This book presents the results of research undertaken at Stonehenge and in its surrounding landsc... more This book presents the results of research undertaken at Stonehenge and in its surrounding landscape by English Heritage/Historic England since 2009. The research has included a comprehensive suite (it says here) of non-intrusive approaches - analytical survey of upstanding archaeological monuments and features, aerial photographic and lidar survey, geophysical survey, laser scanning, and documentary research. In combination these techniques enable a comprehensive recovery of landscape history, allowing the development of an appreciation of the Stonehenge landscape not only in the Neolithic and Bronze Age, but throughout all prehistoric and historic periods, from the Palaeolithic to the 21st century AD.
An illustrated introduction to the work of Victorian aerial photographer Cecil Shadbolt (1859-189... more An illustrated introduction to the work of Victorian aerial photographer Cecil Shadbolt (1859-1892), including the earliest surviving aerial photo taken over England.
A very very brief introduction to the work and working methods of photographer Alfred G Buckham, ... more A very very brief introduction to the work and working methods of photographer Alfred G Buckham, partly in response to the increasingly frequent appearance of a few of his images on social media. The particular focus here is Buckham's (c1920) 'combination print' of Edinburgh from above.
Two Egyptian scarabs, each inscribed with the cartouche of Tuthmosis III, were found in Wiltshire... more Two Egyptian scarabs, each inscribed with the cartouche of Tuthmosis III, were found in Wiltshire in 1928, one of them very close to Stonehenge. At the time, of course, the so-called ‘hyperdiffusionist’ ideas of Grafton Elliot Smith and William Perry were still very much matters of debate and concern. Both objects – eventually identified as souvenirs of recent date rather than actual antiquities – and their circumstances of discovery were subject to considerable scrutiny at the time, resulting in the publication of two reports in the mid-1930s. Since then, little attention has been paid to either object. In this paper, contemporary correspondence and notes concerning the investigation of the scarabs are used to highlight a number of issues, notably the reliability of the detail in those published reports, and the somewhat permeable boundary between what, with hindsight, are regarded as orthodox archaeology and pseudo-archaeology.
Why do archaeologists excavate? What should we expect from archaeological archives? OGS Crawford’... more Why do archaeologists excavate? What should we expect from archaeological archives? OGS Crawford’s discovery and excavation of the course of the Stonehenge Avenue in the summer of 1923 – perhaps the first time that a cropmark was identified on an aerial photograph and the first such site to be excavated, and moreover a discovery that had considerable impact on the understanding of Stonehenge’s construction and its relationship with the wider landscape – has left virtually no material trace within the relevant archives. This paper aims to offer an explanation for that absence, and to shed some light on Crawford’s belief that his excavations were unlikely to yield ‘tangible results’.
Brief review of Nadar's 'When I Was A Photographer', translated by E Cadava, L Theodoratou (MIT P... more Brief review of Nadar's 'When I Was A Photographer', translated by E Cadava, L Theodoratou (MIT Press, 2015). Link to published article: http://www.univie.ac.at/aarg/index.php/AARGnews.html
Illustrated summary of the results of recent aerial reconnaissance undertaken by Historic England... more Illustrated summary of the results of recent aerial reconnaissance undertaken by Historic England, focusing particularly on the sizeable numbers of new sites turning up across the clays of south-central and eastern England. Website URL keeps changing - currently available via https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/historic-england-research-2/
OGS Crawford is widely-recognised as a key figure in the origins and early development of aerial ... more OGS Crawford is widely-recognised as a key figure in the origins and early development of aerial archaeology. Following on from some comments in a previous issue of AARGnews, this paper asks the questions 'Did Crawford ever use a stereoscope?', and 'Did Crawford see any value for archaeology in the three-dimensional view?'; and seeks to explain why the answer to both is 'No'.
After water, concrete is the most consumed substance on earth. Every year enough cement is produc... more After water, concrete is the most consumed substance on earth. Every year enough cement is produced to manufacture around six billion cubic metres of concrete. This paper investigates
how concrete has been built into the construction of modern prehistories. We present an archaeology of concrete in the prehistoric landscapes of Stonehenge and Avebury, where
concrete is a major component of megalithic sites restored between 1901 and 1964. We explore how concreting changed between 1901 and the Second World War, and the implications of this for constructions of prehistory. We discuss the role of concrete in debates surrounding restoration, analyze the semiotics of concrete equivalents for the megaliths, and investigate the significance of concreting to interpretations of prehistoric building. A technology that mixes ancient and modern, concrete helped build the modern archaeological imagination.
