Unique Bronze Age site discovered in England

Raphael G. Satter Associated Press Jul. 8, 2007

The stones were likely heated in a fire and quickly doused in cold water, cracking before being placed along the serpentine earthen mound. The result: a curving paved structure possibly used in a ritual by Britain's Bronze Age inhabitants.The archaeologist who announced the discovery of the 65-yard-long "Rotherwas Ribbon" in western England said so-called "burnt stones" that cover the 4,000-year-old mound could shed more light on early civilization.

Mounds of burnt stones litter northern Europe and some experts believe they were once used in cooking.

But their presence on the snakelike mound also suggests the stones were used in rituals, Herefordshire County archaeologist Keith Ray said Wednesday.

"It's the only structure we have from prehistory from Britain or in Europe, as far as we can tell, that is actually a deliberate construction that uses burnt stones," Ray said. "This is ... going to make us rethink whole chunks of what we thought we understood about the period."

AP article continues

BBC News article with aerial photograph

Bob Widdowson, Chair of Herefordshire Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE), said: "I am bemused by the plan to 'preserve' the site beneath the road. How comforting to know that this extraordinary find is there but no one can see it until a more enlightened generation tears up the road! A site of 4000 years and apparently of major international importance is to be preserved (buried) so that a road that most sensible people agree is in the wrong place and not needed can be finished 'on time'." link

Thanks to Pagan Nation

Keywords: megalithic, archeology, England, UK, Herefordshire, road, ritual, stone, fire, Rotherwas, Rotherwas Ribbon