Andy Burnham's Blog, page 211

Huiling Mausoleum

West of Zhuge Liang Hall in the Zhuge Liang Memorial Temple (Wuhou Temple) lies a quiet and secluded mausoleum, the tomb of Liu Bei, the first ruler of the State of Shu, now in modern day China. It was in the past known as the Huiling Mausoleum. According to the History of the Three Kingdoms, in 223AD, Liu Bei died in Baidi Town. His remains were shipped to Chengdu in May and buried in Huiling with his wives, Gan and Wu.

Roundabury

Roundabury Camp is positioned on the north side of the hill just east of Tokenbury. It is an irregular circle in shape, and about two acres in area; it has been damaged at two points by mining operations. The entrance is at the west side, and on each side of the opening is a large stone post, which appear to have been shaped to take a lintel.

Alex Tor Kerbed Cairn

A kerbed cairn in North Cornwall. 13.0m diameter, almost totally enclosed by massive granite slabs - maximum size 3.3m long x 1.6m high - set lengthways and inclined to the centre. The centre core, 1.2m high, has been extensively disturbed.

Al Amarna

From our Music Inspired by Ancient Sites mega-thread: Live from the Met, New York, Philip Glass's Akhnaten been described as 'singing archaeology' - the libretto was stitched together from fragments of ancient text. Location of Akhenaten's Palace, Egypt. Not much remains other than an arch, some foundations and some unfinished, yet decorated tombs as the palace was built of mud bricks. Artifacts, in particular Nefertiti's bust, were taken to the Berlin Egyptology museum.

Blodstenen (Ruds Vedby)

Blodstenen is a large stone about 5 x 5m and 1m high located in a field in Sorø, Denmark. The stone has at least 52 cupmarks in two sections, many of the cupmarks are deep and very clear. The stone is called the Bloodstone because according to legend it was used for sacrifice, where the blood ran down the cupmarks!

Simon Howe

A wonderful kerb cairn and tumulus with a stone row between them. There is also a ring cairn at this North Yorkshire site.

Wigford Down 5

Ed. Note: With many thanks to Anne T for adding a large number of sites and photos recorded by Prehistoric Dartmoor Walks, used by kind permission of Dave P - this being one of them. One of two cairn circles, both in a raised platform. (See our nearby sites list for the other.) It has a ring of large stones with a cist cover in the centre. Diameter 7.62m. This site could also be a hut circle - it is unclear whether the large slab is actually a cist cover or not.

Some Lovely New Products in our Shop: Avebury Map and Stonehenge 2020 Calendar

A couple of new products just in the nick of time for Christmas/Yule/New Year. First the amazing and alliterative Avebury Archaeology Map, which has been painstakingly created by Thomas Melrose. Secondly a lovely photo calendar of Stonehenge. Sales from our online shop go to help fund the ongoing operation of the Megalithic Portal web resource.

Next Talks: Thurs 2nd Jan, 13th Feb, Surrey, 14th Mar nr Jodrell Bank, Cheshire

Following on from last week's full house at Wiltshire Museum, Andy B's next 'Old Stones' Talks are as follows: Thursday 2nd January - Staines, Surrey (just off the M25 J13); 13th Feb - Kingston-upon-Thames - actually Surbiton - South-West London, which is just 20 mins from Waterloo by train. Then on the 14th March Andy is heading up to give the Friends of The Blackden Trust annual lecture, near Jodrell Bank, Cheshire. This is his only trip north for the next few months so get it in your diary if you can get there.

Cairnholy 2 (Rock Art)

This is the sloping slab immediately (1m) to the west of the southern half of the main facade at Cairnholy 1 Chambered Cairn, Dumfries and Galloway. There is a cupmark with 5 partial rings, approx 18cm diameter, not easy to see in full light, easier with slanting torchlight. The Scottish Rock Art Project has given this the number 2 as it was previously unrecorded.