Waun Mawn (Welsh for "peat moor") is the site of a possible dismantled Neolithicstone circle in the Preseli Mountains of Pembrokeshire, Wales. The diameter of the postulated circle is estimated to be 110 m (360 ft), the third largest diameter for a British stone circle.[1][2]
Waun Mawn
Standing stone and prostrate stone near Cnwc yr Hŷdd, Waun Mawn in October 2012
The site is located at grid reference SN08393403 around 1 mile (1.6 km) to the south west of Brynberian.[3] This tract of moorland sits on the southern slopes of the 339 m (1,112 ft) hill top of Cnwc yr Hŷdd, just to the north of the broad east-west ridge of the Preseli range.[4]
There are four remaining stones, one standing and three prostrate. Nearby are the "Troed y Rhiw" standing stones and to the west of the main group is another solitary standing stone, the 'Waun Mawn Stone', measuring some 2.3 m (7 ft 7 in) high.[5]
During 2017 and 2018, excavations by the UCL team of archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson, led to a proposal that the site had originally housed a 110 m (360 ft) diameter stone circle of the same size as the ditch at Stonehenge[6][7] The archaeologists also postulated that the circle also contained a hole from one stone which had a distinctive pentagonal shape, very closely matching the one pentagonal stone at Stonehenge (stonehole 91 at Waun Mawn and stone 62 at Stonehenge).[6][7] Both circles appear, according to some researchers, to be oriented towards the midsummer solstice.[6]
Following soil dating of the sediments within the postulated stone holes, via optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), it has been argued, by Parker Pearson, that the circle of stones was built c. 3400–3200 BC and then, before 2120 BC, was disassembled, dragged across land and reassembled at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, some 140 mi (230 km) distant.[8] Parker Pearson's proposals have been published in the journal Antiquity.[1] This postulated migration of the stones was likened by the researchers to the story told by Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his 12th-century History of the Kings of Britain, of Merlin taking the stones of the Giant's Dance circle in Ireland to Stonehenge.[6]
The site and its connection with Stonehenge was the subject of the BBC Two programme, Stonehenge: The Lost Circle Revealed, with Parker Pearson and Professor Alice Roberts. Broadcast was on 12 February 2021,[1][6][9][10] and reported in New Scientist on 20 February 2021.[11]
Work in 2021 led Pearson and his colleagues to conclude that only 30% of the proposed stone circle at Waun Mawn had been completed, but that perhaps as many as 17 stones had been erected so between eight and 13 had been removed in antiquity, far fewer than the perhaps 80 bluestones that once stood at Stonehenge. That work uncovered no new evidence connecting Waun Mawn and Stonehenge.[12]
Two geological articles published in 2022 showed that there is no link between Waun Mawn and the supposed "bluestone quarries" at Craig Rhosyfelin and Carn Goedog, and no link between Waun Mawn and Stonehenge.[13][14] In a 2024 study published in Holocene journal, Brian John re-examined the geological and archaeological evidence from the site, and concluded that the "lost circle" of standing stones had never existed, and that there was no evidence to demonstrate a link with Stonehenge. He concluded that there had been considerable "interpretative inflation" at the site, driven by a desire to show a Stonehenge connection.[15][16]
Referencesedit
^ abcPearson, Mike Parker; Pollard, Josh; Richards, Colin; Welham, Kate; Kinnaird, Timothy; Shaw, Dave; Simmons, Ellen; Stanford, Adam; Bevins, Richard; Ixer, Rob; Ruggles, Clive; Rylatt, Jim; Edinborough, Kevan (February 2021). "The original Stonehenge? A dismantled stone circle in the Preseli Hills of west Wales". Antiquity. 95 (379): 85–103. doi:10.15184/aqy.2020.239.
^An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Wales and Monmouthshire, Vol.VII. Royal Commission. 1925. p. 260.
