Heritage Action - The Heritage Journal

The following quotes are taken from an exceptionally impassioned email Heritage Action received sometime ago, which deserves to be expressed as an individual response to the clutter of 'new age' litter often to be found at sites.

"Our ancient sites, not just those in Wiltshire, but everywhere throughout the country should be protected, treasured and maintained, as indeed most are. It is therefore unfortunate that certain religious factions see fit to participate in irresponsible pursuits in the name of paganism and druidism, both in my opinion, sadly misplaced in the 21st century.

Nature demeaned by ritual 'tat'

My concern is not for the pagans or the druids and their beliefs, I couldn't care less, no, it is for the rubbish they leave behind. I refer to the ribbons, bits of clothing, Wiccan effigies, which can all be seen adorning the trees at the Swallowhead Spring and on the approach to West Kennet Avenue. These trees have their own beauty, they don't need bits of tat hanging from their branches like so many split bin bags.

Silbury Hill doesn't escape either, 'don't climb on the hill' the sign says, so why is it that nearly ever time I pass it, some air head is up there trying to get closer to their god. Avebury too has seen its stones daubed in graffiti over the years not to mention bits being chipped off the stones, god knows why, souvenirs I suppose. I am not suggesting for one minute that religious factions are responsible for all the defacements and damage, but it is true that the vast majority is down to them, my feeling is that they should take with them their rubbish, paraphernalia and imposed beliefs and leave our ancient sites tidy and tranquil once more.

For all their religious practices, I strongly believe that so called modern druids and pagans have no claim on Avebury, Silbury Hill, Stonehenge or anywhere else for that matter as they would have you believe."

Strong words and Heritage Action in printing them is reflecting a personal viewpoint these words do not represent our attitude to the Pagan world. Protection of ancient sites belongs to us all, but the above comment received by Heritage Action shows sometimes how deep the feelings of the ordinary public are when they visit these sites.

Heritage Action does not of course go along with the idea that Pagans, in all their manifestations, should have their religious activities on the site of our ancient monuments stopped. This is a free world, how we wish to interpret our own beliefs is a matter for the individual. Such issues as litter at sites needs to be addressed however. Damage to stones cannot be tolerated, but these acts come from many sources. Pagans are as keenly aware of the need to address these problems, and do much to protect the sites, probably far more than the general public.

The 'tat' seen round the Swallowhead Spring, the Christmas decorations swaying from the trees on Waden Hill or down the Avebury Avenue does offend the eye. Such tat needs to be removed, and people should feel free to remove it without the slightest compunction of guilt. Avebury and it sites are, after all, for everyone whatever their religious beliefs.

While we welcome articles and reports on heritage-related subjects to the Heritage Journal, the opinions expressed therein and the accuracy of the reporting lie solely with the originators of the report.

Stonehenge

"It is our aim to conduct the traditional rites, such that we all may play a part without conflict or competition as is our way, and as best serves the public and respects the spirit of the place."

One of the many things to come to the fore in this modern age is the rise of Paganism. It follows many paths and has many adherents, and is almost impossible to classify as a religion, or that it conforms to certain rituals.

But it exists filling in that space between Christian faith and the creeping secularism that is part of our British culture, and though I am not laying aside all the other religions that exist in our multi-layered society, it is Paganism that I would like to focus the attention on.

For it is this 'way of thought' that has over the last few years defined a relationship with our old megalithic stones. In particular, the great stone circles, Stonehenge and Avebury. The history that has accrued round these famous monuments has brought a lot of discussion out into the open, issues such as reburial, access to the stones, offerings at sites, and ceremonies at certain times of the year.

English Heritage has met this challenge and now consults with the Druidical sect that has official sanctioning at Stonehenge for some of its Celtic ceremonies.

The internet has many leads to the different viewpoints in the Pagan world, far too numerous to go into discussion about. But one organisation strikes a very sensible note - http://www.stonehenge-druids.org/aboutus.html

Frank Somer's website offers a middle path of acceptance, a tolerance that is inspiring for those of us who do not choose a path of a particular religious bent, his words...

"Stonehenge in its spiritual and inspirational context belongs to the people of the world, with very special significance to those who follow the Celtic Pagan traditions and systems of faith, and among those, naturally, the Druids."

It is a reasonable approach, the argument that all religious belief does, is bring strife in on its tail is true but unavoidable, faith belongs to the individual, society has to be tolerant.

