Wednesday 2 September 2015

Post Holes and Tree Throws

I have a hunch that the large very early post holes didn't hold "totem poles" but were  the upturned base of respected trees with their roots in the air (as the only one found so far, at Seahenge, had). See: http://www.sarsen.org/2012/07/woodhenge-inverted-trees.html

Avebury: ". In Trench 6 the tree-throw hole that is right next to our giant posthole has turned out to be simply enormous; so big in fact that we have more than a sneaking suspicion that the post may have been erected to in some way commemorate (or  replace) the giant of a tree that had once stood there."
https://ntarchaeostonehengeaveburywhs.wordpress.com/2015/08/06/avebury-dig-2015-day-17/

Stonehenge : Three post holes and a tree throw hole.  G Vatcher and F de M Vatcher, 'Excavation of three post-holes in Stonehenge car park', Wiltshire Archaeological and History Magazine, 68 (1973), 57–63


Woodhenge:  from  Stonehenge: Exploring the greatest Stone Age mystery by  Mike Parker Pearson

1 comment:

  1. Nice Idea Tim but doesn't match the archaeology - mind you that doesn't stop MPP!! If you suggesting the Car Park holes are inverted trees then (as the roots I guess will still be on the inverted tree?) - they would have to have been dug out of the ground (including Roots).

    A tree with 1+.m width diameter truck would be 60:1 - so you would need to cut the top off first. The only reason we can date these holes is charcoal from the pine wood - the reason for this charcoal is that is the most effective way of tree cutting - you build a fire and burn the base then cut the burnt charcoal way.

    so if they placed it upside down the charcoal would not have been in the hole!

    The totem poles are mooring posts for boats and interestedly today Prof Vince Gaffney, dug up some old stuff about Durrington Walls but the most interesting aspect was the new drawings of Durrington Walls showing the harbour I suggest that existed at the same times as the Stonehenge 'mooring post' and he has even placed a canal from the Avon to the moats of Durrington - bless his little heart (I wonder what books he's been reading?). http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/8E19/production/_85377363_phase1-3_04.jpg

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