Saturday 19 October 2024

The Chalk Plaque Lozenges

In 1968 during the widening of the A303 road near Stonehenge. archaeologists uncovered what is now known as the Chalk Plaque Pit, which contained two extraordinary engraved chalk plaques. The plaques feature intricate geometric designs incised into their surfaces. Recent analysis using advanced imaging techniques has revealed previously unseen details, including what appears to be a representation of a twisted cord on one of the plaques. 


The plaques have what has been termed front and back sides, the fronts having the intricate series of lines we are used to seeing but a picture of the "back" of plaque one in the Salisbury museum collection - https://collections.salisburymuseum.org.uk/object/SBYWM:2009R.125.1869 - which is very clear, lead me to look again at the the lozenges depicted.


The reverse of Plaque one from Davis et al.

A familiar pattern that is overshadowed by the other side of the plaques.

And a couple of unrelated uses of symbolic lozenges I have noticed this last week.

The Norman font in Minster Church - St Merteriana's - near Boscastle and a Japanese Mayo bottle.






  

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