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THE RITUAL THE RITUAL MONUMENTS IN MONUMENTS IN

WILTSHIRE: A STUDY WILTSHIRE: A STUDY OF THE BELIEF OF THE BELIEF SYSTEM IN THE SYSTEM IN THE NEOLITHIC AND NEOLITHIC AND BRONZE AGESBRONZE AGES

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WHAT IS A CEREMONIAL WHAT IS A CEREMONIAL LANDSCAPE?LANDSCAPE?

Wiltshire has a ritual Wiltshire has a ritual landscape is where landscape is where large numbers of large numbers of prehistoric prehistoric monuments cluster monuments cluster together.together.

It is believed that a It is believed that a whole block of land whole block of land might have been might have been dedicated to gods dedicated to gods

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THE AVEBURY HENGETHE AVEBURY HENGE

Avebury is the site of a Avebury is the site of a large henge and two large henge and two stone circles. stone circles.

It is one of the largest It is one of the largest Neolithic monuments in Neolithic monuments in Europe and dates to Europe and dates to around 5,000 years ago. around 5,000 years ago.

It is older than the It is older than the megalithic stages of megalithic stages of Stonehenge although Stonehenge although both monuments date to both monuments date to the Neolithic period.the Neolithic period.

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Religion and Ritual at Religion and Ritual at Avebury: Student TaskAvebury: Student Task

Use the internet to explore the evidence that Avebury had a religious and ritual function:Use the internet to explore the evidence that Avebury had a religious and ritual function:

1. Visit the following website and take a panoramic tour of the site:1. Visit the following website and take a panoramic tour of the site:

www.stonewww.stonehengehenge--aveburyavebury.net/Photos/gtour/QtvrtourAve.html .net/Photos/gtour/QtvrtourAve.html

2. Research the construction and layout of the site2. Research the construction and layout of the site

3. Produce a 3 slide power point presentation in which you present your findings and 3. Produce a 3 slide power point presentation in which you present your findings and comment on the ways in which Avebury could be seen to have a religious functioncomment on the ways in which Avebury could be seen to have a religious function

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WEST KENNET LONG BARROWWEST KENNET LONG BARROW

The The West Kennet Long West Kennet Long BarrowBarrow is a Neolithic tomb is a Neolithic tomb situated about one-and-a-half situated about one-and-a-half miles south of Avebury. miles south of Avebury.

It was built in about 3600 BC, It was built in about 3600 BC, some 400 years before the some 400 years before the building of Stonehengebuilding of Stonehenge

It contains the remains of 46 It contains the remains of 46 individuals whose bodies had individuals whose bodies had been exposed before burialbeen exposed before burial

Archaeologists believe that Archaeologists believe that the people who built the tomb the people who built the tomb practised ancestor worshippractised ancestor worship..

Student Task: Student Task: DiscussionDiscussion

What is excarnation?What is excarnation? How do we know when it has How do we know when it has

been practiced?been practiced? What is the evidence for What is the evidence for

ancestor worship at West ancestor worship at West Kennet? Kennet?

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SILBURY HILLSILBURY HILL

Silbury Hill is the Silbury Hill is the largest man-made largest man-made structure from the structure from the prehistoric period.prehistoric period.

It was built 4,000 It was built 4,000 years agoyears ago

Its purpose remains Its purpose remains a mystery even a mystery even todaytoday

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SILBURY HILL: STUDENT SILBURY HILL: STUDENT TASKTASK

Silbury is a grass-Silbury is a grass-covered chalk mound in covered chalk mound in the shape of a flat-the shape of a flat-topped cone topped cone

Click to view the film clipClick to view the film clip Use the internet to Use the internet to

research Silbury Hill and research Silbury Hill and write a commentarywrite a commentaryfor the film clip. You will for the film clip. You will be presenting this to the be presenting this to the classclass

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STONEHENGESTONEHENGE

StonehengeStonehenge one of the most one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the famous prehistoric sites in the world.world.

Stonehenge is composed of Stonehenge is composed of earthworks surrounding a earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing circular setting of large standing stonesstones

Henges have ditches inside their Henges have ditches inside their banks; they cannot have been banks; they cannot have been defensive structuresdefensive structures

Julian Richards regards Julian Richards regards Stonehenge as a Neolithic Stonehenge as a Neolithic temple.temple.

The standing stones were The standing stones were probably erected around 2200 probably erected around 2200 BC and the surrounding circular BC and the surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. to about 3100 BC.

