Archaeologists have uncovered a stone age henge near Hollingbourne [Picture: Paul Wilkinson]
Posted on 09/16/2012 7:41:07 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
An ancient ceremonial site the size of Stonehenge has been discovered on the North Downs.
The exact purpose of the site -- a neolithic "henge" near Hollingbourne -- remains shrouded in mystery, but a large amount of burnt bone and pottery uncovered suggest it was used in a ritual capacity for almost 2000 years, as far back as 2500BC, the end of the Stone Age.
Dr Paul Wilkinson (pictured below) of the Kent Archaeological Field School, which led the investigation, said the first tantalising clue had come in the form of a circular mark spotted in satellite images of a tract of land called The Holmsdale, near the Pilgrims Way.
Digging began last month and has revealed a 50 metre wide henge -- a large earthwork consisting of a circular area surrounded by a ditch and a perimeter bank -- which has horn shaped entrances to the east and west...
Also uncovered in the dig were antlers and cattle shoulder blades, which archaeologists believe could have been used as pick axes and shovels by the workers who first dug the henge out.
The lack of any sign of habitation within the circle further strengthens the theory that it had a ritual use.
The burnt remains of human bones are likely to have been from cremations, while its east-west entrances could have been aligned to mark the sunset and sunrise.
(Excerpt) Read more at kentonline.co.uk ...
Archaeologists have uncovered a stone age henge near Hollingbourne [Picture: Paul Wilkinson]
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They found antlers and beef bones? If there was empty whiskey bottles, then it was one of my family reunion sites.
That’s one talented dog!
Ritual use? (sigh)... Why does it always have to be some kind of temple? A round berm and ditch enclosure sounds like a fortification to me.
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