The Sweet Track (Megalithic)

[Keimpe]

Apart from http://www.googleearthanomalies.com where would one report such a thing?

(Mick, it's OK to say you're impressed)

[Mick Harper]

Huh, I suppose so. But let's have a look at what we've actually got. Vast swathes of British archaeology derive from various national aerial surveys and the consequent discovery and exploitation of cropmarks -- evidence not discoverable any other way. On the other hand these aerial surveys were not undertaken for the purpose of discovering cropmarks so we can be sure that there are plenty still undiscovered (they only show up in certain lights, from certain angles, at certain times of the year etc etc).

Now Google Earth is just, as it were, the latest national aerial survey so naturally it will pick up some cropmarks that older surveys did not. But at Avebury? This must be one of the few places in Britain that actually has had specialist archaeological aerial surveys done. Therefore we can conclude that this Google one is modern.

But this raises a separate problem, looking at the obverse. Googling Avebury must be one of the most frequent uses of Google Earth -- and performed by people on the lookout for weird stuff just like this -- so what chance nobody has seen this? Nil.

So, Keimpe, report on two things
a) your emotional and intellectual reactions on discovering this and
b) your best estimates of what you would have done if you had discovered it idly as opposed to part of a wider investigation.

PS Is there a World's Best Crop Circle Gallery anywhere, and if so how do you search it without having to go through the whole lot?

[Ishmael]

Found it.

http://dancingawakethefifthworld.com/crop_circle_050716_wiltshire_waden_hill_avebury.jpg

[Ishmael]

Personally, I was more intrigued by the straight line through the field directly to Avebury. And as we can see, that wasn't part of the recent crop circle.

[Keimpe]

[Keimpe]

[Hatty]

[Mick Harper]

So what is the 'chipping' in Chipping Norton? Where the stonemasons used to work?

[Hatty]

Chipping is supposed to be derived from ceapen meaning 'market' as in Cheapside. I'd rather fancied a connection with people 'chipping' off bits of stone "for good luck" but that's no doubt fanciful.

There are tremendous earthworks denoting a castle on the hill overlooking St. Mary's church, could be where the fabled well was situated as the Sar brook runs alongside the path that follows the line of the banks. Bit odd that, considering Chipping is supposed to be the highest town in Oxfordshire.

[Mick Harper]

This reminds me that in the Battle of the Saints we have to find a way of distinguishing between Mary, Jesus' mom, and Mary Magdalen, Jesus's doxy. Only the latter is presumably significant in this context.

[Hatty]

[Mick Harper]

Well, the Immaculate Conception was performed on Ann, the mother of Mary, not Mary herself ie Mary was immaculately conceived to make sure no trace of mucky stuff attached to her. But all this nineteenth century Ultramontane ideology is completely irrelevant (the doctrine of Papal Infallibility comes from the same era) being mostly internal French Second Empire politics.

The point is that Mary Magdalen, aka the Black Madonna, has some affinities with Megalithia -- however 'allegedly' -- whereas the Virgin Mary is (unless we can come up with something else) just Earth Mother writ late, as you suggest. But my guess is that there is much more to come on this.

[Hatty]

Well I don't want to get involved in complicated doctrinal issues but the way I see it black madonnas are 'earthy' and protective, quintessential mother-figures; blackness is traditionally equated with fertility. They are invariably found by shepherd boys usually in caves in hillsides. Shades of sacred groves perhaps, almost certainly Platoesque. (cf. Egypt, or Kemet, the 'black land' from the black Nile mud that refertilises the land every year).

[Keimpe]

Spotted this one as well:



which turned out to be probably this one:



It's the aliens saying Mick's theory is right. Avebury is at the heart of the megalithic trackway system. Congrats Mick!

[Chad]