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The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Standing with Stones DVD |
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Michael Bott 60 posts |
Jan 28, 2008, 21:30
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Rupert Soskin wrote: Hi Jane, Thanks so much, Mike and I are both pretty thrilled that our time wasn't wasted. Regarding Bryn Celli Ddu, I have much more experience in geology than archaeology and have a fair bit of petrified wood in my own collection. It's quite true that I sat on the floor of the chamber like a gibbering idiot and still don't really understand why it hasn't been picked up before. The thing is that, even if it is a freak piece of stone (unlikely), its reason for being there makes total sense in terms of representing life and death. It was definitely one of the high points of our journey. best wishes and thanks again Rupert Yeah, what he said! And it's true about the gibbering idiot. Floored us both, actually. I think there's photos of us both looking pretty dim in that chamber somewhere on the Slideshow in the Special Features. Difficult to talk about without actually having the think in front of you - it s hard to make the case from photography alone because you need to see the way those 'cut' marks assault the eye as something made with a single blow to wood rather than something painstakingly etched in stone. You'd need a diamond cutter they're so clean and sharp! Thanks - and look forward to meeting you in April at Chipping Norton Theatre, if you can make it.
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FourWinds 10943 posts |
Jan 28, 2008, 22:58
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The stone in Bryn Celli Ddu causes problems because it's so very odd. It's so odd that it's easier to ignore it than consider it. There aren't many examples of a free-standing standing stone in a tomb. The only two definites I can think of are Cairn F at Carrowkeel and Cairn L at Loughcrew. Some early reports of Newgrange mentioned a fallen stone in the chamber, but no evidence of this was found during excavation. Both of the two Irish ones mentioned would have been visible from the entrance, unlike the BCD one, which is hidden away round the corner. They are also square in plan. If you're right (and I think all of us hope you are), then it's a great bit of spotting. So, while we're considering round sectioned stones what do you think of http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/44255 in the same context? There aren't many of them about.
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Michael Bott 60 posts |
Jan 28, 2008, 23:08
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FourWinds wrote: The stone in Bryn Celli Ddu causes problems because it's so very odd. It's so odd that it's easier to ignore it than consider it. There aren't many examples of a free-standing standing stone in a tomb. The only two definites I can think of are Cairn F at Carrowkeel and Cairn L at Loughcrew. Some early reports of Newgrange mentioned a fallen stone in the chamber, but no evidence of this was found during excavation. Both of the two Irish ones mentioned would have been visible from the entrance, unlike the BCD one, which is hidden away round the corner. They are also square in plan. If you're right (and I think all of us hope you are), then it's a great bit of spotting. So, while we're considering round sectioned stones what do you think of http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/44255 in the same context? There aren't many of them about. Perhaps we should start a new thread?
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FourWinds 10943 posts |
Jan 28, 2008, 23:28
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Michael Bott wrote: Perhaps we should start a new thread? This forum has a fine, long-standing tradition of thread-subversion.
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sam 151 posts |
Jan 28, 2008, 23:54
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hi Not seen the dvd (yet) but have always thought that it either was, or was supposed to represent a (living) tree. The way it just shines when you go in, and is so soothing to the touch, the fact that it doesn't have that "damp" feel that so may stones in tombs have. I've always been glad that when the Museum of Wales took the carved stone, that they left the tree stone. Of course those are just my thoughts, but when they first excavated/broke in; "he crept forward on his hands and knees along the dreary vault, when lo! In a chamber at the further end a figure in white seemed to forbid his approach. The poor man had scarcely power sufficient to crawl backwards out of this den of spirits as he imagined". Didn't work though, he still went back and pulled it down, to find a pile of bone lying near it. sam
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nigelswift 8112 posts |
Edited Jan 29, 2008, 10:34
Jan 29, 2008, 09:33
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Hi Sam, "he crept forward on his hands and knees along the dreary vault, when lo! In a chamber at the further end a figure in white seemed to forbid his approach. " Can you tell me where this comes from? If it dates from 1865 and the first excavation it's intriguing as it echoes Emmeline Fisher's lines on the opening of Silbury. "Bones of our wild forefathers, O forgive, If now we pierce the chambers of your rest, And open your dark pillows to the eye Of the irreverent day! Hark, as we move, Runs no stern whisper down the narrow vault? Flickers no shape across our torch-light pale, With backward beckoning am? No, all is still."
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texlahoma 891 posts |
Jan 29, 2008, 18:04
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Just watched the whole movie and some of the extras this afternoon. Absolutely fantastic viewing. I really hope there is a chance for you to expand things into a tv series in the future, that would be perfect. It is a marvelous film in it's own right though, congratulations the two of you on making something so special.
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Vicster 662 posts |
Jan 29, 2008, 18:15
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texlahoma wrote: Just watched the whole movie and some of the extras this afternoon. Absolutely fantastic viewing. I really hope there is a chance for you to expand things into a tv series in the future, that would be perfect. It is a marvelous film in it's own right though, congratulations the two of you on making something so special. Indeed. In fact, it made me quite sad that Vicky and I never got around to making the ancient sites/archaeology/cookery show we had always dreamed of! I spent most of last night in a delirious haze, hitting the "slow search" button over and over again and squealing "ooooh, I've been there!", much to the consternation of Mark and the cats. Was REALLY pleased to see Bleasdale Circle included too......
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sam 151 posts |
Jan 29, 2008, 19:14
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hi It came from Reverend Skinner's Ten Day's Tour through the Island of Anglesey in 1082, and it relates to a farmer who was taking stone from it (earlier than 1802?). Hope that helps. sam
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nigelswift 8112 posts |
Jan 29, 2008, 20:57
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Ah yes found it, 1802. Thanks. http://209.85.135.104/search?q=cache:OkChLv27Z_gJ:arheologija.ff.uni-lj.si/documenta/pdf33/nash33.pdf+skinner+anglesey+tombs&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&ie=UTF-8 (The link is of interest to the rest of this thread as well). Rather than waste a good theory, I'll turn this one round and speculate that maybe Emmeline was inspired by him, not vice versa! But equally, Merewether might have been inspired by him. He was into "speed tombrobbing" as Rhiannon calls it, digging eight of the Priddy Nine Barrows in a week in 1815. http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/3256/priddy_nine_barrows.html
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