|
The Modern Antiquarian Forum » Robbed cairns. Another myth? |
Log In to post a reply
|
|
|
|
| Topic View: Flat | Threaded | |
|
rockhopper 275 posts |
Mar 24, 2012, 22:47
|
||
|
Looking at the Scorhill thread, I see once again a reference to a 'robbed cairn', and the 'treasure seekers' theory. Perhaps its time to take a look at the robbed cairn hypothsis objectively. During the last several decades, many cairns have been excavated, but to date, as far as I know, no treasure has been found beneath any of them. It seems unlikely in the extreme that anyone wishing to conceal treasure would do so under a large pile of stones that proclaims 'X marks the spot'. Hoards are generally found in inconspicuos places, and only recently by the use of metal detectors. The aim of those concealing treasure was to do just that, conceal it, and not announce it's presence by a very obvious marker. Doubtless over the centuries, greedy and misguided individuals have dug up cairns to seek elusive riches, but I suspect in almost every case their efforts were in vain. So what are the supposedly 'robbed' cairns? Over the past 20 years I have encountered many of these enigmatic 'formations' (for want of a better word) and now believe they are monuments in their own right. For if ANY of them had concealed treasure, there would'nt be a cairn left standing in these islands. Think about it. Great pile of treasure under a cairn...Where's the next one? Once again we blindly follow the academics. Some bright spark came up with the robbed cairn theory, and to this day it has never been challenged. They're not 'robbed 'cairns at all. They are something else entirely. A lot of these people may have gone to university, but that makes them privileged, not intelligent.
|
|||
|
thelonious 330 posts |
Edited Mar 24, 2012, 23:02
Mar 24, 2012, 22:58
|
||
|
You will be saying there is no gold coach buried inside here next :) http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/2162/mutlow_hill.html
|
|||
|
rockhopper 275 posts |
Mar 24, 2012, 23:19
|
||
Get the shovels!
|
|||
Sanctuary 4670 posts |
Mar 24, 2012, 23:30
|
||
|
rockhopper wrote: Looking at the Scorhill thread, I see once again a reference to a 'robbed cairn', and the 'treasure seekers' theory. Perhaps its time to take a look at the robbed cairn hypothsis objectively. During the last several decades, many cairns have been excavated, but to date, as far as I know, no treasure has been found beneath any of them. It seems unlikely in the extreme that anyone wishing to conceal treasure would do so under a large pile of stones that proclaims 'X marks the spot'. Hoards are generally found in inconspicuos places, and only recently by the use of metal detectors. The aim of those concealing treasure was to do just that, conceal it, and not announce it's presence by a very obvious marker. Doubtless over the centuries, greedy and misguided individuals have dug up cairns to seek elusive riches, but I suspect in almost every case their efforts were in vain. So what are the supposedly 'robbed' cairns? Over the past 20 years I have encountered many of these enigmatic 'formations' (for want of a better word) and now believe they are monuments in their own right. For if ANY of them had concealed treasure, there would'nt be a cairn left standing in these islands. Think about it. Great pile of treasure under a cairn...Where's the next one? Once again we blindly follow the academics. Some bright spark came up with the robbed cairn theory, and to this day it has never been challenged. They're not 'robbed 'cairns at all. They are something else entirely. A lot of these people may have gone to university, but that makes them privileged, not intelligent. I use the term 'robbed out' to describe archaeology being destroyed not actual treasure being removed.
