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Ancient rock carvings go online Rock Art, Northumberland

Submitted by PaulM on Friday, 14 January 2005  Page Views: 11286

Rock Art

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Country: England County: Northumberland Type: Rock Art

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Ketley Crag Rock Shelter 1
Ketley Crag Rock Shelter 1 submitted by stu : NU0743 2978. Is there anything better looking? I'd say not.....lots of other impressive cup and ring carvings on the walk over from Chatton Hill. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Archaeologists have discovered more than 250 new examples of prehistoric rock carvings, it has been revealed. The panels were unearthed during a two-and-a-half year search of the moorlands of Northumberland by Newcastle University archaeologists.

They will feature on a new website featuring 6,000 images, which is thought to be the most comprehensive of its kind in the world. The site can be found here: http://rockart.ncl.ac.uk/ [This was also featured on BBC Breakfast News]

The carvings are thought to have been made between 3,500 and 6,000 years ago.

Among the new discoveries is a collection at Goatstones, near Wark, where 14 carved stones were recorded for the first time.

Others to feature on the website will be the country's largest collection of rock art in one place, at Roughting Linn.

The project was inspired by Northumberland rock art specialist Dr Stan Beckensall, who donated his archive of books, photographs, drawings and rubbings to Newcastle University.

Funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Board meant Dr Beckensall and university archaeologist Dr Aron Mazel could move the project on.

Dr Mazel said: "It's incredibly important that we are aware of our heritage, not least because it helps us understand our own origins and identities.

"Our team has spent the last few years on a prehistoric 'adventure' and now we're at the stage where we can share our finds with others."

Experts are still working on the origins and meaning of the abstract carvings, which are believed to be the work of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age people, although there are several theories.

Dr Beckensall said: "One of the key aims was to promote widespread enjoyment of this fascinating part of our history and the web was the obvious medium to reach out to the 21st century historian, amateur and professional alike."

It is hoped the rock carvings will attract visitors to the area.

Source: BBCi 14 January 2005



Contributor Bio for PaulM: Based in Macclesfield, contributing since 2002. Favourite site: Hordron Edge. Occupation: Something in waste and recycling.

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"Ancient rock carvings go online" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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Re: Ancient rock carvings go online by Anonymous on Wednesday, 20 April 2005
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Re: Ancient rock carvings go online by Anonymous on Tuesday, 18 January 2005
It appears as though the ancient Britons were copying crop circle designs on the rocks. Compare these designs to modern crop circles. There is a startling resemblence. Serious study of crop circles needs to go forward. We have similar designs produced by ancient Native Americans here on the North American continent. Do these same symbols appear anywhere else on earth?

Ken Lonewolf / Shawnee Native American
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    Re: Ancient rock carvings go online by Anonymous on Thursday, 19 May 2005
    Wonderful work, well done all concerned. I have been stoned out of mind since 1970 when my husband was working inSwitzerland, where there are a number of examples. Have you seen photographs of the nano protons taken at Cern since the new underground tunnel was completed. Our house was in France. one of those circumscribed by the Cern's new turnnel, and in the woods nearby were standing stones with almost exactly the same pattern incised on them that occur in the latest Cern photog raphy of matter smashed to its smallest particles. Are tjese designs Jung's archetypes of the human mind, archetypical of all matter? Have you compared your rock art with that of the Vallee de Merveilles in Italy
    We have one day in Alnwick on June 5th. How can three eighty year olds see the most sites/stones. Which museums are best stocked and will they be open? Best wishes June Knowles ([email protected])
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Re: Media coverage by PaulM on Saturday, 15 January 2005
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From The Independant:

Prehistoric art archive reveals ancient skills of Britain's cave dwellers

By Ian Herbert, North of England Correspondent

15 January 2005

One of the world's finest prehistoric "art galleries" has yielded more than 250 new works, underlining the extraordinary creativity of the cave artists.

