Hendraburnick ‘Quoit’: recording and dating rock art in the west of Britain
2017; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 10; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1080/1751696x.2017.1341241
ISSN1751-6978
Autores Tópico(s)Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
ResumoIn 2013 a small-scale excavation was carried at Hendraburnick 'Quoit', which is located north Cornwall. The project was undertaken to establish whether the site was a ruined megalith and to obtain dating for the cup-marks which had been recorded at the site. The excavation revealed that the 'quoit' was a large propped 'axe-shaped' stone that had been set upon a low platform of slates, and that a second fallen standing stone was located at the eastern end of the site. Subsequently, the site appears to have become the focus for the smashing of quartz blocks, as well as for the deposition of mostly fragmented artefacts. Two samples were submitted for radiocarbon dating which produced Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age determinations. During the fieldwork it became apparent that the rock art was far more extensive than had been thought, and that it was most evident when viewed in low sunlight from the south east or by moonlight. It is suggested that the smashed vein quartz may have been used during night time rituals. Photogrammetric recording revealed the site to be the most decorated stone in southern Britain and suggests that rather than being pre-planned, the art accreted over time.
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