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How was Stonehenge Built?How was Stonehenge Built?

The first phase of the The first phase of the monument was the monument was the digging of a circular digging of a circular bank and ditch bank and ditch enclosureenclosure

In the second phase a In the second phase a timber structure was built. timber structure was built. We know this from the We know this from the posthole that have been posthole that have been discovereddiscovered

In the third phase timber In the third phase timber was abandoned in favour was abandoned in favour of stone and two of stone and two concentric crescents of concentric crescents of holes were dug in the holes were dug in the centre of the site.. The centre of the site.. The holes held up to 80 holes held up to 80 standing stones 43 of standing stones 43 of which were for the which were for the bluestones. The Altar bluestones. The Altar Stone, the Heel Stone Stone, the Heel Stone and the Station Stones and the Station Stones were added.were added.

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Building Stonehenge (Contd)Building Stonehenge (Contd)

Next the great sarsen Next the great sarsen stones were erected into stones were erected into a circle and lintels were a circle and lintels were fitted on top.fitted on top.

Within this circle five Within this circle five trilithons of dressed trilithons of dressed sarsen stone were sarsen stone were arranged in a horseshoe arranged in a horseshoe shape shape

In the final stages the In the final stages the bluestones were re-bluestones were re-erected so that in the end erected so that in the end they created a they created a horseshoe-shaped horseshoe-shaped setting setting

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BUILDING STONEHENGE: BUILDING STONEHENGE: STUDENT TASKSTUDENT TASK

Use the internet to research further the Use the internet to research further the building of Stonehenge and put together building of Stonehenge and put together a presentation that explores the building a presentation that explores the building phases in detail: phases in detail:

Use the following websites:Use the following websites: www.english-heritage.org.uk/www.english-heritage.org.uk/

stonehengestonehenge/ / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StonehengeStonehenge

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STONEHENGE IN THE STONEHENGE IN THE CEREMONIAL LANDSCAPECEREMONIAL LANDSCAPE

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STONEHENGE IN THE STONEHENGE IN THE CEREMONIAL LANDSCAPE CEREMONIAL LANDSCAPE

(contd)(contd) Archaeologists have used the term ceremonial Archaeologists have used the term ceremonial

or ritual landscape where large numbers of or ritual landscape where large numbers of monuments cluster together.monuments cluster together.

Stonehenge is linked to a number of other Stonehenge is linked to a number of other important monuments in the area which all important monuments in the area which all appear to have a ritual functionappear to have a ritual function

Explore the interactive map on the English Explore the interactive map on the English Heritage website.Heritage website.

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RELIGIOUS AND RITUAL RELIGIOUS AND RITUAL ACTIVITIES AT STONEHENGEACTIVITIES AT STONEHENGE

The layout of Stonehenge The layout of Stonehenge reveals that the entrance is reveals that the entrance is aligned on the mid-summer aligned on the mid-summer sunrisesunrise

The mid-winter sun sets The mid-winter sun sets between the two great between the two great uprights of the trilithonuprights of the trilithon

Archaeologists believe that Archaeologists believe that ceremonies on the longest ceremonies on the longest and the shortest days played and the shortest days played an important role in Neolithic an important role in Neolithic and early Bronze Age religion and early Bronze Age religion when the gods were called when the gods were called upon during key points in the upon during key points in the agricultural calendaragricultural calendar

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WHAT HAVE THE DRUIDS WHAT HAVE THE DRUIDS GOT TO DO WITH STONE GOT TO DO WITH STONE

HENGE?HENGE? Click to view the film clipClick to view the film clip People associate People associate

Stonehenge with the religion Stonehenge with the religion practised by the druidspractised by the druids

Druids are associated with Druids are associated with religion in the Iron Agereligion in the Iron Age

It is a common misconception It is a common misconception that the druids worshipped at that the druids worshipped at StonehengeStonehenge

Druids have nothing to do Druids have nothing to do with Stonehenge!with Stonehenge!

QuickTime™ and a\012AVC Coding decompressorare needed to see this picture.

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Religion at Stonehenge: Religion at Stonehenge: Student TaskStudent Task

Draw the table Draw the table opposite in your opposite in your notesnotes

Use the evidence Use the evidence you have gathered you have gathered from this study from this study package to help you package to help you complete the tablecomplete the table

Present your ideas Present your ideas to the classto the class

Size: Community Gatherings

  

Role of a Priesthood or Shamen

 

Role of Processions

 

Orientation of the Feature