Non-invasive survey in the Stonehenge 'Triangle', Amesbury, Wiltshire, has highlighted a number o... more Non-invasive survey in the Stonehenge 'Triangle', Amesbury, Wiltshire, has highlighted a number of features that have a significant bearing on the interpretation of the site. Geophysical anomalies may signal the position of buried stones adding to the possibility of former stone arrangements, while laser scanning has provided detail on the manner in which the stones have been dressed; some subsequently carved with dagger and axe symbols. The probability that a lintelled bluestone trilithon formed an entrance in the north-east is highlighted. This work has added detail that allows discussion on whether the sarsen circle was a completed structure, although it is by no means conclusive in this respect. Instead, it is suggested that it was built as a facade, with other parts of the circuit added and with an entrance in the south.
This book presents the results of research undertaken at Stonehenge and in its surrounding landsc... more This book presents the results of research undertaken at Stonehenge and in its surrounding landscape by English Heritage/Historic England since 2009. The research has included a comprehensive suite (it says here) of non-intrusive approaches - analytical survey of upstanding archaeological monuments and features, aerial photographic and lidar survey, geophysical survey, laser scanning, and documentary research. In combination these techniques enable a comprehensive recovery of landscape history, allowing the development of an appreciation of the Stonehenge landscape not only in the Neolithic and Bronze Age, but throughout all prehistoric and historic periods, from the Palaeolithic to the 21st century AD.
An illustrated introduction to the work of Victorian aerial photographer Cecil Shadbolt (1859-189... more An illustrated introduction to the work of Victorian aerial photographer Cecil Shadbolt (1859-1892), including the earliest surviving aerial photo taken over England.
A very very brief introduction to the work and working methods of photographer Alfred G Buckham, ... more A very very brief introduction to the work and working methods of photographer Alfred G Buckham, partly in response to the increasingly frequent appearance of a few of his images on social media. The particular focus here is Buckham's (c1920) 'combination print' of Edinburgh from above.
Two Egyptian scarabs, each inscribed with the cartouche of Tuthmosis III, were found in Wiltshire... more Two Egyptian scarabs, each inscribed with the cartouche of Tuthmosis III, were found in Wiltshire in 1928, one of them very close to Stonehenge. At the time, of course, the so-called ‘hyperdiffusionist’ ideas of Grafton Elliot Smith and William Perry were still very much matters of debate and concern. Both objects – eventually identified as souvenirs of recent date rather than actual antiquities – and their circumstances of discovery were subject to considerable scrutiny at the time, resulting in the publication of two reports in the mid-1930s. Since then, little attention has been paid to either object. In this paper, contemporary correspondence and notes concerning the investigation of the scarabs are used to highlight a number of issues, notably the reliability of the detail in those published reports, and the somewhat permeable boundary between what, with hindsight, are regarded as orthodox archaeology and pseudo-archaeology.
Why do archaeologists excavate? What should we expect from archaeological archives? OGS Crawford’... more Why do archaeologists excavate? What should we expect from archaeological archives? OGS Crawford’s discovery and excavation of the course of the Stonehenge Avenue in the summer of 1923 – perhaps the first time that a cropmark was identified on an aerial photograph and the first such site to be excavated, and moreover a discovery that had considerable impact on the understanding of Stonehenge’s construction and its relationship with the wider landscape – has left virtually no material trace within the relevant archives. This paper aims to offer an explanation for that absence, and to shed some light on Crawford’s belief that his excavations were unlikely to yield ‘tangible results’.
