Megaliths are large stones used to construct prehistoric structures or monuments, with over 35, 000 structures in Europe alone. These structures were made for various reasons, known and unknown, including spiritual or religious purposes, tomb construction, and architectural styles. There are five basic types of megalithic structures: monumental constructions, forecourts, boulder circles, and stone circles.
Megaliths were virtually universal, found on every continent occupied by prehistoric man. Stone circles were a subset of megalithic construction, while other types of religious monuments included causeways, cursuses, barrows, henges, and cromlechs. Architecture as Second Nature began as creating mere dwellings and places of protection from nature, but later took on more significance as it embodied symbolic meaning.
European megaliths belong to two distinct architectural families: “Spatially defined structures” and “Stone Age structures”. These structures, such as stone circles, tombs, and pyramids, were constructed using significant labor resources. Megaliths were used to mark important events and places, and they were often built with multiple stones, including ingeniously designed stone circles.
Megaliths were used in the construction of various types of Neolithic, Chalcolithic, or Bronze Age monuments, such as Stonehenge. The site is principally known for its megalithic architecture and engineering, but it also features some megalithic art in the form of megaliths.
In summary, megaliths are large, often undressed stones used to construct prehistoric structures and monuments, with over 35, 000 structures in Europe alone. These structures were built for various purposes, including spiritual or religious purposes, and serve as symbols of early societies.
📹 Why Megaliths change the Paradigm of our History ?
Howard Crowhurst has been studying the mysterious megalithic sites for more than 35 years, and he has made incredible …
What Are Megaliths Identified As?
Megaliths are substantial stone structures used primarily to delineate burial sites, consisting of either a single large stone or multiple stones. These structures can be visible on the surface or located underground, sometimes marked by additional stones like circles or boulders. Megaliths are prevalent across Europe, with over 35, 000 identified ranging from Sweden to the Mediterranean. The term ‘megalith’ was first introduced in 1849 and encompasses various forms, such as menhirs, dolmens, and stone tombs, which serve both sepulchral and non-sepulchral functions.
Megaliths are significant in the landscape, serving as monumental representations of prehistoric cultures. While many of these structures present challenges in understanding their exact purposes due to the absence of written records, modern scientific techniques are starting to unveil the historical significance behind these large ceremonial monuments. For instance, the Barnenez tombs in Finistère were originally constructed using megaliths, highlighting their archaeological importance.
In India, three main types of megaliths can be identified: those associated with chamber tombs, unchambered tombs, and those not related to burials. The word ‘megalith’ derives from Greek roots, referring to the enormous stones used in these ancient constructs. Some megaliths may comprise non-local stones, indicating complex logistic or social practices of the communities that built them.
Ultimately, megaliths are large stones serving as crucial elements in constructing monuments or structures dated back to the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, connecting people to significant ceremonial, funerary, or astronomical events of their time. The Medway Megaliths exemplify Early Neolithic innovations, contributing further to our understanding of prehistoric architectural practices.
What Are The Arrangement In A Circle Called?
Circular permutations focus on arrangements of objects in a circular manner, as opposed to linear arrangements. A circle, a two-dimensional shape, consists of points equidistant from a central point. Key components of a circle include the radius, diameter, and circumference. The radius is the distance from the center to the circumference, while the circumference is the total distance around the circle. Other important terms related to circles include chord, secant, tangent, sector, segment, and arc.
In circular permutations, the order of arrangements is crucial, but there is no definitive starting or ending point; this is distinct from linear permutations where a row arrangement can be easily defined. For instance, n objects arranged in a circle can be organized through a method where rotations are not viewed as unique arrangements. Accordingly, when finding circular permutations, one commonly keeps one item fixed to eliminate repetitive rotations.
Arranging various colored beads in a circle serves as a practical illustration of this concept. A permutation involves arranging items in a specified order, and in circular contexts, such arrangements lead to the classification of circular permutations where the calculations are modified compared to linear permutations. Thus, circular permutations explore the nature of arrangements in cycles rather than along a straight line, requiring different mathematical considerations for calculating the number of configurations.
What Is The Term Or Terms For A Circular Stone Arrangement?
A concentric stone circle is a type of prehistoric monument characterized by multiple circular or oval arrangements of stone circles located within one another. They were utilized from the late Neolithic period to the end of the early Bronze Age and are predominantly found in England and Scotland. Stone circles are composed of standing stones arranged in a circular formation, often linked to ceremonial or religious practices.
They primarily date between 3300 to 2500 BC and are particularly present in Northwestern Europe, especially within the British Isles and Brittany. Prominent examples include the Avebury henge monument, the Rollright Stones, and Castlerigg.
In archaeological terms, a henge refers to a circular arrangement of megalithic stones typically encircled by a ditch, commonly seen in ancient Neolithic and Bronze Age sites. Another relevant term, "cromlech," denotes a circular arrangement of standing stones, such as those at Stonehenge. The presence of these stone circles suggests intricate social structures and belief systems among ancient populations, reflecting their connections to landscapes and celestial events.
In Japan, the term "stone circle" is also used, though it pertains to circular arrangements of smaller stones, differing from the megalithic constructions found in Europe. Overall, stone circles represent significant prehistoric monuments, with individual stones referred to as menhirs. These structures exhibit insights into the spiritual and social lives of ancient peoples, illustrating their interactions with their environment and their understanding of the cosmos.
What Are Megaliths Arranged In Three Stone Constructions Called?
Megaliths, large stones used to construct prehistoric structures, are prominent in various forms, with trilithons being notable examples. A trilithon consists of two vertical stones supporting a horizontal top stone and is often seen in ancient monuments like Stonehenge and the Greek Parthenon. Stone circles, found mainly in Britain and Ireland, also exhibit megalithic characteristics, with notable sites being Stonehenge, Avebury, Ring of Brodgar, and Beltany.
These constructions frequently align with astronomical events, highlighting their potential significance in ancient societies. In addition, megaliths are categorized into three main structures: stone circles, dolmens, and menhirs. Menhirs are tall standing stones that can be arranged in various configurations, including lines and circles.
