Archive for August, 2007
Pytheas of Massilia was a Greek mariner who was alive during the fourth century BC. Before he set sail on his famous voyage into the North Atlantic via the Pillars of Hercules, he would first of all have travelled around the Mediterranean region, while his general point of reference for what constituted a temple to one of his gods would have been a stone or marble structure with dressed uprights and lintels, as can be seen from the above photograph of the Parthenon.
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Categories: Archaeological discoveries 2007, Lost City of Apollo, Pytheas of Massilia, Stonehenge
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At some point today (Wednesday) GWR FM will be broadcasting a short interview that I did with a very pleasant and insightful lady named Louisa. She questioned me about Stonehenge, Vespasian’s Camp and the Lost City of Apollo, while she also asked an obvious and pertinent question – had my findings been verified by anyone else?
As I’ve written before, I made a point of studying the original Greek text with assistance from people far better qualified than myself. Such a study may well exist, but I’ve not yet come across an example of anyone having done the same thing, while I have to say that I thought it was a thoroughly worthwhile and obvious exercise; still, this does not mean that those who assisted me necessarily agree with my identification of Pytheas’ temple as Stonehenge. One very good reason for this is that the people in question didn’t make any claim to be familiar with the monument and with the surrounding landscape, so I couldn’t have my claim “verified” in this fashion.
I gather from all the emails and phone calls I’ve had that, after having studied what I wrote on the subject, a great many people agree with me, but that is not the same thing as something being verified. On the other hand, I’m simply not aware of anyone else who has ever looked into this matter in the depth that I have, so it is hard to see where I could go for universally agreed or “official” verification.
However, I’ve been given to understand in a private communication that a specific group of professionals, vastly more knowledgeable about Pytheas and ancient Greek than I am, may well be looking into this matter, so I’ll simply have to be patient and wait to see if anything arises from this particular avenue of enquiry.
In the meantime, I should repeat that I’ve not yet finished with my study of what Pytheas had to say about the temple and the city of Apollo. As soon as I can, I intend to post up my investigation into the supervisors of the temple and the kings that Pytheas specifically mentioned – I have all the material to hand and I’ve written it up, but I naturally want to get it as right as possible, while I also want to make it as readable as possible and this is something that takes time; if it’s not a detailed but easy read, it’s not worth posting up.
In a nutshell, although it is merely a fleeting reference, I believe that the supervisors and kings mentioned by Pytheas were highly specific to Stonehenge and to Vespasian’s Camp. If I can make a convincing case for this, then it will go some way towards supporting my assertion that Vespasian’s Camp was once the City of Apollo.
Otherwise, I don’t take part in internet forum discussions – this is not because I think there’s anything wrong with them, but I just don’t have the disposition for them, as I simply prefer to write pieces of greater length. Be that as it may, I understand that there’s some discussion of both Avebury and Newgrange as sites for this City of Apollo, so as I presume these analyses are serious ones, I’ll reciprocate by giving them a serious response on this site as soon as I can.
Finally for now, there are no photos today because it’s Pete Glastonbury’s birthday and he’s naturally got far better things to do with his time!
Categories: Lost City of Apollo, Pytheas of Massilia, Stonehenge
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Earlier today, I did a radio interview for Shelley Keen of BBC Radio Wiltshire and I was flattered to be asked. I thought Shelley was a great girl, not least because I quickly found out that she is a fellow admirer of the (original) film of Jason and the Argonauts.
I was a bit shocked, however, to discover that she didn’t know that Ray Harryhausen’s fantastic monsters had appeared in a recent video to promote a Killer’s single called “Bones”, but you can see the murderous skeletal warriors for yourselves on this link, if you wish.
Shelley was kind enough to compare me with Indiana Jones, but researching into Pytheas’ Lost City of Apollo and Vespasian’s Camp was less a case of physically digging and far more a case of:
“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore…” as Edgar Allen Poe so evocatively put it in his poem The Raven.
There is very little on Vespasian’s Camp on the internet, while I put up most of what I could find as links in the original story. So, once again, I’m very grateful to Pete Glastonbury, as he managed to unearth an otherwise obscure English Heritage document for me, which contained some valuable information on the site.
