The stones which aren’t buried and still mostly visable, can be compared to similarities between the shape of the stone and some male genitels. This depiction of the male reproductive organ is probably in cooperation with the religious possibility, this is because the reason for such depiction is the demonstration of fertility.
In summary the factor of the dedication to building such a large monument means that the tribe/tribes which had built needed good organisation and also dedication to the reason/reasons for construction of the circle. In addition to that the factor of such wide scale vandelism may cloud some of the measurements taken. This is because if the circles were not vandelised then the only thing that could have affected the size and location of the stones would be the weathering. In addition the fact that some of the stones depict male reproductive organs and so are related to fertility and most probably something to do with there religion.
The avenues which are adjacent to the main circle and the north east circle are both still visable however parts of the line of stones have also been vandalised, (shown in the map depiction of the avenues). The reason for this defiliation of the stones is most likely the same as the defiliation of the stone circles. However, if the line/lines of the avenues where continued then the avenues would meet and most probably merge into one avenue and head towards a significant area in the moument. If you look at the photo there is a flat area of land. This area is probably a location of a ‘sanctuary’ like at avebury. The width of both avenues is approximately 8m wide, this shows that coordination of the construction of the circle was good. The avenues were probably used for processions to festivals in either or both of the circles. This is likely because the construction of a avenue is most likely for processions or similar festivels, eg. Carnivals. In summary, the avenues further prove that the construction of this monument took good organisation and that the uses of the avenues was most likely for processions or carnivals like street festivals in the modern day world.
The cove consists of 3 stones, two of which are still standing but one has fallen over
We know one of the stones has fallen over because at Avebury (another Neolithic stone circle) there is a similar structure, and at this cove at avebury all of the stones remain standing. One of the stones in the cove could be another representation of the male genitle symbol. Below are the measurements, which I had taken at the site, of the cove. The size of these stones do not seem to have a relationship. However there are similarities between the measurements but I do not think that this is relevant. For example the possible height of the stone which is recumbent in the cove, is 4m and the other two are smaller….
The possibility of a henge is most visable in the photos fig.. This is because as you can see there is a slight dip in the ground and allaround the site. I measured this ditch and it was 1.2m deep. This may have been the henge, however this is unlikely because at other
The alignments that I have researched and coordinate with the Stanton Drew stones are; the winter solstice and the summer solstice. This alignment is between the cove, the main circle and the north east circle. When the sun rises on the alignment of those three monuments this is at the same time as midsummer solstice. Midsummer solstice is when spring time turns into summer time. This is relevant because at this time of year crops maybe planted and the storage of any food over the winter which is left over maybe used up in a festival. The second alignment which I noticed is along the same line of monuments, the cove, the main circle, and the north east circle, when the sun sets near the cove this is the midwinter solstice. This is the shortest day when autumn time turns into winter time. This is also a day which might be celebrated because it is near harvesting time and also when stocks have to be compiled to last the winter. In summary
This shows me that these events were probably very important to these Neolithic people
The stones have been worn away and have sunk into the soft soil throughout the years. They have been worn away by weathering. If you look at fig, It shows a picture of one of the stones from the circle. As you can see from the annotations on this photo there has been . In fig . the stone has fallen over.
In conclusion what I have leaernt from my site visit is that the stone circles required organisation and dedication to the construction of the circles. The destruction and vandelism of the circles was most likely to be because of the church nearby. This is because the Christian church tried to eradicate the other religions which threatened there suppremesy. This was accomplished by the spreading of rumours and superstistion about the devil which could have encouraged the destruction of the stones because of the masses going on rampages. I have also learnt that the alignments which I have discovered may have been used as a calender but I think also has links in religious festivals……
Question 2: Why did people build the Stone Circles at Stanton Drew?
There are many possible reasons for the construction of such a huge monument at Stanton Drew. However, there is no written evidence of what the creators of this monument used it for or any original design. Therefore we have to base our conclusions on hypothetical situations and common sense.
The stone circles could have been used as village settlement because unlike avebury there is no evidence of a nearby large settlement (at avebuery there is windmill hill) however at avebuey when the site was excavated there was no evidence of a village settlement and that there was a village settlement located nearby at windmill hill. We know that this is most likely to be a village settlement because excavations of this site show crockery and animal bones (food). In summary
The stone circles could have been used as a calendar because there are alignments with certain positions of the sun at certain times of the year. For example at Stanton Drew there are alignments when the sun rises at Midsummer solstice and at midwinter solstice. However I do not think that the magantude of the stone circles supports this conclusion, this is most likely linked to a calender but also used in another concept.
There is no evidence to support the theory that the site was used as a burial site. This is because no excavations have been carried out at the site. However excavations were carried out at avebury and no skeletons which belongned to the Neolithic period were discovered ( a skeleton a a medieval surgeon was discovered but not the Neolithic period). In addition to this, at Avebury nearby there is the West Kennet Long barrow, in here there were bones discovered apon the oppeing of the tomb. However there are no visable Neolithic mouments on the map such as long barrows but there may be some which are not noted on the
It was unlikely that the Neolithic monunment was used as a fort or defencesive site. This is because
The stone circles could have been used as a stage for religious festivals/rituals because of the magnatude of such a site it is most likely devoted to religion. For example Christians build cathedrals and churches as places of worship. Also the nearest example of a Neolithic culture that we have is the Native Americans. There religion revolves around the ‘great circle’ a symbol of life. This could have also been used by people of Neolithic Britain. In summary
The stone circles could have been a staging for a tribal meeting place …….. the area and it has found that at Stanton Drew there could have
The stone circles could have been used as symbol of power and prestige because of the size of these monuments they could of demonstrated the power of a tribe. For example at avebury the henge in the area would have been bright white and could have been seen from miles away.