Furthermore, the historical context of these ancient sites traces back to civilizations such as the Moabites and Nabateans. An example is Madaba, a city with a rich heritage located south of Amman, home to around 60, 000 people today. Although earlier monuments likely existed in other forms, megaliths are generally considered the earliest monumental structures, emerging around 4500-1000 BCE.
Understanding megalithic architecture encompasses recognizing the different types, including monolithic structures made of a single stone versus polylithic structures constructed with multiple stones. Overall, megaliths reflect the ingenuity and social complexity of prehistoric cultures across various regions, including celebrated sites like Göbekli Tepe, Nabta Playa, and Newgrange.
What Are The Three Types Of Megalithic Structures?
Megaliths are large stone structures from prehistoric times, prevalent from the Late Neolithic to the Iron Age. They include various forms like menhirs (standing stones), dolmens (flat stones atop two or more pillars), stone seats, stepped pyramids, and different types of tombs and sarcophagi. Over 35, 000 megalithic structures are recorded across Europe, spanning from Sweden to the Mediterranean.
The term "megalith" was first introduced in 1849, referring broadly to significant stone constructions, either singular or in clusters. The most common megalithic structure is the dolmen, or portal tomb, known for its chambered design supported by upright stones.
Megalithic structures can generally be classified into two categories: polylithic (multiple stones) and monolithic (single stone). Noteworthy examples include stone circles, cairns, cist tombs, gallery tombs, and henges. Specific architectural features associated with these structures comprise forecourts, kerbs, orthostats, portal stones, and trilithons.
There is significant variation in megaliths worldwide, with distinct types found in regions like India, each constructed using specific materials and techniques. For instance, a dolmen typically consists of a rectangular chamber formed by vertical slabs covered by a large horizontal stone.
Megaliths symbolize early human ingenuity and community, often linked to rituals and burial practices in ancient societies. They continue to be a focal point in cultural studies, underscoring their importance in understanding prehistoric human behavior and societal organization.
What Is The Stonework Construction Called?
Masonry is the art and craft of constructing buildings and structures using materials like stone, clay, brick, or concrete block. Stonemasonry specifically involves shaping and arranging stones, often with the use of mortar or traditional lime mortar, to create walls or cover structures. There are several key components in stonemasonry. The "face" refers to the exterior surface of a wall exposed to elements, while the "back" is the inner surface not exposed to weather.
"Hearting" denotes the interior of a wall between the face and supports. Additionally, "through stone" indicates stones placed in one or two pieces within the masonry work. Stone masonry, a time-honored construction technique, forms the basis for many structures and sculptures, relying on locally available stones. This method has been utilized for centuries, notable for its durability and aesthetic appeal.
It encompasses various types of stone masonry and is foundational in building techniques for foundations, walls, and architectural details. Overall, masonry involves binding single units together using mortar, contributing significantly to construction practices worldwide.
What Is A Circular Arrangement Of Megaliths Called?
A henge is defined as a circular arrangement of megalithic stones typically encircled by a ditch, prevalent in ancient sites during the Neolithic and Bronze Age. These earthwork structures often had ritual or ceremonial importance, affecting the related cultural practices. The term "cromlech" also describes these circular formations of megaliths. Within these arrangements lies a "Sacred Interior," a designated area for rituals aiming for a higher good. Among related structures is a minaret, a tall slender tower linked to mosques, symbolizing Islamic presence.
Various megalithic constructions include dolmens, which are large upright stones or markers, and effigy mounds shaped like animals or symbols. Notably, the earliest megalithic tombs are linked to the Arzachena culture, featuring above-ground burial chambers. Megalithic walls, known as Cyclopean walls, are found alongside stone circles, commonly referred to as cromlechs. This term, derived from Welsh, translates to "circular place," emphasizing their circular or semicircular stone arrangements.
Examples like Stonehenge illustrate these structures' significance, involving considerable standing stones typically situated in Northwestern Europe. Additional related forms include barrows (artificial earth or stone mounds) and cairns (stone piles for burials or memorials). Collectively, these constructions, often utilized for rituals or astronomical functions, reflect the intersection of ancient architecture and cultural practices in prehistoric societies, showcasing humanity's spiritual and ceremonial endeavors.
What Are Stone Structures Called?
Megaliths are substantial stone structures created by humans over millennia, with many built during the 3rd millennium BC. These come in various forms, such as upright stones, dolmens, and stone circles, often aligned with celestial bodies or Earth’s magnetic field. Notable examples include Stonehenge in England and the Megalithic Temples of Malta, with over 35, 000 identified sites across Europe, spanning from Sweden to the Mediterranean. The term "megalith" was first used in 1849 and refers to large stones, either solitary or grouped, that construct monuments from prehistoric periods, especially between 4500-1000 BCE.
Megaliths serve as burial or commemorative sites and can exhibit different masonry styles, including rubble and ashlar masonry. Stone circles—rings of standing stones—are predominantly located in Northwestern Europe, particularly within the British Isles and Brittany. Stonehenge's tall structures, known as sarsens, exemplify these standing stones. Dolmens consist of multiple upright stones supporting a single horizontal stone, commonly found in northwest regions.
Additionally, rock formations, shaped by weathering and erosion, can refer to isolated scenic outcrops or specific sedimentary layers in geological studies. An example of a significant site is Listoghil in County Sligo, Ireland, a central monument within the Carrowmore group of prehistoric tombs. Moreover, Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, dating back to approximately 9, 500 BCE, signifies one of humanity's earliest known monumental constructions. Overall, megalithic structures reflect the diverse architectural styles and cultural significance of prehistoric societies across the globe.
What Is Dolmen Architecture?
A dolmen, also known as a portal tomb, is a single-chamber megalithic tomb typically composed of two or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone, resembling a table. These ancient structures, primarily associated with the Neolithic period, can be found globally, with the most notable examples located in northwestern Europe. Dolmens consist of large stone slabs arranged vertically in the ground to form a burial chamber, often covered with a mound of earth or stones, which in many cases has eroded over time.