Brief review of Nadar's 'When I Was A Photographer', translated by E Cadava, L Theodoratou (MIT P... more Brief review of Nadar's 'When I Was A Photographer', translated by E Cadava, L Theodoratou (MIT Press, 2015). Link to published article: http://www.univie.ac.at/aarg/index.php/AARGnews.html
Illustrated summary of the results of recent aerial reconnaissance undertaken by Historic England... more Illustrated summary of the results of recent aerial reconnaissance undertaken by Historic England, focusing particularly on the sizeable numbers of new sites turning up across the clays of south-central and eastern England. Website URL keeps changing - currently available via https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/historic-england-research-2/
OGS Crawford is widely-recognised as a key figure in the origins and early development of aerial ... more OGS Crawford is widely-recognised as a key figure in the origins and early development of aerial archaeology. Following on from some comments in a previous issue of AARGnews, this paper asks the questions 'Did Crawford ever use a stereoscope?', and 'Did Crawford see any value for archaeology in the three-dimensional view?'; and seeks to explain why the answer to both is 'No'.
After water, concrete is the most consumed substance on earth. Every year enough cement is produc... more After water, concrete is the most consumed substance on earth. Every year enough cement is produced to manufacture around six billion cubic metres of concrete. This paper investigates
how concrete has been built into the construction of modern prehistories. We present an archaeology of concrete in the prehistoric landscapes of Stonehenge and Avebury, where
concrete is a major component of megalithic sites restored between 1901 and 1964. We explore how concreting changed between 1901 and the Second World War, and the implications of this for constructions of prehistory. We discuss the role of concrete in debates surrounding restoration, analyze the semiotics of concrete equivalents for the megaliths, and investigate the significance of concreting to interpretations of prehistoric building. A technology that mixes ancient and modern, concrete helped build the modern archaeological imagination.
Non-invasive survey in the Stonehenge 'Triangle', Amesbury, Wiltshire, has highlighted a number o... more Non-invasive survey in the Stonehenge 'Triangle', Amesbury, Wiltshire, has highlighted a number of features that have a significant bearing on the interpretation of the site. Geophysical anomalies may signal the position of buried stones adding to the possibility of former stone arrangements, while laser scanning has provided detail on the manner in which the stones have been dressed; some subsequently carved with dagger and axe symbols. The probability that a lintelled bluestone trilithon formed an entrance in the north-east is highlighted. This work has added detail that allows discussion on whether the sarsen circle was a completed structure, although it is by no means conclusive in this respect. Instead, it is suggested that it was built as a facade, with other parts of the circuit added and with an entrance in the south.
Damerham Archaeology Project (DAP) has been investigating a complex of prehistoric and Romano-Bri... more Damerham Archaeology Project (DAP) has been investigating a complex of prehistoric and Romano-British sites near Damerham, Hampshire since 2008, using a range of non-intrusive techniques as well as targeted excavation. In August 2013, a particular focus of the project was on the investigation of the ploughzone. This comprised intensive surface collection, test-pitting, and excavation of selected sub-surface features. This report, produced for English Heritage, comprises preliminary analysis and conclusions of the 2013 fieldwork.
Brifely stated, the main conclusions are that:
(a) At Damerham, surface collection offered a poor indication of the location and character of the monuments discovered through remote sensing;
(b) the surface assemblage appears to offer little indication of the likely condition of the archaeological sites at Damerham;
(c) the ploughzone assemblage at Damerham is unlikely to be representative of the sub-surface assemblage contained in undisturbed archaeological features;
(d) intensive surface collection offers the best means of capturing the spatial distribution of artefactual material present on the surface;
(e) sampling strategies offer an increasingly poor representation of the surface distribution of material as the distance between transects and collection points increases;
(e) if sampling rather than intensive collection is to be used, then careful consideration needs to be given to the aims and objectives of surface collection.
Article summarising the latest attempt to point out that there are no neolithic monuments adjacen... more Article summarising the latest attempt to point out that there are no neolithic monuments adjacent to the Long Man of Wilmington (no flint mines, no long barrow), and also to highlight the value of historic (in this case 1920s) aerial photographs. A more detailed analysis of this landscape can be found in E Carpenter, F Small & M Barber (2013) South Downs: Beachy Head to the River Ouse.