The stone circles could have been used as a Druid temple because some of the festivals which the Druids celebrate co-inside with religious festivals on the druid calendar. However the Druid religion has only been recorded to have been practised for the past 300 years, where as the stone circles have been estimated of having been erected 1000 of years earlier.
The most probable use for the stones is as a religious demonstration to a derity, derities. This is because I have noticed that some alignments with the sun rising and setting would have aligned with some of the alignments of the different monuments at the site. From example the alignment of the cove, the great circle, and the north east circle points towards where the sun rises of midsummers day (summer sulstice) and at the opposite end of this alignment it is where the sun sets on the midwinters day (winter sulstice). However this is only a presumtion and there is still uncertainty about the site because so there are many possible reasons for the construction of the site.
Question 3: Do other sources (other sites, secondary evidence, museums ect.) support or contradict what you have learned from Stanton Drew?
The evidence I gathered at Stanton Drew was valid. However I am also going to investigate other sources which are relevant to the hypothesis and may support, or contradict what I have found at Stanton Drew.
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as a village settlement was unlikely at Stanton Drew. Although there has never been excavations at Stanton Drew several have been carried out at Avebury (another neolithic stone circle). The excavations here showed that no remains of a village settlement were found. For example no animal bones or crockery were found. However some were found nearby at windmill hill but there does not seem any evidence of a similar village settlement nearby at Stanton Drew. In summary…
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as a calendar was likely. This is because the use of the circle probably co insided with religious festivals and agriculture. For example the alignments at Stanton Drew are the same as ones at stone henge and avebury. Also the alignements co-inside with midsummer and midwinter times when crops need to be harvested or planted and stored. In summary
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as cemetery was unlikely at Stanton Drew. Although there has never been excavations at Stanton Drew several have been carried out at Avebury stone circles. At avebury one skeleton was found but he belonged to a later period. At avebury nearby there where ‘long barrowns’ theses are rectangular shaped ‘mounds’ which when opened were recorded to have contained bones. In summary
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as a fort/defensive position was unlikely at Stanton Drew. This is because no signs of any battle remains were found at Avebury when excavations were carried out. In addtition at Avebury the enterances have no evidence of being closed off using ‘gates’ and the same I can apply to Stanton Drew. Although the henge is not vividly apparent I do not think it was constructed for protection. There is also the factor that the whole site is built upon a hill and so can be easily attatcked from the south. In summary
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as a stage for religious festivals/rituals was likely because there are similarities between other Neolithic sites, and other religions. For example the native Americans believe in the great circle this is like a circle of life. They based their homes on this circle (tipes), as you can see there are similaties between the native Americas and Neolithic british people. This being the construction of the stone circles being in a circle, also some of the alignments may have been used in religious festivals (as explained in question 1). In summary
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as tribal meeting place was could have been likely because there would be appropriate area and prestige about the area. However this theory is unlikely because there is no evidence to support it. For example at tribal meetings there would most likely be food present and there has not been any recoverd at Avebury and because there is no excavation evidence I have to ase my ideas on avebury. In summary
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as a symbol of power/prestige was likely. This is because of the size of the stone circles and the magnatude of the site. This is because
From the sources I have looked at they show me that the site being used as a Druid temple was unlikely because the Druid religion wasn’t recoreded until the 17th century. In summary
A magnetometry survey was carried several years ago and this survey produced evidence which points towards an inner wooden temple which was constructed inside the main circle. This is known because of ditches which have been found by using the magnetometry survey. It suggests that there are rings of these pits which appear about a metre in diameter and there are also rings of pits which very in diameter between 23m and 95m. Another advantage of this survey is that it told us that inside these ditches there were wooden posts. This was all established without excavational work. In summary
Other evidence that has been hypothesised is the use of magical reasons for the construction of Stanton Drew. These state that the Neolithic monuments in Britain are built along ley lines. Ley lines are apparently areas of briatin which are supercharged with magical energy. These lines are apparently where Neolithic monuments have been built, for example as you can see Stonehenge and Avebury seem to be inline with these ley lines. However if you try and find Stanton Drew it is not located on the map. But Bristol is and Stanton Drew is south of Bristol and the ley line does not appear to go through the Stanton Drew area. (see fig ). However another ‘magical’ science has also been quoted for saying that the Neolithic sites around Britain seem to contain energy, like electricity. This ‘magical’ science is Feng Shui, developed in China this method claims that Neolithic man knew how to find these areas of energy. This coinsidence of two separate theretical magicical ideas having the same basic driving force is only co- insidence because there is no actual acientific evidence of Ley lines only coinsidence and wild imaginations. In summary
Stanton Drew folk law talks about how the stones were created by a wedding party dancing through the night into Sunday moring because they were tempted by the devil playing his violin which kept them dancing. When the sun rose on the Sunday morning they all turned to stone. This legend was tracked to go as far back as the early 18th century…..Another folk law is that the stones of Stanton Drew cannot be counted exactly, this was stated by John Wood in his description of Bath (1749). He is quoted as saying that whenever people tried to count the stones there were “struck dead upon the spot, or with such an illness as soon carried them off.” This legend
Evaluation of sources I have used in question three are as follow…
In conclusion
Question 4: Using all the evidence available, explain whether you agree or disagree with the hypothesis?
I am unsure about disagreeing or agreeing because there is no way of knowing for certain
The site could have been purley a religious site because The site could have been used as For example eAt other Neolithic sites In conclusion However we will never fully know the extent of the Neolithic peoples beiliefs and their life style religion shall stay an enigma forever.