The term dolmen originates from Breton, where "taol" means table and "men" or "min" means stone. These megalithic monuments occupy a significant place in prehistoric cultural heritage, symbolizing the architectural practices of ancient societies that used massive stone blocks to create sanctuaries and burial sites. The characteristics of dolmens, including their construction techniques and regional variations, highlight their role as distinctive markers of prehistoric communities.
Dolmens serve as a testament to the megalithic tradition, showcasing the skills of ancient builders and their burial customs. Despite the passage of time, many dolmens remain remarkably resilient, reflecting the architectural ingenuity of past civilizations and continuing to fascinate both researchers and the public alike. Each dolmen is unique, shaped by its geographical context, while collectively they represent a significant aspect of prehistoric architecture.
📹 The Secrets of Silbury Hill: NEW HYPOTHESIS Ancient Architects
SilburyHill is the largest artificial mound in Europe. It is thought to have been built over a short period of time between 2470 and …
Fascinating hypothesis, this is why i love your website. You look at ancient sites from a completely different angle from the conventially accepted views. Great article and very plausable, this could explain many ancirnt sites. Neolithic Cave art was often located due to the natual shape or contour of rocks, perhaps sacred sites are all located on some natural anomaly….. most springs or wells were revered and many pagans (and later christians) built places of worship next to, or around them.
i really love the structure of your research and articles overall. It’s easy to digest but still detailed enough to separate from the more superficial science/archaeology articles on youtube. Much respect to you for also taking the time to read actual Peer Reviewed research articles…something that Many youtuber’s lack the patience to do themselves which inevitably leads to misinformed theories of their own based on rumours and personal opinions. I know all that research takes time which many viewers don’t understand when they demand faster turnover of episodes (which is awesome since they are keen to see more content) but they don’t always realise that websites like this shouldn’t be compared to the larger ones out there that just spit out bollocks without doing thorough research to do the Topic Justice. So I appreciate the time you put into your articles and encourage your current workflow as you are still pumping out episodes at a healthy pace and not compromising on Quality for Quantity. Cheers again mate
I had never heard of this before and after presenting your hypothesis, I can’t see the logic in a complete human construction either. Really enjoying the website. Present facts, sate the public opinion on the subject, and then offer personal theories. Some content creators don’t maintain distinct separation between the two, but you do it well.
I’ve looked into this… I believe the Stone Circle at Gors Fawr (Great Marsh) is part of a Super Solstice Temple… Which includes, Foel Drygarn (Summer Solstice), Bedd Arthur & Foel Cwmcerwyn (Preseli Hills). Silbury Hill I believe could be a replication of Foel Drygarn… I noticed water in the clip… Foel Drygarn is the source of the Cleddau-Ddu… I believe the ancients used the hills around Gors Fawr like a seasonal time piece too… Reference points… But also a very spiritual place as in temple… The Bluestones at Stonehenge came from the Preseli Hills… Furthermore, the three mounds on Foel Drygarn I believe have something to do with Orion’s Belt… Like the Pyramids of Giza… Finally, as well as structures being close to the heavens, I also wonder whether the “Great Flood” had any influence, as in surviving.
I used to do water well drilling. When you started talking about the content materials and all the water it made me think of an Artesian water well someone had capped in the past but done a poor job, so the water kept pushing up the drill line and mounding the ground around it, but never flowed out. Because of the gravel basalt rock in the area the water was able to flow back down. We went in and drilled a new well almost like a Lance bursting a boil! It very well have been a natural wellspring that became a Reservoir! It’d be interesting to get a drill team in and lay some pipe. Just to see what comes out!
That well dug in the 17 hundreds dug to the base and found a wooden pole. i think it was Gerald Massey that I read on that but it could have been an old report on archive org. It was speculated at that time that the pole was a may pole. Amazing advance. Always something revolutionary from you. Thank you.
Being a Yank, I knew nothing about Silbury Hill before this presentation. Now, knowing something about the place, I find your hypothesis very intriguing. My only question is: could Silbury and Silbaby have been partially a place of worship of the goddess Sulis? Perhaps I am too early in the timeline of ancient Britain, but it is where my thinking takes me. Again, a fantastic presentation and a great, original hypothesis!
Aren’t or weren’t the Roman baths at Bath fed by springs? It is only 25 miles WSW of the hill. Looking at the topography of the land ground water would flow toward Bath. The climate would have been similar in Britain during the Roman warm period. It makes sense to me that ancient Britons would have used these springs and somewhat shaped the natural landscape to serve a purpose; much like the Romans did further down the flow, possibly at a time when Silbury was inactive due to a slightly lower water table. Keep up the excellent work my friend, you have me and many others hooked to your website. Much love man.
It’s crazy enough to be true. The climate and groundwater levels have changed alot, if there was a major spring there, then it most certainly would have been a sacred site. Barrows were built to be seen, to mark territory, basically saying “here lies the ancestors” as a peoples claim to the land. The confluence of two rivers was also sacred though, and water sources were too, so it could still be manmade to mark the springs reported as well as the confluence. Maybe they dug the ditch to access those springs, and needed a dump nearby, which evolved into the hill which marked that site. As stated, a geologist needs to go examine it just to test the ideas.
Maybe the ancients saw that mysterious natural mound with a hole on the top and believed it to be sacred, or that it was a portal to the underworld. Perhaps the early settlers sent their dead down the hole, but later it started contaminating the spring and causing sickness around, spreading plague and the people had to move away. Which would have made the later people believe the hill was an entrance to hell and the source of evil, and they decided to seal it by adding more structure.
To your point at 20:42 in the article. I may not have been clear enough. It wasn’t necessarily built over “a” spring, but rather over hydric soils…. that is why so many temporary springs popped up during the 2012 deluge. Why the builders chose the site is the real mystery, how they built on it, simply shows their recognition of the existing conditions and the engineering techniques that they applied to make the construction stable.
Fascinating idea. I’m currently investigating a large enlogated earthwork in West Kent (UK). It sits within a valley that once had dozens of springs feeding into it. Urban sprawl from the late Victorian period has certainly greatly reduced the water table in the area. It would seem quite likely that the earthwork was once surrounded by natural spring water. Significant amounts of prehistoric stone tools were recovered from the SW end and seem to date from the late Neolithic into the late Bronze. Still a lot more work for us to do but I like your hypothesis. UPDATE – Recently found a 1750 CE map referring to ‘Rok Spring’ at the NE end of the mound!
