BAJR Web award nominations - Orkney Jar

[Digitaldigging]

http://www.orkneyjar.com/

A splendid site.

[drpeterwardle]

Sorry to picky - the site says

"However, strictly speaking, Brodgar can't be called a henge because it lacks the external bank of a true henge."

err Like Stonehenge which does not have an external bank.

Brodgar has been regarded as a henge since the category was first defined and certainly since 1951 when Atkinson produced the first gazeeter of henges.

Peter Wardle

[Digitaldigging]

I thought Stonehenge was the exception to the rule that it provided?

[BAJR Host]

touche


"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[Oxbeast]

All henges have an external bank, except for the ones which don't.

[drpeterwardle]

sorry this is all basic stuff.

An external bank is a common feature of henges but it is not essential to a monument being defined as a henge. Other henges with internal banks (external ditches) include;

Dorchester I Dorchester XI

Some henges do not have a bank
Mayburgh Brodgar.
Others have a bank between ditches eg Thornborough Thwing Cana barn Hutton Moor Dorchester Big rings and so on and so forth.

I also seem to recall that there is a shallow external bank at Stonehenge (ah yes) ... is a circular earthwork consisting of a ditch with the remains of an inner bank on its inner edge and traces of a smaller bank on its outer margin (Atkinson, 1956).

have to say given the way everybody has been picky about the factual accuracy of Bonekickers if an archaeological web site is to be nominated for an award then it should be factually accurate.

Dr Peter Wardle

[BAJR Host]

I take it the rest of it is fine....?

"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[BAJR Host]

http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/henge.htm

seems ok to me

"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers

[drpeterwardle]

The original definition I think is a circular mounument of later neolithic-earlier bronze age date consisting of a bank usually on the exterior of a ditch the purpose of which is poorly understood. (Kendrick and Hawkes).

The traditional classification is Aitkinson 1951 which divided henges in class I, II and IIa. I not sure who or when class 1a or class 3 where suggested.

Peter

[BAJR Host]

Is Stonehenge a henge? Well, not exactly. Stonehenge is enclosed by a ditch, but its bank is built up in the interior of the ditch. It depends on how picky you want to be. Like Brodgar... its a henge (ish)

one entrance (Class I) two opposed entrances (Class II) four facing each other in pairs (Class III).

As many say... places like Brodgar and Stonehenge are not strictly speaking henges...

So top marks to Orkneyar..

Tell you what... you learn something new every day





"I don't have an archaeological imagination.."
Borekickers