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Archaeologists Find Mysterious Carved Stone At Whitby Abbey Rock Art Yorkshire (North)

Submitted by coldrum on Thursday, 18 October 2007  Page Views: 4854

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Country: England County: Yorkshire (North) Type: Rock Art

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Experts are studying a carved stone recently uncovered on Whitby Abbey Headland in North Yorkshire to see if it represents the first Bronze Age artefact from the site.

St Hild founded an abbey on Whitby Headland in 657AD, which is now an important historical site. However, little was known about the site in the Anglo Saxon period in which it was founded until archaeologists carried out clifftop excavations in 2001 and 2002.

They found signs of industrial activities like glass and lead-making from the Anglian period (7th-9th century), and the first evidence of an Iron Age domestic dwelling on the site, dating from 500BC-100AD.

An archaeological team returned this autumn for a six-week dig, and found an even more intriguing object – a mysterious stone carved with linear markings. Measuring about 40cm by 50cm, it appears to be of the type of Bronze Age carved stones found on the North York Moors in 2003, dating from 2000BC-700BC.

“It’s potentially a very significant find as we have hardly any material from this period in the headland’s past,” said archaeologist Sarah Jennings.

“But we need to wait for detailed analysis before we draw firm conclusions. If it is Bronze Age, then it underlines that the headland has a long history of settlement, well before St Hild founded the Abbey in 657AD.”

The purpose of the stones is not known. It has been suggested that they could have denoted tribal boundaries or have a ritual use. A much more ornate stone found at Fylingdales Moor in 2003 has been likened to Irish grave passage art.

The dig also uncovered a defensive Iron Age enclosure and more signs of industrial activity that might date to the foundation of the first abbey.
Perhaps we also need to start to think of the site as an Anglo-Saxon industrial estate,” said Sarah.

“Very little domestic pottery and few artefacts have been found, which is what we would expect. Iron and glass-making required large fires and sparks would soon have set houses ablaze, so it looks as if they were kept well apart.”

English Heritage is trying to collect as much information as possible from the site before the clifftop erodes away. Last year it commissioned a project to identify historic sites vulnerable to coastal erosion along 85 miles of coastline from Whitby to North Lincolnshire, to form part of a national picture of the threat posed by rising sea levels and coastal erosion. The Whitby Headland site could disappear within 20 years.

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Contributor Bio for coldrum: Based in Milkyway, contributing since 2002. Favourite site: Avebury.

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"Archaeologists Find Mysterious Carved Stone At Whitby Abbey" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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Tribal marker unearthed by archaeologists by coldrum on Thursday, 18 October 2007
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ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed what could be one of the earliest tribal markers ever found in this country.

Rock art experts are still to fully examine the mysterious carved stone, which dates back thousands of years and was found on the headland at Whitby.

But one theory is that the stone could have been an instantly recognisable "logo" with a specific meaning to the people that were around at the time.

Project director Sarah Jennings said: "It's possible it had some sort of symbolic importance that needed no explanation, in the same way that the well-known logos of today do."

Whitby's headland is regarded as one of the country's most important archaeological sites, with Iron Age finds dating from the period 500BC to 100AD.

However the carved stone found in the latest dig is much earlier and possibly dates from the Bronze Age period of 2000BC to 700BC.

Measuring 16ins by 20ins, it displays linear carved markings which have yet to be understood or deciphered, and was found in one of four trenches dug just to the east of Whitby Abbey.

Ms Jennings said: "It's potentially a very significant find as we have hardly any material from this period in the headland's past.

"But we need to wait for detailed analysis before we draw firm conclusions.

"If it is Bronze Age, then it underlines that the headland has a long history of settlement, well before St Hild founded the Abbey in 657AD."

The stone bears similarities to others found on the North York Moors that date from the Bronze Age But the purpose of such carvings has long been a source of conjecture, although they may have denoted tribal boundaries or have had a ritual significance.

A defensive Iron Age enclosure complete with a palisade, which would have comprised a wooden fence fronted by a deep ditch designed to repel attackers has also been uncovered during the dig.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/display.var.1754456.0.tribal_marker_unearthed_by_archaeologists.php
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Carved stone makes its mark on headland history by coldrum on Thursday, 18 October 2007
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A CARVED stone has set historians thinking about the ancient history of a Yorkshire landmark.


English Heritage archaeologists yesterday revealed the stone they uncovered on Whitby's headland, which may date back 4,000 years,

Since 2001 they have been exploring the headland to find out more about life there in Anglo-Saxon times, when St Hild founded Whitby Abbey.

Archaeologists also uncovered evidence of an Iron Age home, dating from between 500BC and 100AD, and when they returned to the cliff top this autumn to continue their investigations found even older remains.