Hi Matt, thought this might interest you,it may be a totally natural feature but it seems like there is a massive wall running from durdle door through corfe castle to ulwell(Dorset) which continues across the Isle of Wight to bembridge I’m not suggesting that it is totally man made but it is intriguing, maybe you can take a look and let us know what you think,all the best mark
I like this theory and I think I may be able to provide you some evidence to use for comparison. I live in northwest Georgia in the southeastern US and am only about 30 miles from the capital of the Cherokee nation, New Echota and all three of the structures that you talk about exist here as well. We have burial mounds, spring mounds, and spring mounds surrounded by reservoirs. In fact, I have observed these spring mounds forming and can confirm that they develop with several different layers of strata and these springs are still quite often turned into reservoirs. As for why some spring mounds are built up like Silbury with both clay and kurst, my understanding is that the Cherokee did this so that the water would both fill the reservoir and be absorbed by the clay in the mound, as a way to limit evaporation loss and control the water level in the reservoir. Keep up the good work and I hope this may help out.
If you look at the John Aubrey/William Stukeley drawing of the landscape around Silbury Hill and Avebury, the layout of the monuments look somewhat like the female reproductive system. Avebury is the womb, Beckhampton Avenue and Kennet Avenue are the fallopian tubes, Overton Hill is one ovary and there are archeological remnants at the end of Beckhampton Avenue that could be the other ovary. The Kennet river flows towards the womb. In the old Anglo-Saxon dialects the name Kennet is the early form of our modern and taboo word C**t. Could Silbury Hill be the phallus? The life-giving water from the natural springs there being seen as enabling life. The landscape takes on a sacred geometry if you look at the vast area as a whole, and it represents the ‘Great Rite’, the creation of life. Stonehenge has a similar sacred geometry if you consider the stone circle the womb and the Altar Stone the centre of it. On the summer solstice the Heel Stone (as a phallus) casts a shadow into the circle and onto the Altar Stone. This isn’t usually taken much notice of as people are looking outward to see the sun above the Heel Stone. They are looking the wrong way! I think your theory of the Silbury Spring Hill beginning as a natural feature has great merit. This, as you say, would have attracted a lot of notice and reverence. I think the additions to the mound would have been done as part of the building of the monuments to honour the “Great Rite’ and apply it to the land, to bring fertility to the crops and therefore food to the table.
Very interesting hypothesis. The information about spring mounds was completely new to me. Ancient, and in fact not so ancient people, have always had great reverence for springs, imagine then the significance to them of a mound forming close to springs. Yet another strong feature in an already significance loaded landscape. There are also springs at Blick Mead not that far away where chemical reactions caused by algae turn flints bright red. Excellent article once again, thank you!
Curiously, a few years ago I slept out on top of Silbury Hill, and during the night had a very clear vision of a shaft running straight down from the top through the body of the hill and into the earth. I got the image of a cervix/omphalos in relation to this. Your article makes a lot of sense of why that central shaft might have existed. I love the idea of Silbury Hill being a central water feature to a big pond. And I’ll add Silbaby Hill to the visit list. Great work! Thank you!!
Good thinking sir, plausible in the extreme, critical thinking is not dead, if only you can get the orthodox cadres to look your way. The presentation is good, research is very thorough for the limited time you give and I believe within acceptable boundaries, nothing fringe. Keep working, stay positive, be bold and keep seeking, your ideas are smart and the questions you raise have tuff answers that the scholarly cadre cannot even humor us. Things might change one day, hopefully for the better and I believe your work will help bring it about.
Fascinating, thank you. I do think that there doesn’t need to be only one part to the explanation – if you are correct it doesn’t rule out any ceremonial use for the place. But all good scientists revise their hypotheses when needed so I could see your ideas being correct as well. The ‘how’ may be different from the ‘why’ but they are surely connected 🙂 Also thank you for bringing up Silbaby Hill, I hadn’t heard of it!
Modern Academia says “Ancient people dumb, they build giant mound to touch sky” When in fact there is so much evidence to prove that ancient people were just as smart as us, probably even smarter …I also like how you point out that these type of mounds have been found all across the world, which is just another hint that technology and history were once shared worldwide in ancient past.
Great Hypothesis. I agree completely. During the Holocene maximum and the melting of the ice, the land previously covered in ice would be rising exponentially based on the decreased weight of the ice. The water trapped in the crust would create natural aquifers that would have seemed magical. Spewing rocks, gravel, sand and chalk. They just enhanced the structure.
You are on to something, but I think a little more focus on the historic landscape, geology and hydrology will clear it up. But first let me tell you who I am. I am a retired Landscape Architect and professor wit a 5 year undergraduate degree and my 2 year masters. I graduated from the School of Environmental Design and practiced for 38 years. My background includes minors in civil engineering, architecture, forestry, regional planning and ecology just to mention a few. I have worked on projects that included aquifer and aquifer recharge issues, and literally all of my projects included surface and subsurface hydrology. So what I have learned as it might apply to Silsbury Hill is this: 1. The thesis that you put forward included an illustration of Bronze Age Britton. It was partially accurate in that it shows partial forest on the hill sides. Consider how subsurface hydrology works in a temperate hardwood forest. The forest creates an organic layer of soil that is very permeable, and depending upon the subsurface geology, the secondary soil matrix could also be pourous. 2. Now look at the topography. You have low rolling hills, and assumably, no large mountains near. The topography was formed primarily by surface erosion and created a drainage system called dendritic (with tributaries like the fingers on a hand). So, my point is that surface runoff is slowest when the forest is in tact. None the less, the subsurface flow is down hill, obviously. Now, as the surface flow moves through the tributaries, it carries organic and inorganic material with it depositing the mixture along the way, creating new/modified soils in the process.