The historic works, hacked out of rock on moorland settlements near the Scottish border in Northumberland, were unearthed during a 30-month search by archaeologists.

The experts are still grappling with the origins and meaning of these abstract carvings, believed to be the work of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age people between 3,500 and 6,000 years ago, although theories abound. One says they are symbolic expressions of the changing relationship Neolithic people had with the landscape and past societies. Another suggests the carvings fulfilled a human need to mark their landscape.

Like all UK rock art, most Northumberland specimens are in the "cup and ring" style, typically featuring cups and circles of various sizes, though a relatively recent 300-year-old carving of a face, heart and foot has proved more baffling. The British Museum and English Heritage have been drafted in to the quest to explain the carving.

Among the latest discoveries made by the archaeologists from Newcastle University is a collection at Goatstones, near Wark, Northumberland, where 14 carved stones were found.

Elsewhere, a farmer showed the team seven panels on his land, which had not been previously recorded. The archaeologists have compiled a website database of 6,000 images. The website (http://rockart.ncl.ac.uk) also includes old favourites such as the country's largest collection in one place at Roughting Linn. Inspiration for the project came from Northumberland rock-art specialist Stan Beckensall, who donated his archive of books, photographs, drawings and rubbings to Newcastle University.

Project leader Aron Mazel, of the university, said: "The Beckensall archive gave this project a head start but we've also been very excited to find new specimens of this very special art. There are likely to be more carved stones under the undergrowth so we're sure this is not the end of the story."

One group of carvings, at Ketley Crag on the edge of Alnwick, was "discovered" by cattle that chose the same half-cave to shelter in as the rock artists had 4,000 years ago. It is among a handful to escape destruction by erosion or quarrying
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Media coverage by PaulM on Saturday, 15 January 2005
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From Yorkshire Post Today

Prehistoric rock art revealed

Julie Hemmings

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have discovered more than 250 new examples of England's finest array of prehistoric rock art carvings in some of the country's remotest countryside.


The historic artworks were unearthed during a two-and-a-half-year trawl of expanses of moorland in Northumberland, close to the Scottish border.
Experts are still grappling with the origins and meaning of these abstract carvings, believed to be the work of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age people between 6,000 and 3,500 years ago.
Discoveries by Newcastle University archaeologists include a collection at Goatstones, near Wark, Northumberland, where a haul of 14 carved stones was found.
Elsewhere in the county, a farmer alerted the team to seven previously unrecorded panels on his land.
Stones with similar cup and ring carvings have been found elsewhere, including Ilkley Moor and the Chesterfield area of Derbyshire.
Last year English Heritage archaeologists discovered a carved stone, with unusual geometric carvings they think might be a map, near Fylingdales on the North York Moors. It was exposed after a major blaze on the moors in September 2003.
The Newcastle University finds can be admired on a new website, which carries 6,000 images and is said to be the most comprehensive of its kind in the world.
Inspiration for the project came from Northumberland rock art specialist Stan Beckensall, who donated his archive of books, photographs, drawings and rubbings to Newcastle University.
* The website can be viewed at http://rockart.ncl.ac.uk/
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Media coverage by PaulM on Saturday, 15 January 2005
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From This Is The North East:

Prehistoric rock artists' work recorded for posterity

THEY would have been the Damien Hirsts and Tracey Emins of their age. But unlike the fleeting nature of modern art, the works of these North-East artists have stood the test of time.

More than 250 examples of England's finest array of prehistoric rock art carvings have been found near the Scottish border by archaeologists.

Now more than 1,000 cup and ring carvings can be admired on a new website, which carries 6,000 images, said to be the most comprehensive of its kind.

The site, launched yesterday, includes 250 panels unearthed during a two-and-a-half year survey of some of England's remotest countryside, in the expansive moorlands of Northumberland.

Although experts have several theories, they are still grappling with the origins and meaning of the carvings, believed to be the work of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age people between 6,000 and 3,500 years ago.

Among the new discoverie...

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