The carved stone, which measures 16in by 20in and was found to the east of the abbey, has linear carved markings, similar to Bronze Age stones found on the North York Moors, which date from between 700BC and 2000BC.

Historians think the carvings may have marked tribal boundaries or had a ritual significance – the best-known carved stone found on Fylingdales Moor in 2003, which is much more ornate, has been likened to grave art found in Ireland.

Archaeologist Sarah Jennings, English Heritage's project director for the excavation, said the headland stone was potentially very significant as little material from this period has been found.

"But we need to wait for detailed analysis before we draw firm conclusions," she said. "If it is Bronze Age, then it underlines that the headland has a long history of settlement, well before St Hild founded the Abbey in 657AD."

The headland's cliff top is eroding each year and much of the area under investigation could disappear in the next 20 years. English Heritage is trying to recover as much historical information as possible before nature takes its course.

Archaeologists also uncovered a defensive Iron Age enclosure, while signs of later industrial activity during the Anglian period, from the 7th to 9th century AD, may date to the foundation of the first abbey.

During the 2002 dig, iron slag and evidence of glass and lead-making were found nearby.

"Perhaps we also need to start to think of the site as an Anglo-Saxon industrial estate," said Ms Jennings.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Carved-stone-makes-its-mark.3373467.jp
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Archaeologists excited by mysterious stone find by coldrum on Thursday, 18 October 2007
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ARCHAEOLOGISTS have uncovered a rare mysterious carved stone on the Abbey Headland which may be up to 4,000 years old and could give vital clues to the town's eventful history.
A six-week dig by English Heritage is currently taking place on the Headland, one of the country’s most important historical sites, next to Abbey Farm.

It is thought the stone, which measures 16 by 20 inches, could date back to the Bronze Age which lasted from 2000BC to 700BC.

Displaying linear carved markings, the stone was found in one of four trenches dug just to the east of Whitby Abbey by archaeologists Tom Jamieson (44) and Jessica Tibber (26).

Senior archaeologist Sarah Jennings, English Heritage’s project director for the excavation, said the carved stone could open a window on a much earlier period in Whitby’s past.

“It’s potentially a very significant find as we have hardly any material from this period in the Headland’s past,” she said.

“But we need to wait for detailed analysis before we draw firm conclusions.

“If it is Bronze Age, then it underlines the headland has a long history of settlement, well before St Hilda founded the Abbey in 657AD.

“They have done a fantastic job finding it.
It’s all too easy to pick up another large stone out of the mud and not really look at it.”

Little is known about the Anglo Saxon period during which Whitby Abbey was founded by St Hilda in 657AD until archaeologists carried out cliff top excavations in 2001 and 2002.

Along with signs of large-scale industrial activity dating to the Anglian period (7th to 9th Century AD) they uncovered the first ever evidence of an Iron Age domestic dwelling on the site which dates back to the period 500BC to 100AD.

Now the 12-strong team have been battling wind and rain to try and shed more light on this Iron Age legacy which culminates 14 years of exploration.

The stone appears to share similarities with Bronze Age carved stones found on the North York Moors that date to between 700BC and 2000BC and experts are now studying the design to glean more clues about its age and potential significance.

The purpose of such carvings has long been a source of conjecture, but they may have denoted tribal boundaries or have had a ritual significance.

The famous carved stone found on Fylingdales Moor in 2003, which is much more ornate, has been likened to grave passage art found in Ireland.

Another stone was also uncovered by the pair, possibly from medieval times.

A defensive Iron Age enclosure complete with a palisade, which would have comprised a wooden fence fronted by a deep ditch designed to repel attackers has also been uncovered during the dig, along with further signs of later industrial activity during the Anglian period that may date to the foundation of the first Abbey.

During the 2002 dig, iron slag and indications of glass and lead-making were found nearby, so the latest discovery points to industrial activity on an even more sizeable scale.

Mrs Jennings added: “Perhaps we also need to start to think of the site as an Anglo Saxon industrial estate.

“Very little domestic pottery and few artefacts have been found, which is what we would expect.

“Iron and glass-making required large fires and sparks would soon have set houses ablaze, so it looks as if they were kept well apart.”

The Headland’s cliff top is eroding every year and much of the area being investigated could disappear within two decades.

English Heritage say they are attempting to recover as much historic information as possible before nature takes its course, to ensure clues about the past are not lost for ever.

The dig is expected to be completed by 24 October by which time the trenches will be covered with a layer of membrane should anyone wish to investigate them again and they will then be backfilled as if they were never there.
http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/news/Archaeologists-excited-by-mysterious-stone.3370143.jp
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