When I was a child in 1971 I asked to be taken to Silbury Hill on the day we visited Stonehenge (I had read about it in a book). At the time there were some excavations taking place at the top. I remember rolling down the hill with a couple of friends. I haven’t been back since and I imagine that isn’t allowed these days. Interesting theory.
A very interesting hypothesis, and one that makes a lot of sense. It also makes sense to me, that ancient peoples, finding a spring at the top of a natural hill, would have considered it to be a sacred spring, and would have done earthworks around the hill to make a spiral walkway to make it easier to access, thus easily explaining the surrounding chalk works, also as possibly even retaining walls to keep the sides from crumbling as lots of people walked up and down the hill. That results in the odd combination of composition seen at the site, and would also help explain why so little has been found inside it, as any artifacts would have been only along the exterior construction efforts.
A stunning piece of deduction/detetective work. Having seen these ‘spring hills’ in at least three places in Oman (30/40 years ago,no names as such; possibly local knowledge, which was how we saw them – they were considered ‘sacred’ ), not to be confused with well known springs,such as Al Kasfah at Al Rustaq amongst others. I think you’re right about the human additions and it can’t be coincidence that the mounds of America (North in particular ) are built in multiple layers of difference types of gravel,sand,sarcens and chalk or gravel. My feeling is these people had a better command of the “mechanics” of mound building,than we currently credit them . With Silbury,the various layers would also possibly act as an extra filter system to enrich/purify the water from the spring below it? Have lived in Calne for some 20+ years I know the hill and the landscape well,have even chambered onto Silbaby for a view of Silbury during the flooding,you refer to. Was even lucky enough to see it with snow and surrounded by water. My feeling on this whole Southern Landscape,from Somerset to the Hill of Dover, is it’s still not being considered as a “whole”; with too much attention given to county borders and what remains and not nearly enough to what was and the Sacred Landscape in totality. Maybe your book with have some elucidating suggestions on this matter😉😀?! As so much of the landscape is artificial (or has been assumed to be) it’s not surprising that geologists haven’t been as ‘proactive’ or given their say as much as the archaeologists,maybe you can start a new trend.
When viewed from above it is obvious that Silbury Hill is an image of the Great Goddess, the hill being a pregnant belly and the surrounding ditches being the arms and thighs. The etymology of Kennet gives a reason why the river was moved. Somebody years ago also wrote a book about this area being a huge land zodiac but I cannot remember the author’s name and whether or not Silbury Hill was part of it.
Perhaps the ancients noticed that as the spring volume decreased in dry periods, they could “prime the pump” by adding weight to the mound. It might have served as an irrigation system? Is there much elevation difference between the artificial lake and the nearby river? Is it possible it supplied water for a village or farmland? It must have served some kind of utility for so many people to rework it for so many years!
I,ve driven pasta few times and found your program very interesting as I am interested in geology and try to learn about prehistory which I find fascinating, so a hit on both topics. If it was from the times of long rains maybe it wasa new sort of belief in water sources. I have learnt something new. Anyway, cheers
I’ve read that the height brings it up to the height of the hills it sits between. IF the phases of building up are dated and correlated to cosmic alignments, perhaps we can see the relationship. Spring mounds, very interesting. maybe like pingos? Your theory fits very well with natural occurrences during specific planetary alignments and Harmonic Convergences.
We had a mound in Greenville PA until the mid 19th century when they plowed it. It also had a river and a canal that ran on either side of it and the top view maps with the water look EXACTLY like the old maps with the mound. I presume the canal was there when this area was “settled”. It was filled in and turned to a railroad track. The mound was 20 ft high, 70-75 ft in diameter. Very interesting stuff
5:14 maybe chalking it was the important thing. Instead of digging up turf they placed chalk on top to make it white again. whats interesting about “white horses” hill figures is the locals populace have to do a chalking EVERY4-5yrs otherwise it will be lost. This has been going on every 4yrs since neolithic times. Also 11:13 brings to mind the “primordial mound” symbol. 13.25 “Waden” germanic (saxon woden/odin ?) waden hill To move forth; to journey on or go about. To puncture or stab; to journey into a person’s body. To wade; to walk through fluid: To wade through a fluid; to pass through by wading. To immerse or involve oneself in something.
I used to live in Reading not too far away, have twice slept the night away in West Kennett Long Barrow (with friends, wouldn’t do it alone!), many times on midsummer’s eve in hidden nooks within the main circle at Avebury (alone), but always wanted to sleep on top of Silbury Hill (alone or otherwise). I now live up North again, but it’s on my list. I reckon climb from the North side, away from the A4. I’ve also snooked into the Rameseum on the West Bank in Luxor after dark (local guide took a lot of Bakshish showing me how!) And slept alone in my traveller’s sleeping bag there too. The dreams are amazing, if frightening…. it’s worth doing anywhere like this, you get very strange dreams…..
It would be funny if it is actually a spoil heap where the locals, stripping the stones and gravel out of the fields as they developed them, would bring the rubble and dump it. Something that started small and practical and over time turned into a sort of communal amusement. Just to add though, it is impressive. I went to Avebury once and walked around the ring of stones and Silbury Hill began to appear beyond a ridge or something and as I walked it just got bigger and bigger and bigger.
Interesting how so many sites seem to be dedicated to the preservation, distribution, and power of water. So many archaeologists seem to be so focused on identifying these sites as tombs or temples. They also seem genuinely surprised when they find natural springs, underground water systems, or dried bodies of water underneath or near these sites. It seems to me that water is the reason these structures are built in the first place…and then the communities choose to give thanks or make requests to a deity because this structure seems to be a spot that makes sense and eventually authority figures want to be attached to those spots by being buried nearby in association with the site. That just seems like a natural progression to me.
I’d wager that dousing was involved. Water is one of those elements that trumps all others. I’d also expect that there are more factors to why it was modified than are readily apparent. Wonder if the surface water got contaminated? Maybe the river water became unsuitable for some reason? A natural spring with a source different from the river itself proved safer to use?
