'48.01"N 1°48'26.07"W
Can anyone enlighten me to as what it's name is? and/if there is a theory about what it was for (after the big unanswered questions of the little and big cursus's at Stonehenge - not so far away)?
I crave for unanswered things.
The southern end looks to still be built up (could be a fence) to a height which would give a normal traveller a definite dead end approach and not to use it as a throughfare.
The northern end looks to have one of those military badges near it (in the shape of a triangle, pointy bit facing south/east-ish) and a little further east from there what could be a long barrow.
Appreciate any comments as far as fair dinkum goes (as I'm a mug to this game).
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tiompan
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|  Posted 24-03-2010 at 11:08
Hello Steve , There is an obvious straight stretch between these co-ordinates but it is described as "Gallops " i.e. an area where horses are exercised , oddly enough not that far from the original suggestion for cursus .there are quite a few others in the area which is very "horsey " .
george
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SteveDut
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from Newcastle Australia
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| Posted 24-03-2010 at 11:20
Thanks George,
I appreciate the info mate, the reference to horses had me at a bit of a quandry (only becaused I asked Andy B not long ago how many white horses are there in the UK?) and then found one (Hackpen White Horse) nearly directly north of this site?
Scary man (as Neil from the Young Ones would say).
All the best to you and your family.
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Andy B
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| Posted 24-03-2010 at 11:24
Hello Steve, your message reminded me that I have a database of Cursuses (Cursii) from Keith 'EssexMan' that I have yet to add to the Portal. This is because it is a bit of a handful working out what to do with them but I hope to soon.
The data is from "Loveday, R. 1985 Cursuses and Related Monuments of the British Neolithic. Unpublished PhD, University of Leicester" which was the basis of his 2006 book "Inscribed Across the Landscape (The Cursus Enigma)". The data can be found here as bitmap scans of the original hand drawn/typed documents :
> http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/library/theses/cursus_phd_2006/
I can't immediately see yours on the list but have a look at the link above and see if you can find it.
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Andy B
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from Surrey, UK
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| Posted 24-03-2010 at 11:29
Just to repost here for everyone, the best site on hill figures is
http://www.hows.org.uk/personal/hillfigs/
I also found
http://www.photographersresource.org/A_heritage/Hilllside/List/Hillside.htm
Don't forget Google Street View, I'd be interested to see links posted of good hill figure views that anyone can find.
I am so tempted to add 'modern' hill figures to our site database but we'd better not had we...
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tiompan
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| Posted 24-03-2010 at 12:41
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On 2010-03-24 11:20, SteveDut wrote:
Thanks George,
I appreciate the info mate, the reference to horses had me at a bit of a quandry (only becaused I asked Andy B not long ago how many white horses are there in the UK?) and then found one (Hackpen White Horse) nearly directly north of this site?
Scary man (as Neil from the Young Ones would say).
All the best to you and your family.
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Thanks Steve , and the same to you .
George
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SteveDut
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from Newcastle Australia
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| Posted 10-04-2010 at 10:27
G'day again George,
A little recap on your valuable tips and hints, I found this pic (which for me pretty well sums up "nothing like being there")
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/422914 (I am guessing that this angle is closest to the northern end)
I see that Andy B has added the cursii (thanks Andy) but it's hard to see most of them and then to know where they (visually) are but the links help as to general location.
PS are you aware/heard/read of slavery in the neolithic period?
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SteveDut
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| Posted 10-04-2010 at 11:01
Pardon me George, I may of got that last post wrong as to location (as you said "there are quite a few others in the area which is very "horsey "")
Still keen on any site/info that may suggest slavery (or the likes)
Thanks anyways & may the good Lord look after those that you love
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tiompan
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| Posted 10-04-2010 at 22:20
Steve ,as you say that one was near but I think the origianl one was at Overton Down i.e
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1303968
The existence of slavery in the Neolithic is very difficult to prove .
Warfare and inter personal violence is difficult enough .
Differentials in diet , burial patterns and skeltal deformation from heavy work may point to a some , almost certainly younger males , being treated differently from others of the same age ,which might be viwed as at least a hierarchical society and maybe slavery . Hawass reckons the pyramid builders were not slaves simply due to their diet and conditions . Once again technology may help cast some light on this .
George
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