The Centre Of An Ancient Civilization - 29 September 2010

The Boscombe Down find was of a teenager with amber stones who died 3500 years ago and was from the Mediterranean region. This time period is after tin and gold mining had been established in these islands and therefore raises the question - why was he here? This builds on the Amesbury Archer who was found some years ago, dating back more than 4000 years with the earliest gold known in England. Speculation is growing that the region around Stonehenge was indeed the site of a very important trading centre in Europe because of rare metals specifically Cornish tin and Welsh gold. This is thousands of years before the Vikings or the Romans and that in itself is staggering. 

The wide span of finds from Boscombe Down to Amesbury and many others dotted around the area raise a question. If the whole area could be the site of many more critical discoveries over the years and centuries to come which affect our understanding of world history (let alone Wiltshire) should there be some kind of additional archeological control placed on all future development work in the region.

For example, many years ago in Guatemala and Mexico, I visited many sites relating to the old Mayan culture. At one site, I was privelaged to climb to the top of the Temple Of The Jaguar and it was evident that we were surrounded by a sea of unnatural hills jutting out of the jungle canopy. When I asked our guide what these were, he advised they were all similar historic sites but would remain covered by bush and trees until the right resources were available and Guatemala could afford proper restoration.

I am reminded of this now. In the South Wiltshire area we do not know what lies beneath us. Fortunately much of what we discover in the future may be preserved because it lies underneath the Salisbury Plains which has restricted military access. Is it time we took the Stonehnege finds even more seriously and begin to think about the whole region not just the current Stonehenge site.