Report on the assessment of aerial photographs and lidar covering the area of the Ramsgate Herita... more Report on the assessment of aerial photographs and lidar covering the area of the Ramsgate Heritage Action Zone. The aerial investigation and mapping project, summarised in this report, complements other research by Historic England on the historic fabric of the town itself, on the connections between the modern town and the more distant, prehistoric, past of the area, and an assessment by Land Use Consultants of the town’s historic character. Aerial photographs available to the project cover almost a century, documenting changes to Ramsgate and its environs from the 1920s to the present. They also capture traces of much earlier periods, the oldest belonging to the 4th millennium BC. Records of over 330 new sites were created for the 20 sq km project area, including a newly-recognised Early Neolithic causewayed enclosure (the third to be identified in the area); numerous prehistoric burial monuments including a previously unrecognised oval barrow, also potentially Early Neolithic in date; and extensive traces of settlements and associated field boundaries from the later Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman periods. Highlights from the medieval period include traces of Upper Court and Nether Court Manors, plus some probable fish weirs in Pegwell Bay. RAF aerial photographs taken during and after the Second World War offer a detailed view of the impact of that conflict on the town. They captured various installations and defensive features, as well as the extent of bomb damage and the subsequent appearance of replacement housing in the form of pre-fabricated buildings. The report also highlights aspects of the relationship between the modern town and the more distant past, particularly in the Nethercourt area where features of Iron Age and Roman date (and potentially earlier) revealed as cropmarks now largely lie beneath the houses and gardens of post-war housing estates. The report can be downloaded free from https://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=16243
Extracted from 2013 Silbury Hill excavation report - updated version of the 2002/3 aerial survey ... more Extracted from 2013 Silbury Hill excavation report - updated version of the 2002/3 aerial survey of the Neolithic palisaded enclosures at West Kennet nr Avebury.
This survey involved the interpretation, transcription and recording of archaeological features s... more This survey involved the interpretation, transcription and recording of archaeological features seen on aerial photographs in the immediate vicinity of the Stoke Down Neolithic flint mines near Chichester, West Sussex. The main stimulus was the discovery during the annual English Heritage reconnaissance programme of new cropmark detail, including an extension to the area of mining itself as well as the recognition of some nearby ring ditches. The opportunity was also taken to examine the history of investigation at the flint mines. This represents a considerable updating of the survey undertaken for the 1999 RCHME publication The Neolithic Flint Mines of England.
This survey involved the interpretation, transcription and recording of all significant archaeolo... more This survey involved the interpretation, transcription and recording of all significant archaeological features seen on aerial photographs at and in the immediate environs of the ‘henge enclosure’ known as Mount Pleasant on the outskirts of Dorchester, Dorset.
The survey followed observation of previously unrecognised features visible on photographs taken in 2003, as part of English Heritage’s annual aerial reconnaissance programme. Assessment of historic photographs in the National Monuments Record (now English Heritage Archive) collection at Swindon demonstrated that many of these ‘new’ features had been photographed before, but that despite the significance of the site, and the amount of work undertaken in the vicinity over the years, no systematic analysis of the aerial photographic evidence had ever been undertaken.
Among the key features discussed are additional entrances into the henge enclosure, evidence for external ditches, enlarged or heightened banks, and a possible approach to the River Frome, along with a number of previously unrecognised ring ditches outside the enclosure.
Between 1917 and 1921, Stonehenge had an aerodrome for a near-neighbour. Initially a Royal Flying... more Between 1917 and 1921, Stonehenge had an aerodrome for a near-neighbour. Initially a Royal Flying Corps training establishment, from January 1918 it became the No. 1 School of Aerial Navigation and Bomb Dropping, home to a contingent of RNAS Handley Page bombers. The aerodrome featured two camps either side of a take-off and landing ground, the first located close to Fargo Plantation, and a subsequent and more substantial technical and domestic site situated either side of what is now the A303, a few hundred yards west of Stonehenge.
After the war, the aerodrome buildings became the focus of debate about what constituted unacceptable modern intrusions in the Stonehenge landscape. Converted to both agricultural and domestic use, the hangars and accommodation blocks prompted the first demands to ‘restore’ the Stonehenge landscape – not to what it had been prior to the war, but to something deemed more appropriate as a setting for the monument. Following a public appeal, the aerodrome and neighbouring farmland was purchased, the buildings dismantled and removed, and the land handed to the National Trust. The result was intended to be a landscape freed from “the restless and commonplace current of every day life”.