Police have been strongly criticised after removing human remains from a newly-discovered burial cist in Sutherland dating back thousands of years.

First of all what is a crannog? It is a type of ancient loch-dwelling found throughout Scotland and Ireland which can date from about 5000 years ago. More often than not built out on water, though in England we have the similar 'lake' settlements of Meare and Glastonbury.

They can be seen as defensive, places of habitation and refuge usually fortified. Built up on layers of rocks with wooden stakes driven into the loch bed, and connected to the land by a causeway.

The Scottish Crannog at Kenmore is a reconstruction of an early Iron-Age thatched roundhouse on the banks of Loch Tay in need of restoration. Information about the centre can be found here - Home of the Crannog Dwellers and the work is being carried out with the help of a grant from a Perth and Kinross Council's grants scheme.

The restoration work is being done by a team from Poland, called Archeo-Serwis, they come from the open air Museum at Biskupin, near Bydgoszcz. This museum features an early Iron Age settlement reconstruction with two rows of timber town houses. Information on the site can be found here on Wikipedia and see also the Perthshire Advertiser.

From where we're standing the question could have been posed years ago. Does an archaeological landscape get quarried because all archaeologists acted entirely in its interest? Is every investigation prior to development carried out without regard to the commercial interests involved?

"Developer funded archaeology" has been with us for years. The implications of the arrangement are obvious. Often they are hinted at, rarely are they explained, highlighted and admitted. The fact is, some pipers call some tunes. People are human.

Will the credit crunch make it worse? Of course. Will the government's proposals to streamline the process make it worse still, and isn't that one of the unspoken intentions? Of course.

One can have the highest of aspirations and one can wish to keep to the strictest professional codes but if one also wants to put bread and butter on the table it's awkward...

We applaud the fact the question has been asked and we wish it was discussed more openly and more often. After all, if archaeologists don't bring it up we can hardly expect either developers or the government to do so. All you'll ever hear publicly from them is yes, of course we want you to be scrupulous and ethical. And of course, that's what archaeologists want too. But in truth, the system is not set up to encourage that. Quite the reverse. If archaeologists don't point that out then how will the truth ever emerge?

The harp that once through Tara's halls
The soul of music shed,
Now hangs as mute on Tara's walls
As if that soul were fled.
So sleeps the pride of former days,
So glory's thrill is o'er,
And hearts that once beat high for praise
Now feel that praise no more.

No more to chiefs and ladies bright,
The harp of Tara swells;
The chord alone, that breaks at night,
Its tale of ruin tells.
Thus Freedom now so seldom wakes,
The only throb she gives
Is when some heart indignant breaks,
To show that still she lives.

"LOUGH GUR, one of Europe's most important archaeological sites and located in Co Limerick, could soon be awarded world heritage status."

One of Ireland's most important archaeological sites, Lough Gur, has been put on the tentative list of World Heritage sites. The application was made by Limerick County Council. The Lough Gur site dates back to the Neolithic period and there are many megalithic remains beside the lake. It boasts the largest stone circle in Ireland at Grange, and the remains of at least three crannogs within the lake.

It lies, "20 kms from Limerick and includes stone circles and standing stones, ancient burial chambers, cairns and Neolithic house sites dating back more than 4,500 years..." to quote from this news article in the Irish Times -

In a country that is so rich in archaeological remains it is surprising to find that there are only two other World Heritage sites in Ireland - Skellig Michael and the Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne. Of course one other very famous site has also been added to the tentative list, this is the Hill of Tara, a site that is already ruined by the motorway still being built through the Skryne valley and which is also destroying valuable heritage sites or an 'archaeological ensemble' that goes to make up a very important landscape.

Not long ago the then British Culture Minister, David Lammy, called metal detectorists heritage heroes, something that caused consternation amongst archaeologists and all others who thought heritage belonged to us all and wasn't up for individuals to take away for their own benefit.

We do wonder whether the Chinese Culture Minister and millions of his countrymen are currently using the same term about this gentleman, with rather more cause.

How about it Mr Lammy? If metal detectorists are heritage heroes how would you describe that person? How about it Mr Lammy? If metal detectorists are heritage heroes how would you describe that person? And how does he measure up to the metal detectorist finder of this which your successor is trying to prevent being exported providing £35,000 can be hurriedly scraped together as a heroic reward? Maybe the hero could just donate it, as if he was a culture-loving Chinese patriot, what do you think? Or isn't that how your version of heroism works?

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