Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Over 100 Neolithic Stone Carvings Found In Northumberland[UK]
24 Hour Museum ^ | 31 July 2008 | 24 Hour Museum Staff

Posted on 07/31/2008 10:46:50 AM PDT by BGHater

Volunteers working in Northumberland and Durham have unearthed a remarkable collection of intricate rock art formations dating back 5,000 years.

Over 100 of the extraordinary Neolithic carvings of concentric circles, interlocking rings and hollowed cups were uncovered in the region by a team of specially trained volunteers working on a four-year English Heritage backed project called the Northumberland and Durham Rock Art Project (NADRAP). Their findings have now been recorded and published online via a website called England’s Rock Art (ERA), which was launched today, Thursday July 3 2008, at
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/era.

© English Heritage

a close up photo of carved rock with ring carvings set within a peaty surround

(Above) Barningham Moor County Durham: Photographer R. Stroud.

One of the most interesting new discoveries is a large and elaborately carved panel on Barningham Moor, Co. Durham. The flat sandstone panel features numerous complex abstract carvings – interlocking channels and hollowed cups with surrounding circles. Our prehistoric ancestors used stone tools to carve these mysterious symbols and the ‘peck’ marks are still visible on the Barningham panel. Richard Stroud, one of the specially-trained volunteers involved in the project and part of the team which discovered the Barningham carvings, explained: “We expected to discover just one or two simple carvings. Instead we found a breathtaking panel, probably one of the most complex discovered in County Durham.”

a close up photo of carved rock with ring carvings

© English Heritage

(Above) The Ringses Northumberland: Photographer A. Mazel.

“There is a gulf of time and civilisation between the society that carved this stone and ours,” added Richard, "its true meaning is something we’ll possibly never understand. I am proud that our work has helped preserve this fragile link to our ancestors.” Elsewhere the project uncovered a range of impressive and large-scale works that included patterned rock carvings with perfectly imprinted circles that would have taken an astounding level of skill – and a lot of time – to complete. The volunteers used low impact methods to carefully reveal these examples of rock art, which they then captured via stereo-photographs (pairs of photographs) using low cost 5mpixel resolution digital cameras.

© English Heritage

a close up photo of carved black rock with ring carvings

(Above) Old Bewick Northumberland.

Images were then used to create virtual 3D representations accurate to within 1-3mm that can be moved and rotated on a computer screen to allow detailed analysis of the carvings from all angles.

As well as allowing a detailed analysis of the rock art formations, the technique requires no direct contact with the rock surface and is less harmful than some other traditional recording methods. “Our volunteer recorders have worked alongside experts in the field to develop new techniques to produce stunning 3- dimensional computer models of rock art for display,” said Sara Rushton, Northumberland County Archaeologist and manager of the Project. “These models can be manipulated to show some carvings which are now almost completely invisible to the naked eye and will be a fantastic tool for managing these ancient sites for the future.”

a photo of a carved rock set within a larger rock formation on the edge of a moorland

© English Heritage

(Above) Ketley Crag Northumberland.

The practice of carvings rocks flourished during the Neolithic period (about 4,000 to 6,000 years ago). There are many theories as to what rock art carvings mean. Some experts believe they may have played a role in fire, feastings and offering activities, or been used as ‘signposts’, or to mark territory. Others point to a spiritual significance. For hunter-gatherer communities high mountains or seashores were often considered the domain of supernatural ancestors and the vast majority of rock art is found in these areas. Today, many carvings have been lost to natural erosion and human activities such as quarrying and field clearance. However, around 2,500 rock art panels have been recorded to date in England and further examples almost certainly await discovery. English Heritage is hoping the pioneering work undertaken as part of NADRAP will be continued in other counties to create a nationwide record of this link with our prehistoric past.

© English Heritage

a photo of a standing stone with ring and cup carvings in it

(Above) Baildon Moor Yorkshire.

“The British landscape is thickly scattered with these fascinating and enigmatic works of ancient art,” said Edward Impey, Director of Research and Standards at English Heritage.

“The online record of the Northumberland and Durham examples will serve as the starting point for a national survey, and, we hope, help us understand their meaning and lead to the discovery of others.”

Find out more about the our rock art at the England’s Rock Art website

For members of the public who may encounter rock art in the landscape, English Heritage have issued a Rock Art code:

Always:
· leave the carved rocks and other archaeological features as you find them
· seek permission to visit sites that are not on publicly accessible land from the relevant owner or manager
· respect the environment and follow the Countryside Code

Never:
· remove turf from buried rock art panels (the freshly exposed surface will be especially vulnerable to erosive processes)
· remove lichen from rock art panels (you may remove part of the rock surface and the tiny root fissures left behind will fill with water and be susceptible to freeze-thaw erosion, weakening the surface matrix)
· attempt to remove graffiti, chalk, or any anything else on the rock
· use any substances (including water) to ‘clean’ rock surfaces
· use brushes with stiff bristles (plastic or wire) to clean the rock (if you wish to remove leaf detritus or animal droppings from the carvings for your photographs then use a soft brush)
· add chalk or enhance the carvings using any other substance (this may interfere with accurate dating of the surface)
· undertake any recording technique that involves direct and/or repeated contact with the surface (e.g. wax rubbing)

· scratch your name or messages on or close to the carved panels
· walk or drive over carved panels
· make fires close to rock carvings
· light candles on the carved panels



TOPICS: Miscellaneous; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: carvings; godsgravesglyphs; neolithic; uk
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-36 last
To: SMARTY
The first one could be a map.

That was my thought. Tribal territories ...