I actually like your theory on Silbury Hill. However, I would like to add to your hypothesis. The reason there might not be other Hills like this built elsewhere is because there was too much solid ice, from a time of the ice ages still present in these locations. In other words, this was the very front line where massive ice flows stopped, and part of the reason these mounds were built was to keep the springs from icing over, or freezing, during the long winters. This would keep the spring water hot, even when the water outside wasn’t, which is why the mounds were built so big. Heat retention for further survival-ability during harsh cold. This would seem to make even more sense to why the mound was built in the haphazard way it was, and why later, there was attempts to encase it in stone, so that way, the hot spring was enshrined forever as a means to let everyone know, ‘Here is where water is found, and it is here we survived’.
Excellent hypothesis. I know this area very well. You mention that it’s not really seen from a distance because it is cusped between undulating downs however this is not the case. If you walk up to the Wansdyke ( a high ridge that over time was made into a defensive dyke in Bronze, Roman and Saxon times) that overlooks the lower lands you can see Silbury clearly just imagine then back in the Mesolithic & Neolithic it made of chalk which like it’s nearby neighbour Avebury was like a huge palace of white light in its original chalk creation. Imagine then the impression of it from Wansdyke (the ridge) Imo perhaps it was a huge sign indicating sources of springs and I ageee that it probably was geo in origins then over time enhanced by generations. There is still so much that remains undiscovered in this beautiful area yet to reveal it’s secrets. How exciting.
sounds good to me. The reason for adding to a natural springformation could be that the mound around the spring is charged by the sprig. Adding mass would then increase the charge. And you have the chalk underneath filled with springs (82?). While writing this im thinking that the geologi is like Gize just naming one site since i belive all pyramidlike structures have the same geology. Maybe rebuilt many times for the same reason. You are on to something here,for sure.
Fascinating. Many cultures around the word, from the ancient Egyptians to the Mayans, have tales of emerging from beneath a “mound of creation” or from an underworld filled with water. Supposedly, the Egyptians made mastabas (the earliest form of elaborate burial for rulers) in remembrance of the mound of creation. These would later lead to the pyramids, which linked the heavens and the earth, tying the pharoahs to the gods above and below (just as Egypt became united (Upper and Lower Egypt). If Silbury was a natural spring that gradually built its own mound, the people could have made similar connections, especially since some psychologists view these mounds as constructs representing the human “mound” (mons Venus) of creation.
Great article as ever, it got me thinking. Castle hill mound in Thetford looks pretty similar to Silbury hill and is located at the bottom of a valley. There’s also natural springs that have been discovered around the site. Castle hill mound is a bit of a mystery still with limited excavations taking place, they think its Iron age but I think its older. Would you consider doing a article on this weird out of place mound?
I hit the submission button before I was done, so, please read the partial comment below first. So here is the conclusion. 3. With all of this said, consider that for “the” spring that y reference below the hill more than likely was not a singular large spring based upon the watershed, but rather a series of flowing and seasonal springs that created a challenge for the site to be built upon. For what ever reason the site was chosen, this hydric condition would have had to be addressed. I submit that it was addressed when you pointed out that the bottom layer was 1 meter of gravel. This survey as a foundation drain. You also show a section that illustrates additional rock/stone on one side. This would likely also be a relief drainage structure. Now with this hypothesis, where would the ground water go to stabilize the mound? It could only go into a moat that is at a lower elevation than the base of the hill/mound. Then there is only one thing to do, create an outfall into one of the rivers. The weir elevation will dictate how much water your pond will hold. 4. The image of the pond in recent flood stage is a picture of the reverse situation. The flood causes the water to back up in the websites, especially at a confluence. This is called backwater as your picture demonstrates. 4. The countryside is now devoid of forest and the hydrology has changed/dried up. This the pond is empty most of the time. When the soil is saturated, multiple “wet weather” springs pop up. The line of green grass seen in drought conditions, may well be a “French Drain” made with a trench filled with gravel as a further means of stabilizing the base.
There is a very large mound only a few miles from my house here in the USA. It is called Enon Mound in Enon, Ohio. It is believed to have been built by the Adena Indians, but next to nothing is known about it. I wonder if it was actually a spring mound? There are a couple of articles on Youtube concerning the mound, but I wish you were here to research it for your website.
The early stages look like a henge. If you read Uriels machine it’s very interesting as it explains the water creates an artificial horizon for viewing sun rises on the equinox etc basically so the people at that time could date exactly when the solstice and equinoxs are, that way they knew when to plant crops, when the parts of the season were etc. Also at the March equinox it was an important time for conception so babies could be born in Dec a powerful time of year for the ancient birth of kings. There is also discussion around educating the local population on how to know dates for post meteor strike so the surviving population could quickly work out the equinox and solstice to grow agriculture and feed themselves again. It’s a very interesting book. Enjoying your articles, thanks for creating them!
I love this idea, could it be applied to Glastonbury Tor too? We have all heard of lake villages on the Levels. There’s a article showing drone footage and Lidar modelling of Avebury with it’s huge moat, over 1000s of years, showing how much wetter the landscape was. It doesn’t take anything away from ideas that these mounds were also used for meeting places, or had beacons on top, or had religious significance.
Good stuff as usual and I really like the water volcano idea, but Silbury is too big surely (dont call me Shirley) so therefore it must have been made bigger by the indigenous population . I hesitate at the fascination of natural springs to the Neolithic people.There was an abundance of fresh water in the area and there are no fish to eat in a spring, I suspect they were a fairly pragmatic race with a similar time poor life as us with all the hunter gathering effort going on in those daylight hours. The wider area shows all manner of interesting occupation and anomalies, it smacks of something a bit more influential on the district, a bit like that bright star over Bethlehem story that inspired millions. You would assume then, that they too would need something magical to inspire them to build a daft hill weighing a googleplex of tons. Keep up the good work Matt and let us know when the new book is available.
Wonderful presentation. One thing springs to mind: there are creation myths which involve an island arising out of the water. Also years ago I read of bronze age disc barrows being replicas of natural circular, embanked bodies of water. I think these are found in Eastern Europe where the theory claims a link with the British Bronze Age culture.
