|
Chanctonbury
Ring is a place of myth and mystery. It is a large hill-top enclosure,
which has far ranging views from the north edge of the South Downs
across the Weald to the North Downs. There are also views of the sea to
the south and lines of sight to other prehistoric landmarks. The banks
of the Chanctonbury enclosure were originally very much higher than
they appear today and on the outer edge was a deep ditch. Chalk cut
from the ditch was piled up to form the bank. The structure is roughly
oval and measures about 550 by 400 feet. Towards the east and
south-west are two entrances. Ancient tracks, round barrows and
cross-dykes surround the site. The enclosure itself was dated after
excavations in 1988-91 as late Bronze Age.
This
type of structure, a causewayed enclosure, has been found in many
places throughout Britain. Its first appearance was in Neolithic times,
up to six thousand years ago. Causewayed enclosures have been excavated
to find evidence of their original purpose such as defence, communal
gatherings, fairs or markets, settlement, ritual, or animal enclosure.
As a general rule, none of these are certain. Standing stones such as
the Stonehenge and Avebury circles were built inside causewayed
enclosures, but this has only increased the enigma. The use of
causewayed enclosures in later times may be unrelated to their original
function and at Chanctonbury this includes two Roman-style temples or
shrines and four World War II gun emplacements.
Neolithic
finds at the site include a polished flint axe, an arrowhead, scrapers
and other flint pieces. There was a small amount of early Bronze Age
pottery, late Bronze Age copper-alloy gouges and a sword-hilt fragment.
Before 1988, a suggested construction period for the enclosure was the
pre-Roman Iron Age. Only a shallow pit containing Iron Age debris and
some carbon dated bone might support this, despite the camp once being
dated to that era. The latest thinking is based on an excavation after
the hurricane of 1987, when many trees within the enclosure were torn
down. An analysis of the pottery finds in relation to other sites
suggested a construction date for the enclosure during the 7th century
BC, or "the end of the late Bronze Age".
There
are round barrows scattered along the ridge at Chanctonbury. Three of
these, aligned closest to the enclosure, have been excavated with no
result. A mound to the west revealed the burial place of a woman who
died in her early thirties. She was buried with a bronze dagger. There
was also a single post hole surrounded by flints and a cremation. The
finds suggested an early Bronze Age date for the round barrows.
Chanctonbury
Hill has been frequented for thousands of years, but archaeology has
yet to reveal a coherent story. The two Roman-style shrines or temples
within the enclosure seem consistent with the idea that an older place
of worship was originally sited there. The Romans often adopted
prehistoric religious sites or structures for their own sacred rites.
The cross-dykes also appear to have been built in Roman times.
|
. 
. 
. 
. 
. 
. 
. 
.