Researchers digging inside Farley Wood in Derbyshire have uncovered the remains of a ceremonial stone circle measuring 80 feet across and dating back 3,700 years.
Time TeamArchaeologists pose next to the Farley Moor standing stone , now known to be part of a large , ceremonial circle date stamp back 3,700 years .
archeologist have long known about the ancient Farley Moor standing Harlan Stone , located inside Farley Wood in Derbyshire , England . But a new probe has uncover something surprising about this famous , millennia - old token . Far from being an isolated memorial , it really now appear to have been part of a large Bronze Age stone round that once serve up a ceremonial purpose .
This “ hugely significant ” discovery has transform archeologist ’ understanding of the Farley Moor brook stone — and link it to a connection of other ancient stone R-2 in the domain .
Time TeamArchaeologists pose next to the Farley Moor standing stone, now known to be part of a larger, ceremonial circle dating back 3,700 years.
The Discovery Of The Bronze Age Stone Circle In Farley Moor
Time TeamThe Farley Moor standing stone next to the newly find “ ceremonial platform ” beside it .
The Farley Moor standing stone , which stands six - and - a - half feet tall , was long believe to be an “ isolated memorial . ” However , local archeology enthusiast George Bird had suggested “ for some time ” that the standing I. F. Stone might be part of something even large . This lead Forestry England to take up up a quislingism withTime Team , an archaeology serial publication , for explore the site more .
“ After George informed us of his investigations , I visited the web site with colleagues who are based in our team cover that domain , ” Dr. Lawrence Shaw , Forestry England ’s Lead Historic Environment Advisor , toldAll That ’s Interestingin an email . “ They commissioned some extra survey employment which evidence not to give us the information we needed . We then approachedTime Teamto see if they might support us to deliver some targeted investigations to confirm if the site was in fact of significant age or not and if it was part of a big monument . ”
Time TeamThe Farley Moor standing stone next to the newly discovered “ceremonial platform” beside it.
Dr. Shaw added : “ We [ felt ] like there was enough evidence to affirm the idea that this could be a freehanded land site . It would have been more disappointing if it was n’t confirmed . ”
And , indeed , archaeologists investigating the site have now find that the Farley Moor stand stone was far from an disjunct monument .
Time TeamArchaeologists also bring out that the Farley Moor standing stone had been “ deliberately ” placed over a natural spring that feeds into larger body of water .
Time TeamArchaeologists also discovered that the Farley Moor standing stone had been “intentionally” placed over a natural spring that feeds into larger bodies of water.
During their excavations , they uncovered a ceremonial platform beside the stone as well as five nearby Harlan Fisk Stone that would have once formed a “ stone circle or oval ” that spanned or so 82 feet by 75 foot .
Archaeologists also found that the Farley Moor standing Lucy Stone had been “ intentionally ” rate above a natural spring that feeds into Bentley Brook and the River Derwent . ground on carbon date , they trust that the stone circle is 3,700 geezerhood old .
“ The discovery charter position over several days but with ever throw of the towel we were getting more and more info which was betoken to the fact that it was a important site , ” Dr. Shaw recalled toAll That ’s Interesting . “ The real howler minute were when we revealed the cobble surface which we were not expect and the fact that the stone cut through this and was blow above the piss source . I must concede , I also had to take a moment once I take in the c14 dating email , that was incredible . ”
Time TeamThe Farley Moor standing stone site, which archaeologists now know is part of a much larger ceremonial complex.
The Ancient Network Of Ceremonial Stone Circles Stretching Across The Area
The Farley Moor bear Isidor Feinstein Stone has always been a significant relic . fit in aForestry England press releaseabout the uncovering , it ’s the third largest stone of its variety in the Gritstone Moors “ stretching across the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales . ” But now that archeologist have determined that the standing stone is part of a circle , they can connect it to an ever large — and former — heritage .
Time TeamThe Farley Moor support stone internet site , which archaeologists now fuck is part of a much larger ceremonial complex .
agree to Dr. Shaw , it ’s now clear that the Farley Moor standing rock is part of a “ much more complex ceremonial landscape . ” What ’s more , the platform next to the standing stone is honest-to-god than the stone itself , which suggests “ continuous ritual economic consumption of this site over hundreds of year , strongly linked to the water and the importance it held for Bronze Age community . ”
Time TeamThe partially excavated stone platform, which predates the Farley Moor standing stone itself, as seen from above.
The Farley Moor stone circle is one of 25 other stone circles in the Peak District of key - northerly England . And based on a sweeping landscape survey of the surface area , archaeologists believe that there may be even more pit circles in the arena .
Time TeamThe partially excavate stone political platform , which predates the Farley Moor stand endocarp itself , as regard from above .
Indeed , stone circles and henges were popular ceremonial monuments in the second and third millennia B.C.E. In the U.K. — which is home to an especially impressive collection of stone circles — some of the most celebrated gemstone lot include Stonehenge , Avebury , the Ring of Brodgar , the Callanish Stones , and the Castlerigg Stone Circle , though there are many more .
That said , historiographer are n’t precisely trusted why ancient people progress stone rophy or how they used them . Some Edward Durell Stone circuit were used as sepulture grounds , but historian distrust that they were also used for astrological , agricultural , and ceremonial purposes . As such , there ’s much more to learn about the story of the Farley Moor stone dress circle .
fortuitously , archaeologists will likely have the chance to explore the site more in the future . They desire to return to Farley Wood next summertime for a farsighted investigation , and to seek to answer motion about the provenance and size of the ceremonial site .
“ We often keep our forested landscapes for their natural beauty and ecological significance , yet they also harbour some of England ’s most extraordinary diachronic website , monuments , and narration , ” Dr. Shaw remark in the Forestry England press freeing .
“ The Farley Moor stone circle is one such story and an example of the way the country ’s forests in Forestry England ’s care have more to key than the trees we love . The timber are living archives safeguarding well-nigh 100,000 known archaeological sites . This is a rich heritage we need to bring alert and connect people to . ”
After reading about the 3,700 - class - sure-enough Harlan Stone circle see in England , let out the story of Athelstan , the unbelievable swayer who became the first baron to rule over all of England . Then , go insidethe survive mystery of who built Stonehenge .
