Andy Burnham's Blog, page 148

Cult Temple at Venta Silurum

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Situated within the Romano British town of Venta Silurum (modern day Caerwent) this temple was originally excavated in the early 20th century. It has been investigated many times since but the deity to whom this temple is dedicated remains an unknown. However, it is considered to have been a cult temple and therefore access to it would have been restricted.

Anta 2 do Olival da Pega

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Not just a simple dolmen but a group of five monuments connected to each other, that makes it one of the strangest and most important monuments in the Iberian Peninsula. Nearby it's possible to visit the great monument that takes part of the same group Anta 1 do Olival da Pega. The archaeological value of a funerary complex like this one is enormous. This monument was used for a long time period from the late Neolithic until the Chalcolithic.

Maso Maiore Nuraghe

Nuraghe Maso Maiore is a large quadrilobate nuraghe with a well-preserved main tower and a bastion with four lateral towers and small courtyard. The main tower survived up to 9m of height with an intact tholos chamber inside. The first floor chamber is collapsed, although remains of a window are distinguishable.

Ness of Brodgar

A look at some of the artefacts from Ness of Brodgar now in the British Museum’s ‘World of Stonehenge’ exhibition. A large Neolithic complex on the Brodgar peninsula lies on the low ridge between the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar. Many stunning discoveries have been made during the years of excavation here.

Kapsala Drakospita

The dragon houses are some twenty large ruined buildings found in the south of the Greek island of Euboea. They were built with massive stone blocks without mortar and with large stone slabs for the roof. Probably the most easily accessible Drakospita which translates as 'Dragonhouse' in Southern Euboia. There is still much debate about their age and function. No mention is identified in classical texts and the first account was from the 18th-century British geologist, traveller and writer John Hawkins. These structures are unique to Euboea.

Tanum 9:1 Vitlycke

Rock Art in Västergötland with motifs of animal, bird and human figures, this one looks like a hunting scene. Also long boats. More photos on our page.

West Kennet Palisaded Enclosures

Lumps of weathered granite known as grus found in remains of large timber structure and in grave at West Kennet, Avebury could have been carried south for twice as far as the bluestones’ journey to Stonehenge. Source thought to be Cunyan Crags, Cheviot Hills,Northumberland. More in the comments on our page. Although there are slight hints in earlier air photographs and archaeological explorations, it is only in recent years that the foundations of two great circular ditch enclosures have been confirmed, located on either side of the River Kennet close to West Kennet Farm on the A4, and less than a kilometre north-east of West Kennet Long Barrow

Flag Fen Visitors Centre

Flag Fen Visitors Centre and Peterborough Museum narrowly escaped closure this year. Get out and visit our precious museums and galleries, spend some money in the cafe and shop, they need our support.. Top pic: the site under excavation in 1989. Museum and archaeological site in Cambridgeshire. "Britain's Bronze Age Archaeological Park". Dated to 1365–967 BC, excavations and research uncovered a monumental site which included a causeway composed of thousands of timber posts arranged in five 1-meter-long rows, and a small timber platform partway across the structure.

Sligo’s Neolithic tombs are being vandalised ‘on scale never seen before’

Experts say 5,000-year-old monuments will not survive unless action is taken
Five-thousand-year-old Neolithic tombs in Co Sligo are suffering damage and vandalism “on a scale never seen before” and will not survive unless action is taken immediately, archaeological experts have warned.

Milfield Reconstructed Henge at Maelmin Heritage Centre

Just to be different - here's one of the other sites touched upon in the discussion of the wider World of Stonehenge that you can listen to now on BBC Sounds. Featuring archaeologists Mike Pitts, Susan Greaney and Seren Griffiths. and the British museum exhibition curator Neil Wilkin. More in the comments on our page. A superb reconstruction of a henge in the style of those on the Milfield plain, Northumberland, found only from crop marks. Also a reconstruction of a prehistoric house as part of a 0.6km history trail on the site.