Stonehenge was transformed considerably during the 20th century, the monument itself being subjec... more Stonehenge was transformed considerably during the 20th century, the monument itself being subjected to more intervention and alteration from 1901 than at any time since the Bronze Age. Some of the most important episodes of excavation at Stonehenge during the 20th century were driven by a desire to interfere with the monument’s physical appearance, often but not always due to concerns about stability. The romantic ruin of previous generations – leaning monoliths, twisted trilithons and recumbent sarsens – was rationalised into a more upright, orderly design and secured for posterity with concrete. At the same time, the visibility of the enclosing earthworks was enhanced for the paying visitor, the enclosure ditch only partially backfilled and surplus material spread across the site to conceal old trackways. 1901 was also the year that the monument was first enclosed and an admission charge introduced, both intended as means of controlling the numbers and types of visitor. Since Stonehenge passed into State hands in 1918, catering for the increasing numbers of visitors has also continued to play an important role in the presentation and appearance of the monument and its immediate surroundings.
Viewing the recent history of Stonehenge through a narrative that sees a privately-owned and neglected 19th century ruin transformed, via essential maintenance and repair, into a unique and monumental expression of Neolithic beliefs and achievement rather overlooks the complexities of that 20th century transformation. Looking more closely at the circumstances surrounding three key episodes – the appearance in 1881 of some timber supports; the straightening and concreting of the massive Stone 56 in 1901; and the uncompleted ‘reparations’ of 1919-20 – helps to show not only why we have a more stable and secure monument today, but also that the Stonehenge of the 21st century is no closer to its prehistoric state than it was in 1901.
2003 survey of the cropmarks of the West Kennet palisaded enclosure complex. See 2013 update for ... more 2003 survey of the cropmarks of the West Kennet palisaded enclosure complex. See 2013 update for summary of subsequent developments.
Analytical earthwork survey and ground modelling of the Neolithic flint mining complex known as G... more Analytical earthwork survey and ground modelling of the Neolithic flint mining complex known as Grime's Graves, in Norfolk, were undertaken by the RCHME in 1995. The full survey report, not yet available as a pdf, can be obtained at (or via) the Historic England Archive. The survey and general discussion can be found in Barber et al (1999) The Neolithic Flint Mines of England (see link on this page). The attached document here is an unfinished overview from c1998 of the previous history of investigation at Grimes Graves, only a very very brief summary of which appeared in the 2000 report. Maybe someone will find it useful... Who knows?
The site of Neolithic flint mining and quarrying known as Martin's Clump was surveyed by RCHME in... more The site of Neolithic flint mining and quarrying known as Martin's Clump was surveyed by RCHME in March 1996 as part of a wider investigation into Neolithic flint mining in England. This report describes the surviving earthworks of the mining & quarrying as well as other nearby features, and also summarises the results of previous investigations.
The Neolithic flint mines at Easton Down were surveyed by RCHME as part of the project leading to... more The Neolithic flint mines at Easton Down were surveyed by RCHME as part of the project leading to the publication of 'The Neolithic Flint Mines of England' in 1999. This archive report contains a detailed survey and discussion of the extant earthworks, as well as a detailed assessment of previous work at the site, including JFS Stone's 1929-1934 excavations.
The surface remains of the Neolithic flint mines on Church Hill were surveyed by RCHME in 1994-5 ... more The surface remains of the Neolithic flint mines on Church Hill were surveyed by RCHME in 1994-5 as part of a project focusing on the Neolithic flint miens of England. This report includes a description of the extant earthworks as well as a detailed assessment of previous work at the site, including the excavations undertakenby John Pull. The report also includes a survey and assessment of the nearby Tolmere Pond site.
The earthwork traces of the Neolithic flint mines at Blackpatch, West Sussex, were surveyed in 19... more The earthwork traces of the Neolithic flint mines at Blackpatch, West Sussex, were surveyed in 1995 as part of a wider project focused on the Neolithic flint mines of the British Isles. The report describes the extant earthworks, which is also compared with a survey based on historic aerial photographs. The excavations undertaken by John Pull are also assessed in some detail.