The tantalising account of the ancient Greek mariner Pytheas, the concept of a Lost City of Apollo and Stonehenge itself are no-one’s exclusive preserve – these wonderful things are our common heritage to be enjoyed by all, and if you’re drawn towards such exotic subject matter because you once saw and enjoyed films like Jason and the Argonauts when you were younger, then all the better as far as I’m concerned. As long as anyone’s interested, I’ll be happy to talk about it.
Categories: Archaeological discoveries 2007, Lost City of Apollo, Pytheas of Massilia, Stonehenge
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In recent weeks, I’ve devoted most of my time to writing about the temple and city of Apollo as described by the ancient Greek mariner Pytheas of Massilia. I find the subject engrossing and I plan to write a great deal more about it, but it’s very hard going when you learn of the horrendous fires that are currently devastating large swathes of Greece.
I’ve visited the country and the islands many times and in my personal view, the place is an absolute Paradise. I’ve always found the Greek people to be extremely hospitable and welcoming, so it is deeply upsetting to learn of their terrifying misfortunes while not being able to do a solitary thing about them. All I can do by way of support is to return there one day and I have every intention of doing so, fires or no fires.
Picture by NASA.
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The 2007 Stonehenge Riverside Project dig began today and despite the occasionally unpleasant weather, around one hundred and fifty students and volunteers turned out to assist with the excavations and other related tasks. The areas currently under investigation are Durrington Walls, the Cuckoo Stone and the western end of the Cursus.
At Durrington Walls, Professor Mike Parker-Pearson and his staff are extending the trench he opened last year and the year before in a search for more Neolithic huts. As well as discovering a small part of a vast prehistoric village, last year’s excavations also produced evidence of some Iron Age activity at the site, so the current dig will almost certainly unearth a great deal more of interest to anyone who is aware of Durrington Walls and its relationship in prehistoric times to nearby Stonehenge.
Furthermore, in the southern quadrant of Durrington Walls closest to Woodhenge, two trenches are being dug in an attempt to locate the position of the now ploughed-out bank and ditch of the colossal earthwork.
The Geophysics staff attached to the Stonehenge Riverside Project have carried out magnetometer and resistivity surveys between Woodhenge and the nearby long barrow. Test pits have already revealed the presence or existence of at least two ring ditches, so excavations will be carried out on these features over the coming week.
The Cuckoo Stone to the west of Woodhenge is a solitary sarsen, so-called because it is out of place, while no excavations have ever been carried out in its vicinity despite it being a standing stone or megalith in the Stonehenge landscape. Test pits have been dug nearby, revealing the beginning of one large feature believed to be Roman, while on the other side, a posthole has been revealed whose age is as yet unknown.
Excavations are also taking place at the western end of the Cursus and perhaps this year, firm evidence might come to light of the bluestone monument that may once have stood there. This lost monument is presumed to have existed on account of the large quantity of bluestone fragments unearthed by J.F.S Stone during his 1947 excavation at the Cursus, but you can find out more about this, if you wish, by entering a search on this site.
A trench dug across the ditch today found what is thought to be a terminus, possibly from Stone’s 1947 ditch, but when we find out more, we’ll report it here. On the opposite side of the Cursus, but further to the west, another trench has been opened, while as a result of magnetometer and resistivity surveys, a trench has been opened in the middle of the Cursus. Finally for now, another trench has been opened across the ditch at the western end of the Cursus, but we’ll update this site with any finds or discoveries that are made there.
There will be an Open Day this coming Bank Holiday Weekend with displays of archery, Neolithic food, flint knapping and other activities. Families are most welcome, so if you know anyone with children who might be interested, then please click on this link from the Salisbury Journal and pass it on. Whatever the weather, it should be a great weekend for everyone and a great chance to see this fascinating site, and we might see you there!
Words by Dennis Price. Photographs copyright Pete Glastonbury 2007.
Categories: Archaeological discoveries 2007, Cuckoo Stone, Cursus, Durrington Walls, Stonehenge
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