Andy Burnham's Blog, page 185

Uxmal

Passageway discovered beneath the Governor's Palace at Uxmal, more details in the comments on our page. Ancient City and Ceremonial Site in Yucatán, Mexico. A Maya city founded ~500 CE with most structures dating from 700 - 1100 CE. The site contains some of the most massive Maya buildings - the Adivino or Pyramid of the Magician, the Governor's Palace, the "Nunnery" Quadrangle and also the Great Pyramid.

Kulubá

Dig uncovers large Mayan palace in Mexico, more details in the comments on our page. A Puuc influenced Mayan town in Yucatan dating from between 600 and 900 CE. It was abandoned in about 1000 CE.

Roden Skov Runddysse

A Burial Chamber in Lolland, Denmark.
Measures 11 x 11 x 1,5 metres. There are 12 kerbstones. No chamber, but a large stone which could be a capstone.

Dun Boraige Beag

A ruined dun on Balevullin Bay, Isle of Tiree. It is sited on a rocky promontory barely above sea level. A course of large stones remains on the SE arc of Dun Boraige Beag. There is a gap in the outer wall on the SW quadrant, possibly the entrance to the dun. The grassy interior is around 10 yards in diameter, uneven ground with no obvious features save a large central stone. The purpose of this boulder measuring c. 5x3x3 feet is unclear.

Stammershalle

Standing Stones on Bornholm island. An Iron age graveyard and sanctuary consisting of three stones. The centre stone has a "face" - perhaps an ancient statue of a god, e.g. Njord (the god of the sea)? The "face" turns left with mouth and eye in the top middle. More photos on our page.

Ffyst Samson

Ffyst Samson neolithic chamber is also known as Trellys, St. Nicholas. It is bizarre in appearance, consisting of a capstone apparently delicately balanced on just two tall pointed supporting stones. Although difficult to reach, the effort required is worthwhile.

Loch Ederline

A visit to one of the Loch Ederline crannogs by canoe! Including some underwater photos.... There are two crannogs recorded by Canmore on this loch. This one is about 60m from the western shore of the loch and measures about 6m in diameter. This is the part that is above the water-level, so should measure considerably more at its base. Canmore adds: "it is likely that there was a causeway between the crannog and the adjacent shore."

Poulnabrone

DNA from ancient Irish tombs reveals Down's Syndrome, incest and an elite class in the Neolithic, details and links in the comments on our page. Portal Tomb in Co. Clare. Next to the carved stones at Newgrange, this is the most-photographed megalith in Ireland. It is a fine tomb set on the limestone pavement to the east of the road from Killinaboy to Ballyvaughan, in the centre of a low round cairn.

Out Now, a new Audio Version of Children of the Stones from the BBC

Prepare yourselves for this: "These Stones can change people and they’re calling to you. Are you scared yet? Do you feel the shiver?
"Smash your speakers. Destroy your headphones. Whatever you do, don’t listen... The world depends on it."
The new Podcast stars India Brown (Worzel Gummidge) and Steve Oram (Sightseers)

Northern Earth Issue 161, Out Now

In this issue: Mike Haigh looks at the nature of prehistory – forest cover, horse
burial, whale beaching and underground seals – and a
fraudulent archaeologist.
Rocks & Routeways : Lake District Rock Art,
Hannah Spencer follows trails blazed through the
mountains by rock art on prominent stones.
New Routes, Old Traumas,
Two perspectives on a new archaeological embrace of
early British trackways