Time for another visit to Dennis Price at Eternal Idol, with whom we have shared past visits to and ruminations upon, Stonehenge, in particular looking at what its original builders may have intended it to represent, its relationship with Woodhenge, and many other ideas besides.On this occasion we're off to Silbury Hill, which has also been mentioned in past posts on this blog - although this time round, we're going to accompany DP and photographer Pete Glastonbury inside this monumental structure, as an introductory look at what promise to be some startling revelations from within its depths, and which will be written up in due course, and as such this will be a relatively brief post in comparison to those posted recently about Stonehenge.
Silbury is the sleeping giant of prehistoric archaeology. Its megalithic cousin, Stonehenge, which stands about sixteen miles to the south, is an open book by comparison with this stupendous, enigmatic mound. Indeed, Silbury is so enormous that it was described by one awestruck writer in 1776 as an artificial mountain, while treasure hunters have been desperately tunnelling into it for over two hundred years in the belief that it is a colossal barrow, or the ancient burial mound of a king. Mike Pitts, editor of British Archaeology, describes it as a pyramid on page 191 of his book Hengeworld.
This notion is echoed in an official 2002 English Heritage study, written by David Field, where the computer models and plans clearly show a regular nine-sided pyramid of immense size, sophistication and antiquity. Silbury was built at around the same time as some of the Mesopotamian ziggurats, while the comparison with these eastern structures is further enhanced by the flat platform at the summit. Silbury and the ziggurats have various other features in common that are well worth remarking on, but we shall come to these in good time.
If we are to accept the idea that Silbury Hill was a pyramid, we might then ask why there is only one of its type, not only in Britain, but in the entire continent of Europe - excluding the mysterious step pyramids in the Canary Islands, which in any case would appear to be more recent than Silbury Hill. In both the New World and the Middle East, numerous pyramids of various types were constructed, and it might be considered odd that only one was constructed in Britain - unless of course there were others that have for one reason or another, simply vanished from view over the past four millennia.
If there was a connection with the Middle East, or Mesopotamian ziggurats, it might be supposed that Silbury Hill was an idea that was expressed once, but never caught on - although whether it was the result of cultural contact between Britain and the Middle East is unclear, as there appears to be nothing in the archaeological record in the guise of artefacts that would link the two together at this location at these dates - although of course, there may yet be something buried within Silbury Hill which could provide a link.
A few words on some perceived similarities with Oak Island...
In our modern era, there are many similarities between Silbury and North America’s most famous site of legendary treasure, the Oak Island Money Pit, although these have never been remarked upon before.
- Both sites were first explored for treasure just over two hundred years ago.
- Both sites continue to be the subject of physical investigations and explorations.
- Both sites are still rumoured to be the locations of fabulous missing treasure.
- Both sites have had their central features largely destroyed by repeated digging.
- The interior of Silbury contains holes for posts that may have been fashioned from oak, while Colonel Drax, the first known person to dig into Silbury in search of treasure, reported that he had discovered a remnant of what he termed “a Druid oak”.
- Both sites are firmly linked with water as part of their structure - Silbury was once surrounded by a huge moat.
- Both sites continue to hide whatever gold or treasure may lie hidden there, defeating the efforts of modern technology and excavators.
- Both sites have attracted extensive media attention.
- Both sites are of uncertain, unascertained or disputed origin.
- Silbury is on a World Heritage Site, while efforts are under way to promote Oak Island as a heritage site, due to its cultural appeal.
Present day archaeologists and academics might well affect to sneer at this repeated mention of treasure, but the blunt fact remains that every investigation into Silbury has been motivated by the lure of discovering untold riches in the centre of the hill.
Back to the matters at hand, and the recent restoration work that has been taking place at Silbury Hill...Over the past year, English Heritage have been conducting archaeological excavations at Silbury in conjunction with the repair work being carried out by the civil engineering firm Skanska, with the project being headed by Mark Kirkbride. You can see the updates given out by English Heritage on this link, while there have also been occasional press reports. It’s a crying shame to dignify them by so much as mentioning them, but it’s fair to say that there have also been observations made about the mound by individuals who are either teetering on the threshold of complete insanity, or else are unashamedly lying through their back teeth.
These latter reports were pretty much based on wishful thinking and rapid escorted tours of the inside of the mound, but here at Eternal Idol, we have something radically different to offer... ...We spent over three hours there after the English Heritage archaeologists had left for the final time, seeing every last inch of the tunnels inside, which you may well think had been pretty much covered by the media day and by the recent BBC 4 documentary on Silbury.
