Stonehenge

In September 2014 archaeologists discovered an encampment  about 1.5  miles away from Stonehenge. Using carbon dating it has taken until now to be able to determine the age of the encampment to be around 6,000 years old.

Canada Now reports:

The site of the encampment has been named Blick Mead and it is about 1.5 miles from the Stonehenge monument. Archaeologists tested charcoal remains at the Blick Mead site and carbon dating determined that these charcoal remains date from around 4,000 B.C which is hundreds and possibly even a thousand years before Stonehenge was constructed.

Archaeologists also uncovered a number of other remains and artifacts that point to a settlement or encampment being present in the area around Stonehenge. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of large cattle called Aurochs, the ancestors of our modern cows and bulls that were eaten by early hunter gatherers at Blick Mead. In addition to cattle remains archaeologists have found burnt flints used to start fires for cooking and warmth and other tools such as primitive knives. The newly discovered Blick Mead site probably attracted early hunter gatherers in Britain because of a natural spring in the area providing a steady source of fresh water for both humans and animals and rare algae that has changed the color of native rocks from brown to pink. No doubt this area would have been an excellent place to have a settlement or encampment.

Historians and anthropologists believe that artifacts and structures from the Blick Mead site could shed light onto the pre-history of Stonehenge and its inhabitants which has long remained a mystery. There are still buildings that need to be studied such as a 33 meter long wooden structure that was possibly used for ritual burials that was unearthed at the Blick Mead site this September.

Archaeologists and historians are concerned for the future of the site due to a plan to build a tunnel beneath the Stonehenge landscape in order to divert traffic from the nearby A303. The Department of Transport have said the will consult with experts to ensure the planned tunnel project does not disturb historical and cultural areas and artifacts.

28 Comments CherryPie on Dec 29th 2014

28 Responses to “Archaeologists Uncover 6,000 Year Old Encampment Near Stonehenge”

  1. I drove past there just 2 days ago! ;)

  2. This is amazing news but I do wish they would stay clear of these historic sites….

    • CherryPie says:

      The problem is that the road already runs nearby. They wanted to hide it so the Stonehenge site can be rejoined to the landscape.

      It is a difficult situation and difficult to know what is for the best.

  3. It was, and is, an amazing and intriguing and very special place.

  4. Doesn’t matter how old the humans are it just prove…The human spirit is old soul.
    Coffee is on

  5. ubermouth says:

    That’s unbelievable that someone should think it a good idea to build a tunnel anywhere near Stonehenge( yet I was evicted and threatened with arrest for touching them!).

    Blick Mead sounds fascinating. I hope there is much more to be said on that topic. Thanks for the post, Cherie.

    • CherryPie says:

      The tunnel idea is intended to enhance the Stonehenge environment rather than spoil the environment. The idea is however, controversial.

      • Tunnel is fine by me so long as it is in a sensible place, like not directly under the stones, and the digging may reveal something interesting, and it will be good for us to leave a lasting contribution of our own technology. I wonder if, back in the day, there were people protesting that raising the stones was a dreadful blight on a lovely landscape? So… they can now proceed happy in the knowledge that I am happy :) . I expect I’ll be back there again soon.

        • CherryPie says:

          Hopefully it will be done in such a way that it won’t spoil the archaeology of the site. The project is supposed to enhance the current site experience whilst easing the current traffic problems.

  6. Amfortas says:

    A splendid new window on the early days of our Isle. It is to be hoped that whatever ‘committee’ takes this site into its ‘care’ have no ‘modernists’ on it. And for goodness sake keep Tony Wossname away from it (just kidding). :)

    • CherryPie says:

      Stonehenge and the surrounding area fascinates me as does Avebury. Whatever they decide to do with the site is bound to be controversial. There is always more than one view point and different ideas on what is best ;-)

  7. lisl says:

    I remember watching the programme on this on TV and on i-Player. I think the experts thought the pinkish rocks were one reason why the settlement was there – the change in colour must have been quite magical

    • CherryPie says:

      I have not seen about the pinkish rocks before. If they did change colour like that I am sure our ancestors would have seen that as a magical occurrence.

  8. wiggia says:

    I am a bit confused by this “latest find”, I read an article on this area, Vespasians Camp which I believe Blick Mead is a part of some time ago.
    The major part of the site had been removed “landscaped” by a certain Marquees of Queensbury, no less, two or three centuries ago so there can’t be that much to find if the facts of that were correct !
    I’m sure you can enlighten me Cherrie ?

  9. I love how we keep discovering new parts and pieces to the puzzles:)
    thanks for making history seem to come alive
    in these busy times, friend.
    -Jennifer

  10. Anne says:

    I am not a history person at all , but I will always read about Stonehenge. They still don’t know why it is there , or even how it got there. Why was the road built so close , now they need to spend more money building a tunnel.

    I like geography , cultures and ok maybe history comes into it , but not dates or anything like that. I have a step nephew who is into all this, apparently he was down there in the summer and he got knighted or something, by the King. (wrong names most probably)

    • CherryPie says:

      When the road was built people didn’t think about heritage and history in the same way that we do no. So now the damage of the past needs to be repaired and the trick is to find a way to do it without causing more damage.

      There are a lot of archaeological treasures in the Stonehenge landscape and our knowledge so far has only just skimmed the surface of what there is to know…

      Is your step nephew a Druid??

  11. james higham says:

    That’s just my bunker, Cherie.