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Stonehenge
Simon Charlesworth
04 Mar 2017, 10:34 PM
Chapters 2 › Chapter 2 Journal Activity:
Chapter 2 Journal Activity
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Chapter 2 Journal Activity
Moving and Placing Stones
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Notes on Bluestone route - overland v sea
Evidence for overland route does not exist at present. Evidence for sea transportation again non-existent and unlikely to be found due to sea-level rise since 3000BC (possibly up to a 4 mile change in coastline). However circumstantial evidence for the latter exists.
1)The Pencoed Bluestone and BS chips found on Flatholme.
2) Tidal surge in the Bristol Channel moves at up to 7mph making sea transport very effective.
3) The focus of stone rows in Devon and S Wales (as demonstrated by Dr Sandy Gerrard) on the sea may show the channel was in some way considered sacred - not surprising given that until about 6200BC it was dry land!
4) Neolithic agriculture (especially cattle -raising) was imported from the continent and came by boat (the Orkneys also provide evidence for a similar form of cattle movement).
Conclusion - has to be by water.
Hi Simon
So are you saying that they carted them south, overland, from Preselli, then by boat from Tenby?
Or did they take the easy, downslope route to the north and ship them from Fishguard?
Bristol Channel either way, eventually ...
Neil
Hi Neil
As the stones came from different parts of the Preselis, maybe different routes were used for different stones. I wouldn't fancy the trip from the North coast myself, but as cattle had been transported to Ireland by then this was entirely possible.