However, thanks to the generosity, professionalism and, it has to be said, the skill of the Skanska personnel who were there with us, we saw parts of the interior of Silbury that few human eyes have seen before, while it’s entirely accurate to say that more people have been on the surface of the Moon than have ventured where we did.
In the process, we learned a very great deal about this most enigmatic of human constructions, including the discovery on the final day of a tooth in what I’d personally regard as a highly significant position within the mound. There were other surprises lurking inside that have not been remarked upon or made public before, but to cap it all, we had a professional video camera with us, so we’ve successfully captured our entire visit not only in photographs, but on film as well, with clear sound as an accompaniment.
It’s a problem to know where to begin, that much is certain, but it will all see the light of day when we’re best able to present it in its best light and do it full justice.
The discovery of the tooth sounds interesting, and we hope for further details to emerge in due course - but that notwithstanding, to actually venture into the structure itself must have been quite awe-inspiring - it sounds as though there could be some fascinating revelations yet to come. And although I don't know exactly how successful the restoration has been, it will be hoped by all with an interest in Silbury Hill and related archaeology that it will stand for another few thousand years yet.Hopefully, further updates will appear as time goes by at both Eternal Idol and on this blog.
see also: Pete Glastonbury - Silbury Hill Excavations 2007
English Heritage : Silbury Hill - on the right-hand side of their page, click the 'short films' box - there are three to watch, in total.
and Tim Binnall has this interview with Danny Hennigar, talking about Oak Island, from November 3rd, 2007
image from here
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7 comments:
It’s claimed that Silbury Hill is
unique in the UK (and indeed in Europe),
however it does appear to have at least
one extant relative, and a close one
geographcically ( and in terms of scale),
at that, laying only afew miles to it’s east
in the sleepy town of Marlborough.
The Marlborough Mound is
Located in the private grounds of
Marlborough College, and has suffered
Much more over the course of history
Than it’s more famous cousin, utilized
By the Normans after the conquest as a
Motte for a castle (as was Silbury), used
As a garden feature (the “shell grotto” is
Still there), covered with trees, boxed in
By the college buildings(making it virtually
Invisible)…….and the final indignity,
The placing of a water tank on its summit!.
It’s re-use as a motte appears to
Have led to it’s being ignored as a contempory
of Silbury Hill, although plenty of evidence to
it’s pre-historic origin is extant.
Isn’t it about time a serious and
Extensive archaeological investigation was
Carried out on Silbury’s “twin”, even with the
Done to the Marlborough Mound it could
Well shed light on the origins and uses of
Silbury Hill and of course it’s self.
Further comments about the uniqueness of Silbury Hill.
further thought led me to think of
Dragon Hill, by the uffington white horse, some 16 miles to the North East of Silbury.
Although this hill is almost certainly a natural chalk mound ( though almost perfectly conical), the summit WAS at some time in antiquity levelled to produce a truncated cone similar in appearance to Silbury Hill and Marlborough Mound.
this is of course purely conjecture on my part......but perhaps it was modified to appear like the two man made mounds or they were created to look like it.
Rob - thanks for your interesting comments, especially regarding Marlborough College and the mound in the grounds thereof. I'm afraid it's not something I know a great deal about, but if I find something substantial I'll add more here or in a post - the same goes for Dragon Hill, so thanks for bringing them to our attention. If MM has never been excavated, and is man-made, then you probably have a very good point in suggesting something should be done to take a look.
Typically, I never thought of this until after I'd already posted the last.
There is something Silbury Hill, Marlborough Mound and Dragon Hill all have in common, they all appear to have been utilised as mottes in the early Norman period, or forts in earlier periods........
And in various places around the UK I've seen surviving mottes(with or without surviving stonework) with strikingly similar profiles and of a similar scale.
which leads me to posit a tentative theory: were these man made mounds common in the landscape, and most just were utilised as mottes, leading historians/archaeologists to assume they were purpose built during the Norman period Silbury being a lucky exception.
before it's assumed i'm a crank....laughs....I'm not promoting this theory, which I personally find unlikely(though possible)....just throwing it out there a discussion.
I don't know enough about Norman mottes and their archaeological history to be able to comment on whether some might have been mis-identified, or whether the Normans mostly made their own mounds - I've seen it suggested elsewhere there may have been 'scores of Silburies', so if that theory is correct, (which at the time, I doubted) it might well be the case that many were still extant in the 11th century, when the Normans arrived.
If you have a blog, maybe post some images of the other features across the UK you mention, and see what sort of response that elicits from those who know more about mottes etc.
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