Thank you for joining the dots on what to me is a very special place (my father was born nearby and although we lived a slightly greater distance away we visited and played on the hill regularly as kids). Water is a key element in any community as an essential pre-requisite and it’s striking that this may relate to the hill mounds of the USA – cfapps7865 may be able to help further ? . I think you have hit the nail on the head. Great work.
As I was perusal your article, I couldn’t stop thinking that building a hill over a spring with a surrounding ditch and a website to the nearby river is exactly what I’d do if I was trying to localize an over abundance of water and drain it out of the area. So, maybe this is a land reclamation project, a kind of drain the swamp operation. As you point out, Silbury Hill sits in a depression of surrounding hills. Moving the water out of the area opens up more land to be tilled and farmed. Of course, this doesn’t answer why people would keep adding to the hill size over time. Anyway, my thoughts.
I remember as a kid construction workers layed all the dirt that they dug out into a mound. I don’t know why they left it there but they did. Within 15 years the mound went from dry dirt to fully grass covered. It’s as hug as this mound. But I said that to say you. Can see how fast the earth takes over. Kids today probably think that same mound is natural
Outstanding! Still three generations of effort is nothing. In the same area Stonehenge was reworked over hundreds of years. Has anyone taken an eagle’s eye view of the Wiltshire sacred landscape and compared its man-made landmarks with celestial sky-marks of stars, constellations and the Milky Way? ”As above, so below”. If there was an inverted ”sky-map”, which stars would Silbury & Silbaby represent?
@17:25 you can clearly see the archaeologists found a wattle fence and even twisted grass rope radiating out like a spiders web from the centre of the hill at ground level. The foundation of the hill was found to contain turf with soil that was not from the field where the hill was built, which was then covered over with a clay containing flint. That was all at ground level before the chalk was built on top. Your hypothesis is totally unfounded. The archeology has proved beyond doubt that this is a completely man made hill.
This argument goes way beyond Silbury Hill. You could make a case that many of the megalithic mound type structures should be investigated for their hydrodynamic pumping potential. Given the relative location of the Nile, I love this as a line of inquiry towards the Giza pyramids serving a water management function.
During the last total eclipse of the 20th century across England in 1999, I enjoyed the spectacle on the top of Silbury Hill along with a large group, meditating, chanting, partying, children running around, or just gazing into space. No word on the fact that it sits on top of the Mary/Michel lay line, one of the two main lay lines that encircle our planet !?
The structure of this particular phenomenon reminds me of fountains that were built into places to provide water to the inhabitants around its location. if the mound was natural in construction and the hole was at the top could it be possible that there was some sort of force geologically that water up to the top. The water would then come trickling down the sides and go through a filtration process. The man-made mote or Reservoir around it could then collect the water and the inhabitants would then have a source of clean water. The question would be is at the time of its construction were there many suitable water sources around it. Further if it is not something that can be seen easily that would protect the source from other people exploiting it and keeping it safe for the local inhabitants. Perhaps the work done by humans on the mound were simply to maintain it so they would continually have a reliable water source. Sometimes I think we try to be way more grandiose about ancient finds because we like to romanticize about the ancient world. let us not Overlook the fact that in earlier times people needed some way to survive in order to build societies. Priorities being water food and shelter and hopefully any local area where they don’t have to be nomadic. Makes me wonder what kind of explanation a porcelain urinal from today will be given in a thousand years. will it be interpreted as some sort of religious artifact? not everything the Ancients built we’re necessarily designed for anything more than day-to-day living.
A light house surrounded by rivers, this dates it back to the ice-age when the dry river valley would have been full of water. The wood posts are simply moorings for boats. Robert John Langdon hypothesis is pretty good for the majority of these sites including stone henge. Reference the geological maps and all will be clear.
Adding to it would also have added pressure downward forcing more water to the surface in dry times. Just like easter island 🗿used added hat weights to the statues that were primarily used to block natural drainage websites underground and trap and force fresh water to the surface before it could reach the ocean. Even the great pyramids might have once served a similar function by forcing fresh water up to the grotto well before it hit the river, which in ancient times would have been far less drinkable than the sand filtered ground water by far, if the river was drinkable at all that far down stream with so many cities, farms, and villages upstream from it. They too seem to be built in stages and possibly on top of a natural spring mound. Originally, who knows. As an engineer thats one of the two possible reasons i see as requiring such an incredible structure. The other is air, but thats quite a bit more tinfoil hat material.
Dragon Hill in Oxfordshire has a patch at the summit which will not grow grass on it. This would also fit with the ‘highly compelling’ spring mound theory. Or, it could have been made by the slain dragons’ blood seeping into it, like the history books say. Considering the supposed significance, it seems odd that it’s actually better known for a bit of expensive conceptual art from the offices of Kate Bush and Donald Sutherland.
The mound was not built in a short time! It was built over time in several stages as Wessex culture (civilisation) developed and regional power grew. The Mound was probably originally a grave or memorial, but over time it was raised higher and higher. It became a place of worship and a symbol of the power of the nearby inhabitants.
The theory that the builders of Silbury Hill built it as part of a ritualistic tradition seems really weird. “Yes, let us spend all of our hard-earned calories on making an upside-down cone-hill.” Sure there’s making a pilgrimage, and that takes plenty of calories, but just having a chat and shoveling earth doesn’t equal making a pilgrimage.
The Vortex shape of Silbury Hill seems to be a structuring facility for improving the quality of the water. Such shapes get copied by nature. Rocks, waterfalls tend to make the molecular weight lighter, more oxygenated. Such a place may well serve as healing water. I would like to know if this remains the case.
Ball of light and crop circles appear at Silbury Hill. Here’s one explanation: ‘The nature of the design (alternating layers of organic and inorganic material topped with a slope of chalk executed at 60 degrees) allows it to behave like a natural battery, soaking up the rising electromagnetic energy generated by the action of water percolating through the porous chalk soil below. The process is known to science as adsorption.’ .. Now, talking about ball-lightning: energy release only happens certain times of the month. Freddy Silva witnessed a big ball of light at Silbury Hill for 20 seconds. He says the phenomenon is well known to local farmers. (I will ask a few farmers soon.) Ball lightning is connected to old submarine batteries. ‘Submariners in World War II gave the most frequent and consistent accounts of small ball lightning in the confined submarine atmosphere. There are repeated accounts of inadvertent production of floating explosive balls when the battery banks were switched in or out, especially if misswitched or when the highly inductive electrical motors were misconnected or disconnected.’ .. Crop circles: Most of them are manmade. Farmers are very angry at pranksters. But maybe not all of them are a hoax.