^"Waun Mawn (300423)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
^OL35 North Pembrokeshire [Gogledd Sir Benfro] (Map) (A1bar ed.). 1:25,000. Explorer. Ordnance Survey. 2002. ISBN978-0-319-23623-9.
^ abcdePearson, Mike Parker; Pollard, Josh; Richards, Colin; Welham, Kate; Kinnaird, Timothy; Shaw, Dave; Simmons, Ellen; Stanford, Adam; Bevins, Richard; Ixer, Rob; Ruggles, Clive; Rylatt, Jim; Edinborough, Kevan (February 2021). "The original Stonehenge? A dismantled stone circle in the Preseli Hills of west Wales". Antiquity. 95 (379): 85–103. doi:10.15184/aqy.2020.239.
^ abEngland's Stonehenge was erected in Wales first
^"Stonehenge: Did the stone circle originally stand in Wales?". BBC News. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2021.
^. BBC Two. 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
^George, Alison (20 February 2021). "Stonehenge may be a recycled Welsh structure". New Scientist. p. 16.
^Pearson, Mike Parker; Casswell, Chris; Rylatt, Jim; Stanford, Adam; Welham, Kate; Pollard, Josh (2022-01-12). . Musings and bookmarks about Stonehenge and related stuff. Archived from the original on 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2022-01-30. In summary, the 2021 excavations provide evidence that only 30% of Waun Mawn's stone circle was ever completed, leaving large gaps on the west and south sides. [...] if Waun Mawn provided some of the bluestones for Stonehenge, these can only have been a small portion of the total.
^Pearce, N.J.G., Bevins, R.E., and Ixer, R.A. 2022. Portable XRF investigation of Stonehenge-- Stone 62 and potential source dolerite outcrops in the Mynydd Preseli, west Wales. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 44 (2022), 103525
^ Bevins, R.E., Pearce, N.J.G., Parker Pearson, M., Ixer, R.A., 2022. Identification of the source of dolerites used at the Waun Mawn stone circle in the Mynydd Preseli, west Wales and implications for the proposed link with Stonehenge. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 45 (2022) 103556.
^John, B.S. 2024. The Stonehenge bluestones did not come from Waun Mawn in West Wales. The Holocene, March 20, 2024 (published online) 30pp.
^"Stonehenge bluestones - the 'giant lost circle' never existed, says new research". Narberth & Whitland Observer. 24 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
Further readingedit
John, Brian (February 2021). "The Lost Circle at Waun Mawn: a commentary (updated)". ResearchGate (Preprint). doi:10.13140/RG.2.2.31504.12802.
External linksedit
Standing stone at Waun Mawn from geograph.org.uk
at megalithic.co.uk, updated 2018
January 01, 1970
waun, mawn, welsh, peat, moor, site, possible, dismantled, neolithic, stone, circle, preseli, mountains, pembrokeshire, wales, diameter, postulated, circle, estimated, third, largest, diameter, british, stone, circle, standing, stone, prostrate, stonenear, cnw. Waun Mawn Welsh for peat moor is the site of a possible dismantled Neolithic stone circle in the Preseli Mountains of Pembrokeshire Wales The diameter of the postulated circle is estimated to be 110 m 360 ft the third largest diameter for a British stone circle 1 2 Waun MawnStanding stone and prostrate stonenear Cnwc yr Hŷdd Waun Mawn in October 2012Shown within PembrokeshireLocationNear Tafarn y Bwlch Brynberian Pembrokeshire WalesCoordinates51 58 18 N 4 47 28 W 51 9716 N 4 7912 W 51 9716 4 7912TypeStone circle siteHistoryPeriodsNeolithicSite notesArchaeologistsMike Parker Pearson The site is located at grid reference SN08393403 around 1 mile 1 6 km to the south west of Brynberian 3 This tract of moorland sits on the southern slopes of the 339 m 1 112 ft hill top of Cnwc yr Hŷdd just to the north of the broad east west ridge of the Preseli range 4 There are four remaining stones one standing and three prostrate Nearby are the Troed y Rhiw standing stones and to the west of the main group is another solitary standing stone the