Silbury Hill, situated in Marlborough in Wiltshire, is the largest artificial mound in Europe. Wiltshire. Ever since the Duke of Northumberland sunk the first shaft into the mound’s interior in 1776, archaeologists have tried unsuccessfully to solve the mystery of why the hill was built.
The tunnels in the mound have recently been sealed up because of threats of subsistence. But one final exploration of the hill has revealed new evidence about the mound’s history. Many of these finds are still under analysis. Other evidence shows that whatever its original function, Silbury Hill continued in use until at least the Middle Ages.
Silbury Hill and the Averbury World Heritage Site
Silbury hill is closely associated with Avebury stone circle which is 1.4 km to the north and West Kennet Long Barrow. Together all three features form part of the Avebury World Heritage Site.
All three sites are aligned to be visible from each other, suggesting that they formed part of a deliberately constructed Neolithic landscape. The significance of their association however, remains a mystery.
The Construction of Silbury Hill
Silbury hill was constructed in the late Neolithic. It was begun around approximately 3000BC. Construction took place in three stages over several centuries.
Measuring 40 metres high and covering 15 acres, Silbury hill was originally intended to be much smaller. Its first phase of construction involved an initial mound of soil and clay. The second phase, which began around 2400BC, added a layer of rubble chalk quarried nearby around the original core. After a gap of a few hundred years, a further layer of chalk was added, leaving the final monument a gleaming white mound of exposed chalks.
It is estimated to have taken 18 million man hours overall to build Silbury Hill, utilizing a workforce of over 3000 people. Even taking into account the spread of this over time, it indicates the construction involved a concerted effort from a well organised community of people on a project that was socially significant to them.
The Purpose of Silbury Hill
There are various legends and theories about the purpose of Silbury Hill. Some link the site to King Arthur whilst others say the mound was constructed by the devil built it to hide treasure. Others believe it to be the last resting place of the mythical King Sil and his horse, although no evidence of any burial has ever been found.
More prosaically, some have speculated that the mound was a reservoir, with the chalk structure acting as a filter for the water, although It is unlikely that Neolithic communities would have invested so much time and thought into the construction of a water tower.
Recent Exploration of Silbury Hill
In 2000 a cave in occurred at the summit of the monument close to the site of the original tunnel shaft. It became clear that investigations of the mound’s interior had destabilized the whole structure. The decision was taken by English Heritage, the guardians of the mound, to fill in the tunnels with native chalk to help preserve it. Before this took place, archaeologists were allowed to make a series of final explorations.
Full results from the explorations are not yet available. But from finds discovered, it seems that Silbury Hill continued to be in use until the medieval period.
Although it is possible the site was out of use by the time of the Roman Invasion of Britain, the Romans may have resurrected the use of the site for religious purposes. The Roman road to Bath runs at the base of the hill and there is evidence of platforms constructed along the side of the hill. Archaeologists believe the site could have been used for the worship of a hybrid Roman British cult.
The hill seems to have taken on a military function in the Middle Ages. Medieval pot holes on the mound’s summit indicate a large building and it has even been suggested that the mounds characteristic flat top derives from this period rather than as a part of its original design. Arrow heads dating to the early 11th century, around the time of the Danish invasions and the Norman conquest also reinforce the idea of a military outpost on the mound.
Sources
Illustrated Dictionary of Archaeology
Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice (1994) Colin Renfrew and Paul Bahn. Thames and Hudson: London
 |