An enclosure on a limestone pavement plateau on Crosby Ravensworth Fell was surveyed in 1996 by R... more An enclosure on a limestone pavement plateau on Crosby Ravensworth Fell was surveyed in 1996 by RCHME. Concentrations of lithic finds in the area had led to suggestions of a possible Neolithic date for the enclosure.
Later prehistoric enclosure and Neolithic long barrow at Skelmore Heads, nr Great Urswick, survey... more Later prehistoric enclosure and Neolithic long barrow at Skelmore Heads, nr Great Urswick, surveyed in October 1996. The enclosure was surveyed as part of the national project focusing on Early Neolithic enclosures due to some rather hopeful claims of a Neolithic date.
RCHME survey of an earthwork enclosure at Broome Heath. Excavations in the 1960s had uncovered ev... more RCHME survey of an earthwork enclosure at Broome Heath. Excavations in the 1960s had uncovered evidence for Neolithic & Early Bronze Age activity, but the enclosure itself remains undated. A long mound, possibly a barrow, is located nearby. The earthworks were surveyed as part of RCHME's national survey of early Neolithic enclosures, thought the site failed to trouble the resulting publication (A Oswald et al (2001) The Creation of Monuments).
RCHME survey of the earthworks at Maiden Bower, Bedfordshire, where an Iron Age hillfort overlies... more RCHME survey of the earthworks at Maiden Bower, Bedfordshire, where an Iron Age hillfort overlies a probable Neolithic causewayed enclosure. The report also summarises earlier work at the site, including Smith's 1878-1915 investigations. The survey was undertaken as part of RCHME's national survey of early Neolithic enclosures, which culminated in the publication of A Oswald et al (2001) The Creation of Monuments.
An earthwork survey of the Neolithic causewayed enclosure on Windmill Hill, near Avebury. The rep... more An earthwork survey of the Neolithic causewayed enclosure on Windmill Hill, near Avebury. The report describes the extant earthworks and includes a brief summary of previous work at the site. The survey was undertaken at the request of Alasdair Whittle (Cardiff University), and also formed part of the RCHME national survey of early Neolithic enclosures. The survey and further description/discussion can also be found in A Whittle et al (1999) The Harmony of Symbols: the Windmill Hill causewayed enclosure, Wiltshire; and A Oswald et al (2001) The Creation of Monuments: Neolithic causewayed enclosures in the British Isles.
Summary of a talk given to the East Dorset Antiquarian Society on 11/11/2015, as published in the... more Summary of a talk given to the East Dorset Antiquarian Society on 11/11/2015, as published in their newsletter for December 2015 (http://www.dorset-archaeology.org.uk/newsletters/2015-12.pdf)
This paper explores the relationships between drawing and photography using histories of aerial p... more This paper explores the relationships between drawing and photography using histories of aerial photography and mapping. Although aerial photographs are often treated as virtual maps today, the spectacular failures of early aerial photography show that seeing photographs as if they are drawings requires fundamental changes in ways of seeing.
Touring exhibition from 2006 marking the centenary of the first aerial photographs of an archaeo... more Touring exhibition from 2006 marking the centenary of the first aerial photographs of an archaeological site taken in the UK. NB please note - not only has some of the information on these panels been "improved" by further research, all of the contact details on the final panel are now out of date...
A little Halloween something for the HARN blog, in which the tale of Britain's oldest (allegedly ... more A little Halloween something for the HARN blog, in which the tale of Britain's oldest (allegedly Bronze Age) ghost is revisited. Believe it or not, there are problems... Go to https://harngroup.wordpress.com/2018/10/31/a-ghost-of-archaeologys-past/ for the story.
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Books by Martyn Barber
Papers by Martyn Barber
Article online here: https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/research/Aerial-investigation-mapping-stonehenge/
Full issue available as pdf here: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/historic-england-research-6/
NB - mapping extract looks better in the pdf, while photos are larger in the online version.
Now available in actual physical form too: https://retail.historicenglandservices.org.uk/exploring-the-landscape-of-stonehenge.html
how concrete has been built into the construction of modern prehistories. We present an archaeology of concrete in the prehistoric landscapes of Stonehenge and Avebury, where
concrete is a major component of megalithic sites restored between 1901 and 1964. We explore how concreting changed between 1901 and the Second World War, and the implications of this for constructions of prehistory. We discuss the role of concrete in debates surrounding restoration, analyze the semiotics of concrete equivalents for the megaliths, and investigate the significance of concreting to interpretations of prehistoric building. A technology that mixes ancient and modern, concrete helped build the modern archaeological imagination.
