Further to an earlier geophysical survey and aerial footage, the University of Reading have been excavating a field in the Vale of Pewsey known as Cat's Brain, southeast of Hilcott, a possible Neolithic long barrow. The monument is listed on Historic England's Pastscape record here, and Tim Daw last week indicated a possible equinoctial alignment of the long barrow on his blog www.Sarsen.org here. From the Middle English cattes brazen, the name appears to be a reference to rough clay mixed with stones that’s widespread in certain areas, as opposed to feline anatomy. On Sunday 9 July 2017, I visited the excavations with my friend Pete Glastonbury and his daughter Sammy. Dr. Leary, the project director, kindly invited us to remain, as a short lecture was given providing an update ... Read More

Further to an earlier geophysical survey and aerial footage, the University of Reading have been excavating a field in the Vale of Pewsey known as Cat's Brain, southeast of Hilcott, a possible Neolithic long barrow. The monument is listed on Historic England's Pastscape record here, ... Read More

This year my interest in the prehistoric sites of Britain has opened up 'the view from above', more by chance than design. The result has been an ongoing  joint film project with Pete Glastonbury and a close working relationship with the aerial photography company CamAero based in Dorset  The photograph above is Badbury Rings Iron Age hill fort in east Dorset. During the Roman era, five Roman roads formed a complex junction on the north side of Badbury.  Aerial footage seems to further reveal the sheer scale of the achievements of our prehistoric ancestors.   Below are Bronze Age barrows at the northwestern approach to Badbury Rings:   [caption id="attachment_1853" align="aligncenter" width="743"] Bronze Age barrows Badbury Rings[/caption] The Badbury barrow carving in the British Museum, described by Aubrey Burl ... Read More

This year my interest in the prehistoric sites of Britain has opened up 'the view from above', more by chance than design. The result has been an ongoing  joint film project with Pete Glastonbury and a close working relationship with the aerial photography company CamAero based in ... Read More

A Silent Earth and Pete Glastonbury film project is underway, recording our own story of the prehistoric landscape of the British Isles and Ireland. The footage will be heavily illustrated with our own aerial photography, working in association with CamAero, revealing the landscape and associated celestial sphere above in a unique and previously unseen way. Pete Glastonbury was recently involved in the production of Ancient Skies, a documentary by Grant Wakefield, previously reviewed here.  His work has either been featured on, or he has worked with (in his own words), The Sky at Night, BBC News and Local Weather, ITV, and Al Jazeera. He has been published in National Geographic, Wiltshire Archaeological Magazine, Kindred Spirit, Fortean Times, as well as local newspapers, various books, and ... Read More

A Silent Earth and Pete Glastonbury film project is underway, recording our own story of the prehistoric landscape of the British Isles and Ireland. The footage will be heavily illustrated with our own aerial photography, working in association with CamAero, revealing the landscape and associated ... Read More

The 2015 archaeological field excavations at Marden and Wilsford Henges in the Vale of Pewsey Wiltshire are now complete. Pete Glastonbury has kindly provided his photographs of some of this season's finds along with additional images from the 2010 excavations, which are included below, together with my own images taken during a number of site visits during July 2015. 'Marden is a Wiltshire village approaching midway between Avebury and Stonehenge. It has a huge henge that is larger than Avebury. The henge has a unique feature of two entrances at right angles to each other on north and east sides, and a ditch 40 feet wide. It had a 'Giant' mound that John Aubrey claimed was second only in size to Silbury Hill.' -  Brian ... Read More

The 2015 archaeological field excavations at Marden and Wilsford Henges in the Vale of Pewsey Wiltshire are now complete. Pete Glastonbury has kindly provided his photographs of some of this season's finds along with additional images from the 2010 excavations, which are included below, together ... Read More