The Symbolism of West Kennet Long Barrow ?

Joined : 07 Jan 2008 Posts : 471 Location : Wiltshire

I attended an interesting lunch-time talk today as part of the Swindon Literature Festival - "Sacred Sites and Druid Detectives". The two books in question were unrelated and the Sacred Sites part of the talk was given by George Wingfield who was discussing his rather well produced and inexpensive (a fiver) publication "Prehistoric Sacred Sites in Wessex" - photos by Jurgen Kronig.

He didn't say anything that hasn't been said or written before and readily acknowledged William Stukely and Michael Dames as his sources. One thing I hadn't heard before though, was that WKLB was constructed about 1000 years before Silbury and that assuming that Silbury was a symbolic effigy of the Great Earth Mother presiding over fertility rituals it was possible that WKLB had been deliberately extended to become a phallic symbol of male fertility ?? Would love to hear the views of PeteG and Terence Meaden - if that's in your book Terence and I've missed it, apologies.

Anyway I bought the little book and also the one by Penny Billington called "Gwion Dubh; Druid Investigator" and had a chat to both afterwards. Good stuff!

Subject: Re: The Symbolism of West Kennet Long Barrow ? Thu May 15, 2008 6:22 pm

WKLB (and others in the area) are in a group known as The Cotswold Severn Chambered Tomb Series.
They are found in Gloucestershire (the best being Belas Knap) into Wiltshire (The best being WKLB) and into Somerset (the best being Stoney Littleton)
there are several in Wales (the best being Tinkinswood)

I cannot see any phallic symbolism in these types of tombs unless mine is shaped completely differently to everyone elses???

PeteG

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Subject: Re: The Symbolism of West Kennet Long Barrow ? Thu May 15, 2008 6:54 pm

I nearly added "don't even Say it Tony" but thought I'd give you the chance to behave....
bounce

BTW. I cannot see Silbury as a Goddess.
Dames' theory comes from a photo of the moat around Silbury vaguely resembling a Goddess figurine from another culture.

I talked to him about it once and he said the whole book was really just a jumble of notes he had collected together.
I think his theory has done research into Silbury a lot of harm.
PeteG

Joined : 07 Jan 2008 Posts : 471 Location : Wiltshire

Thanks for the above you two, you do cheer me up.

The answer to your question Tony is I don't know, I was just quoting what George Wingfield said. When I spoke to him afterwards I asked him if he was an archaeologist, he replied that he was a writer and researcher. He also said he spent six months of the year in America so perhaps the book was produced with that market in mind. I was puzzled that when he spoke about the Kennet he twice referred to the Winterbourne just as a tributary and not by name. I was left with the feeling that some of the people on this Forum are a lot more knowledgeable. Beautiful photographs though.

I come here to learn more and I continue to do so. Hope you all don't mind me asking questions.

Subject: Re: The Symbolism of West Kennet Long Barrow ? Thu May 15, 2008 7:04 pm

Last time I saw George he was a crop circle researcher.
He has obviously twigged that the US new age lecture circuit is huge and very profitable.
His book doesn't contain anything new to me.
PeteG
(BTW I am been hassled into writing a bok but I don't know if I will ever do it) What a Face

Joined : 07 Jan 2008 Posts : 471 Location : Wiltshire

Yes, he did mention crop circles in our conversation.

I don't want to hassle you further but with your breadth of knowledge about Avebury together with your often astonishing photography, I am truly surprised you haven't already produced a book.

Joined : 15 Jan 2008 Posts : 850 Location : Surrey

Subject: Re: The Symbolism of West Kennet Long Barrow ? Thu May 15, 2008 7:47 pm

George Wingfield is a good friend of mine - Jurgen Kronig is one of my closest friends! Both of them did used to be part of the 'Beckhampton Group' back in the early days of crop circle 'research'. I think they disbanded at Doug & Dave's press conference...
I like the book, but as Pete says, it's not got any new stuff in it really. That's not a criticism - I often buy books just because they pull different ideas together and gather it into one place. And the photos are excellent!
I had no idea the talk was on (or indeed, the literary festival) otherwise I'd have gone.

Subject: Re: The Symbolism of West Kennet Long Barrow ? Thu May 15, 2008 9:20 pm

Joined : 07 Jan 2008 Posts : 471 Location : Wiltshire