Article online here: https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/research/Aerial-investigation-mapping-stonehenge/
Full issue available as pdf here: https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/historic-england-research-6/
NB - mapping extract looks better in the pdf, while photos are larger in the online version.
Now available in actual physical form too: https://retail.historicenglandservices.org.uk/exploring-the-landscape-of-stonehenge.html
how concrete has been built into the construction of modern prehistories. We present an archaeology of concrete in the prehistoric landscapes of Stonehenge and Avebury, where
concrete is a major component of megalithic sites restored between 1901 and 1964. We explore how concreting changed between 1901 and the Second World War, and the implications of this for constructions of prehistory. We discuss the role of concrete in debates surrounding restoration, analyze the semiotics of concrete equivalents for the megaliths, and investigate the significance of concreting to interpretations of prehistoric building. A technology that mixes ancient and modern, concrete helped build the modern archaeological imagination.
Brifely stated, the main conclusions are that:
(a) At Damerham, surface collection offered a poor indication of the location and character of the monuments discovered through remote sensing;
(b) the surface assemblage appears to offer little indication of the likely condition of the archaeological sites at Damerham;
(c) the ploughzone assemblage at Damerham is unlikely to be representative of the sub-surface assemblage contained in undisturbed archaeological features;
(d) intensive surface collection offers the best means of capturing the spatial distribution of artefactual material present on the surface;
(e) sampling strategies offer an increasingly poor representation of the surface distribution of material as the distance between transects and collection points increases;
(e) if sampling rather than intensive collection is to be used, then careful consideration needs to be given to the aims and objectives of surface collection.
The report can be downloaded free from https://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=16243
Download from: http://research.english-heritage.org.uk/redirect.aspx?id=6267
The survey followed observation of previously unrecognised features visible on photographs taken in 2003, as part of English Heritage’s annual aerial reconnaissance programme. Assessment of historic photographs in the National Monuments Record (now English Heritage Archive) collection at Swindon demonstrated that many of these ‘new’ features had been photographed before, but that despite the significance of the site, and the amount of work undertaken in the vicinity over the years, no systematic analysis of the aerial photographic evidence had ever been undertaken.
Among the key features discussed are additional entrances into the henge enclosure, evidence for external ditches, enlarged or heightened banks, and a possible approach to the River Frome, along with a number of previously unrecognised ring ditches outside the enclosure.
After the war, the aerodrome buildings became the focus of debate about what constituted unacceptable modern intrusions in the Stonehenge landscape. Converted to both agricultural and domestic use, the hangars and accommodation blocks prompted the first demands to ‘restore’ the Stonehenge landscape – not to what it had been prior to the war, but to something deemed more appropriate as a setting for the monument. Following a public appeal, the aerodrome and neighbouring farmland was purchased, the buildings dismantled and removed, and the land handed to the National Trust. The result was intended to be a landscape freed from “the restless and commonplace current of every day life”.
Download from: http://research.english-heritage.org.uk/redirect.aspx?id=6266
Viewing the recent history of Stonehenge through a narrative that sees a privately-owned and neglected 19th century ruin transformed, via essential maintenance and repair, into a unique and monumental expression of Neolithic beliefs and achievement rather overlooks the complexities of that 20th century transformation. Looking more closely at the circumstances surrounding three key episodes – the appearance in 1881 of some timber supports; the straightening and concreting of the massive Stone 56 in 1901; and the uncompleted ‘reparations’ of 1919-20 – helps to show not only why we have a more stable and secure monument today, but also that the Stonehenge of the 21st century is no closer to its prehistoric state than it was in 1901.
Download from: http://research.english-heritage.org.uk/redirect.aspx?id=6265
Can also be downloaded from: http://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=15608, where it is known as Historic England Research Report 118/2003.
https://soundcloud.com/englishheritage/episode-107-a-flying-visit-100-years-since-the-closure-of-stonehenge-aerodrome
https://harngroup.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/the-lost-works-of-ogs-crawford-and-others/