21 posted on 07/31/2008 12:04:34 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (No trees were killed in sending this message but a large number of electrons were terrible agitated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

Burial chambers of the Neolithic
Current Archaeology
Posted on 10/05/2007 4:31:41 AM PDT by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1906922/posts

Perthshire Rock Art Sheds Light On Scotland’s Prehistoric Past
24 Hour Museum | 8-3-2007 | Graham Spicer
Posted on 08/05/2007 4:00:40 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1876808/posts

Excitement At Neolithic Site Find
BBC | 11-2-2005
Posted on 11/02/2005 3:19:35 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1514417/posts

New Prehistoric Rock Carvings Discovered In Northern England
University Of Newcastle On Tyne/Eureka | 1-14-2005 | Aron Mazel
Posted on 01/14/2005 2:21:48 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1321056/posts

Rock ‘Face’ Mystery Baffles Experts
Innovations Report | 6-17-2004
Posted on 06/17/2004 4:00:51 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1155489/posts

Weird Rock Carvings Puzzle Archaeologists
New Scientist | 10-9-2003
Posted on 10/09/2003 11:44:15 AM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/998310/posts

and

Older Than The Pyramids, Buried For Centuries - Found By An Orkney Plumber
The Scotsman | 3-14-2008 | Tristan Stewart-Robinson
Posted on 03/17/2008 8:45:12 AM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1987028/posts

Orkney arrowheads find points to Scotland’s earliest settlement
The Scotsman | 10-05-07 | John Ross
Posted on 10/08/2007 4:51:26 PM PDT by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1908397/posts

Neolithic Village Found In Orkney Sheds New Light On Stone Age Life
The Times | David Lister
Posted on 08/13/2007 4:32:54 PM PDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1880677/posts

Archaeologists Date Tool Discarded 4,500 Years Ago
The Guardian (UK) | 11-22-2001 | Maev Kennedy
Posted on 11/27/2001 8:30:21 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/579302/posts


22 posted on 07/31/2008 12:20:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_________________________Profile updated Friday, May 30, 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater
Pre-historic yutes tagging stuff....

/johnny

23 posted on 07/31/2008 12:22:11 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Bless us all, each, and every one.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bmwcyle

Ping.


24 posted on 07/31/2008 12:31:33 PM PDT by Apple Blossom (...around here, city hall is something of a between meals snack.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder

Tap a rock with a rock, even over and over and the results are pretty poor...somehow some group persisted even though the rewards [payoff] were pretty slim.

Don't play video games do, ya?

25 posted on 07/31/2008 12:34:23 PM PDT by Vermont Lt (I am not from Vermont. I lived there for four years and that was enough.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

They’re beautiful. Thanks!


26 posted on 07/31/2008 12:36:15 PM PDT by colorado tanker (Number nine, number nine, number nine . . .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: vamoose
How the heck did these ancients produce this level of art without government subsidies?

They might very well have been government subsidized, in the sense that the chief told them "You guys stay here and carve that rock. The other guys will go hunting and gathering and will share some with you tonight."

27 posted on 07/31/2008 12:36:45 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("More weight!"--Giles Corey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Vermont Lt

LOL...no.

But then I don’t have to find roots, twigs and berries to eat daily either.


28 posted on 07/31/2008 1:22:00 PM PDT by Adder (typical bitter white person)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: rosenfan

Good points...I know they weren’t farmers. Maybe I am wrong but it seems that h&g would be more arduous
than farming, which is my point.
Otherwise, why the rush to embrace farming? A steady food supply[for the most part]but harder work?

Perhaps.

But the part about the elderly or shamans is good. Hadn’t thought of that.


29 posted on 07/31/2008 1:27:33 PM PDT by Adder (typical bitter white person)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Adder
Everything I've read on the subject indicates that farming, especially prehistoric farming, is far harder than hunting and gathering, not to mention tedious. So why do it?

As you said, a steady food supply. Cities aren't even possible without farming. It also enables you to accumulate wealth and a large population.

30 posted on 07/31/2008 1:38:54 PM PDT by rosenfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Adder

I don’t want to work
I want to bang on these rocks all day
I don’t want to play
I just want to bang on these rockss all day


31 posted on 07/31/2008 1:40:35 PM PDT by OSHA (framing it as though you've magically neutralized any potential negative eventuality)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: JZelle
"They look like Led Zeppelin album covers."


32 posted on 07/31/2008 2:23:20 PM PDT by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

cup holders......

Seriously, stone hedge is a series of concentric rings. This repeats the pattern on smaller scale. Uneducated guess that they are probably a calendar marking migrations or seasons mixed with the spiritual and earth renewal ceremonies of some sort.


33 posted on 07/31/2008 11:03:32 PM PDT by marsh2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Almost all of them seem to be circles but with some sort of break with a “stick” kind of like a lolly pop. Reminds me of a candle with the circles being the flame. The “stick” seems to become the small middle circle.


34 posted on 08/01/2008 3:00:16 PM PDT by Bellflower (A Brand New Day Is Coming!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: BGHater

Prehistoric crop circles?


35 posted on 08/01/2008 3:02:17 PM PDT by TruthWillWin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Adder; SunkenCiv; All

“These folk had to spend hours looking for food to survive.”

I recall reading about a study of modern hunter/gatherer cultures, and I think each person spent about 27 hours a week hunting and gathering. Of course, then there was cleaning, cooking, sewing, and childcare, but since women did most of that, maybe it doesn’t count.


36 posted on 08/01/2008 10:37:49 PM PDT by gleeaikin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-36 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson