Durrington Walls Settlement and Ceremonial Site
Durrington Walls
United Kingdom · Wiltshire, England
In brief
Excavations have revealed Neolithic settlement remains and large timber ceremonial structures. The site lies within the boundaries of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage property.
What was found?
- 1Neolithic house floors
Preserved house floors, courtyards, and refuse heaps associated with houses were found. These reveal everyday life around the ceremonial site.
- 2Postholes of timber circles
Circular arrangements of pits mark the locations of large timber structures that no longer stand. According to researchers, these structures were used for ceremonial purposes.
- 3Grooved pottery
Pottery fragments decorated with lines and grooves were found around houses and in monumental structures. Fat residues in the vessels allow researchers to investigate food preparation and sharing practices.
- 4Pig and cattle bones
Butchery and cooking marks were observed on numerous animal bones. According to researchers, these accumulations are the remains of large communal meals.
- 5Enclosing ditch and earthen bank
A broad ditch and an outer bank enclosed a large area. This arrangement is tangible evidence of labor organized for monumental construction.
What does it point to?
Durrington Walls shows that domestic life and large gatherings took place in the same surroundings. According to researchers, the fact that some animals were brought from distant regions suggests that communal meals relied on a broad network of participants.
What did it teach us?
- It showed that well-organized settlements existed around Neolithic ceremonial centers.
- Pottery remains and animal bones revealed spatial differences in food preparation and sharing.
- Analysis of animal teeth showed that the gatherings had connections beyond the local area.
Images
Latest news / selected archive
In 2020, large pits in the surrounding area were announced, interpreted as forming an arrangement approximately two kilometers in diameter; researchers dated them to approximately 2500 BC.
Record
- Culture
- Grooved Ware tradition
- Team / historical
- Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project led by the University of Bradford
- Coordinates
- 51.1925°, -1.7875°
Sources
- bradford.ac.uk
- heritagerecords.nationaltrust.org.uk
- whc.unesco.org
- en.wikipedia.org
- historicengland.org.uk
- University of York — Feeding Stonehenge
- English Heritage
Nearby excavations
- Stonehenge 3 km
- Avebury 27 km
- Silchester Ancient Town 52 km
- Must Farm Pile-Dwelling Settlement 188 km
- Le Rozel Palaeolithic Site 191 km
- Richborough Roman Town and Fort 217 km
- —
- —
- 12.000
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