I’ve always thought of it to be a water fissure which became thought of as a magical place and then built upon when water stopped flowing from the top….perhaps the thought of making it bigger would bring back the water…silbaby may have begun after the other dried out but didn’t continue to grow…..think of Hawaii’s fissure 8 pumping lava to the sea, this could of just pumped water to the surrounding ditches to keep it…just a thought….
Maybe same with Glastonbury Tor. There is the white spring under the hill and the blood spring right next to it. The geological distance to island is not so far and there hot wells are available. Maybe the structure in deeper earth was different some thousend years ago and maybe there were more pressure from the deep, which brought water, carbonate and sand to the surface in this way and form.
It will be what the historical society is willing to commit for it to be. As long as it is kept with a tight turf cover and preventing trees to grow on it. Also monitoring the ancient drainage system/foundation. I don’t understand why you are annoyed that I have offered a scenario that is based on the intelligence of our ancestors and their recognition of what building in a Hydric Floodplain required.
I travelled to Avebury from Western Australia last year. The chalk landscape is noticeably lacking in reliable sources of water. My natural inclination would be to excavate and exploit any spring lines to exploit their fullest potential as a water source. Could it be that Silbury hill is just a spoil tip? The focus of effort being on maintaining the supply of water for local farmer’s livestock when the Kennet ran dry?
A large spring mound could have been seen by ancient people as a good place to put a hill fort, due to its apparently inexhaustible water supply. Perhaps the ruler of an ancient tribe had it enlarged to put his fortified residence on it, or perhaps it was used by the whole tribe as a strong point with replenishable water in times of war for the tribe to take refuge in during an attack.
You have it in my view. Also look at Cerro Masatrigo, Extremadura, Spain that aligns, is bigger and today surrounded by water. What you haven’t picked up is these ‘enhanced’ structures are used as markers. Think ‘gun sites’ look at other marker mounds in its region and watch how it defines the edges of countries n continent’s.
Layers of certain materials used again and again to enhance the mound bring to mind Wilhelm Reich’s orgone energy theory – that an earth, or life energy exists all around us and can be accumulated and intensified through the layering of fabrics, earthen materials or metals and wood. It’s been awhile since I read about this stuff, but Avebury mound might be some kind of energy collector – a giant battery that by sitting on it or near it, may bring healing energy to the recipient, or have a mind-changing effect on a person. There’s no symbology to the layering – it simply speaks of a mastery and a manipulation of a kind of energy that modern man does not acknowledge exists.
The mound of creation arose out of the flood and was signified by the rainbow. This mound is actually based on 25/8 and uses British inches as per acoustic Pi The lower diameter is 6250″ (300 cubits) the top diameter is 1166″ (56 cubits) ~ 1250″ (60 cubits) The apex is thus 1/5th scale of the base like the great pyramid core masonry recess. The bank and ditch sine wave at stonehenge was 3600″, 4050″ and 4500″ diameter and the inner diameter of the sarsen circle 1166.6+” with outer 1250″ and the Heel stone ring has a diameter of 6250″ 1166.6 (56 cubits inner) x 25/8 = 3600 As 2 Pi is 12/5 phi squared on which the speed of sound is based. Phi squared = 5/6th 3.125 = 125/48 & Phi = 77/48 6250 – 1250 / 2 = 2500 gradient base. 2500 x 48/77 = 1558″ height Looks to me like they were recreating Stonehenge in conical form. Wells are the origins of souls and entrance to the underworld. If there is volcanic activity there is ball lightning and earth lights.
The lake at Silbury is identical in shape to several female figurines that have been discovered in Britain. e.g the earth godess from grimes graves and the small stone figure from the underground lake below colchester castle. the mound is an obvious representation of a womb with the lake making the shape of the body. water and lakes are connected with female deities and silbury is a clear example of this tradition.
Maybe it was pointless punishment exercise for prisoners, criminals. If it started as spring mound, maybe they just added to it from excavations of surrounding reservoir to access to water. A natural place to dump spoil as it was already there. Then when water dried up maybe it did serve some social function
Because it points to the deluge, a mouth of the fountains of the deep, the layers layer down that geologists say were millions of years between the laying down, that dinosaurs stepped through and trilobite walked through, and the idea that they needed to cap it of so it didn’t happen again. Look the the flooding in the pics. Imagine several of these across the world and rain for 150 days all sloshing around and then what would be happening under the water that is, by that time, an ocean that covered everything, for another 150 days and then it slowly receding back to the underground aquifers / cavities and oceanic basins. At this point you have seen a lot
Excellent theory!!!! Monty burns comment below is what i was thinking. Take it a bit further to….. as the land around dried out, the mound let its contents out, guaranteeing a clean, filtered water source in dry years. Its shape could be sign for people to find it…. maybe????? Now go and get some sleep young Matt. You have been a busy boy!!!!!! Grandma says.
Can’t we have both? One reason that human construction for Silbury Hill was always assumed is the coincidental location. Travel around Britain and you will stumble upon places with interesting geological formations. Keep moving and you will find find interesting archeology elsewhere. To find both in such close proximity is unlikely, though certainly not impossible. I like this geological theory, but I wish to extend it. How about if a natural phenomenon had been enhanced by humans? They noticed a spring mound forming and developed a way to keep the process going well beyond its natural limits. If so, there may be remaining evidence of manipulation of the natural hydrology.
Silbury (Skul-b-kuarkuku). Skul- means settlement. Kuku evolves into y so -Kuary. Settlement-B-Quarry? Thats an odd name for a place. Silbaby (Skul-B-Arbkuku). Could it be Settlement-B-Abby? I was expecting Settlement-A-Quarry or something. The stone mound is used to squeeze the aquifer when its pressure drops off.