|
|||
tjj 3606 posts |
Mar 25, 2012, 00:57
|
||
|
rockhopper wrote: Looking at the Scorhill thread, I see once again a reference to a 'robbed cairn', and the 'treasure seekers' theory. Perhaps its time to take a look at the robbed cairn hypothsis objectively. During the last several decades, many cairns have been excavated, but to date, as far as I know, no treasure has been found beneath any of them. It seems unlikely in the extreme that anyone wishing to conceal treasure would do so under a large pile of stones that proclaims 'X marks the spot'. Hoards are generally found in inconspicuos places, and only recently by the use of metal detectors. The aim of those concealing treasure was to do just that, conceal it, and not announce it's presence by a very obvious marker. Doubtless over the centuries, greedy and misguided individuals have dug up cairns to seek elusive riches, but I suspect in almost every case their efforts were in vain. So what are the supposedly 'robbed' cairns? Over the past 20 years I have encountered many of these enigmatic 'formations' (for want of a better word) and now believe they are monuments in their own right. For if ANY of them had concealed treasure, there would'nt be a cairn left standing in these islands. Think about it. Great pile of treasure under a cairn...Where's the next one? Once again we blindly follow the academics. Some bright spark came up with the robbed cairn theory, and to this day it has never been challenged. They're not 'robbed 'cairns at all. They are something else entirely. A lot of these people may have gone to university, but that makes them privileged, not intelligent. This is an interesting post which throws up a lots of questions for debate. A university degree does not necessarily equate to intelligence its true but surely it is impossible to acquire one without also acquiring a good deal of information and the confidence to analyse it. Next is the definition of cairn - these two seem to be the most generally accepted: A mound of rough stones built as a memorial or landmark, typically on a hilltop or skyline. A prehistoric burial mound made of stones. If cairns were considered on a par with long and round barrows there is evidence that many barrows were disturbed in the 19th century by excavators no doubt looking for precious burial goods as discovered in the Bush Barrow by William Cunnington. Cunnington together with Sir Richard Colt Hoare excavated 465 Bronze Age barrows, their work and finds are documented in the excellent Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes. Many of the Cotswold long barrows have been partially destroyed by amateur excavations that have been little more than vandalism - I've witnessed many badly excavated misshapen long barrows. Sorry if I've digressed away from cairns but as far as the ones deemed to be 'prehistoric burial mounds' go I can't see why they wouldn't have been fair game in less enlightened times.
|
|||
|
rockhopper 275 posts |
Mar 25, 2012, 02:38
|
||
Perhaps I've been a little flippant with the 'degree' issue. People of this generation are far better informed than their predecessors. Going back 50 years ago however, there was, and perhaps still remains, a reluctance to contradict accepted wisdom and 'go with the flow'. I am willing to be contradicted and indeed educated by those better informed. Did those digging in barrows, mounds, etc in bygone times, find buried valuables? Or was the pursuit of same just opportunism?
|
|||
|
cerrig 187 posts |
Mar 25, 2012, 09:50
|
||
Some cairns have been robbed of the stone they re made of, especially any that are near very old roads.
|
|||
|
GLADMAN 950 posts |
Mar 25, 2012, 10:37
|
||
|
I think there is a tendancy for some - but by no means all - trained academics to come up with a theory and then search for evidence to support it.... rather than vice versa. Personally I think a combination of reasons accounted for the distruction of many of our 'robbed out' cairns; treasure seeking, reuse of the stone in construction projects.... perhaps even some cult of symbollic desecration to uncover cists sometime in antiquity? Then, of course - here we go again - the actions of walkers upon the upland cairns. I agree with Cerrig in that I've come across many a 'disturbed' cairn with pretty hefty dry-stone walls near-by. Probably not coincidence. Not to mention numerous long cairns with chunks taken out, the monument basically used as a quarry. Dowth is a prime example of this, plus the much reduced area of the great Heapstown cairn in Sligo.
|
|||
|
rockhopper 275 posts |
Mar 25, 2012, 10:56
|
||
I would agree. There are a number around here though that are far from the beaten track, with no neighbouring walls. It's a vexed question, as it's impossible to know if they are in their original state or not. But as there are 'unrobbed' examples nearby, it seems likely that they are, purely on a 'rob one, rob all' basis.
|
|||
|
Resonox 604 posts |
Mar 25, 2012, 13:04
|
||
Why not "rob" one to restart another...so in the end the last cairn is a bit of a distance from where the original was sited....as to the purpose of this....seems futile to me but there might have been a perfectly logical reason for resiting....this doesn't just apply to cairns.....I tend to agree with the posters here who refer to "robbed" as to mean stones removed(purpose known or unknown to our modern way of thinking) and reused or carted off to be sold as building materials some miles away (saves all the bother of quarrying after all)...not as constant seeking for treasure.....I don't think even many academics would subscribe to the treasure theory...where did that idea come from?
|
| Pages: 4 – [ 1 2 3 4 | Next ] | Add a reply to this topic |
|
|
|
| The Modern Antiquarian Forum Index | |