Waun Mawn Stone measuring some 2 3 m 7 ft 7 in high 5 Contents 1 Recent findings 2 References 3 Further reading 4 External linksRecent findings editDuring 2017 and 2018 excavations by the UCL team of archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson led to a proposal that the site had originally housed a 110 m 360 ft diameter stone circle of the same size as the ditch at Stonehenge 6 7 The archaeologists also postulated that the circle also contained a hole from one stone which had a distinctive pentagonal shape very closely matching the one pentagonal stone at Stonehenge stonehole 91 at Waun Mawn and stone 62 at Stonehenge 6 7 Both circles appear according to some researchers to be oriented towards the midsummer solstice 6 Following soil dating of the sediments within the postulated stone holes via optically stimulated luminescence OSL it has been argued by Parker Pearson that the circle of stones was built c 3400 3200 BC and then before 2120 BC was disassembled dragged across land and reassembled at Stonehenge in Wiltshire some 140 mi 230 km distant 8 Parker Pearson s proposals have been published in the journal Antiquity 1 This postulated migration of the stones was likened by the researchers to the story told by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th century History of the Kings of Britain of Merlin taking the stones of the Giant s Dance circle in Ireland to Stonehenge 6 The site and its connection with Stonehenge was the subject of the BBC Two programme Stonehenge The Lost Circle Revealed with Parker Pearson and Professor Alice Roberts Broadcast was on 12 February 2021 1 6 9 10 and reported in New Scientist on 20 February 2021 11 Work in 2021 led Pearson and his colleagues to conclude that only 30 of the proposed stone circle at Waun Mawn had been completed but that perhaps as many as 17 stones had been erected so between eight and 13 had been removed in antiquity far fewer than the perhaps 80 bluestones that once stood at Stonehenge That work uncovered no new evidence connecting Waun Mawn and Stonehenge 12 Two geological articles published in 2022 showed that there is no link between Waun Mawn and the supposed bluestone quarries at Craig Rhosyfelin and Carn Goedog and no link between Waun Mawn and Stonehenge 13 14 In a 2024 study published in Holocene journal Brian John re examined the geological and archaeological evidence from the site and concluded that the lost circle of standing stones had never existed and that there was no evidence to demonstrate a link with Stonehenge He concluded that there had been considerable interpretative inflation at the site driven by a desire to show a Stonehenge connection 15 16 References edit a b c Pearson Mike Parker Pollard Josh Richards Colin Welham Kate Kinnaird Timothy Shaw Dave Simmons Ellen Stanford Adam Bevins Richard Ixer Rob Ruggles Clive Rylatt Jim Edinborough Kevan February 2021 The original Stonehenge A dismantled stone circle in the Preseli Hills of west Wales Antiquity 95 379 85 103 doi 10 15184 aqy 2020 239 An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Wales and Monmouthshire Vol VII Royal Commission 1925 p 260 Waun Mawn 300423 Coflein RCAHMW Retrieved 12 February 2021 OL35 North Pembrokeshire Gogledd Sir Benfro Map A1bar ed 1 25 000 Explorer Ordnance Survey 2002 ISBN 978 0 319 23623 9 Waun Mawn Standing Stones Pembrokeshire Photos amp Visiting Information Britain Express Retrieved 13 February 2021 a b c d e Pearson Mike Parker Pollard Josh Richards Colin Welham Kate Kinnaird Timothy Shaw Dave Simmons Ellen Stanford Adam Bevins Richard Ixer Rob Ruggles Clive Rylatt Jim Edinborough Kevan February 2021 The original Stonehenge A dismantled stone circle in the Preseli Hills of west Wales Antiquity 95 379 85 103 doi 10 15184 aqy 2020 239 a b England s Stonehenge was erected in Wales first Stonehenge Did the stone circle originally stand in Wales BBC News 12 February 2021 Retrieved 12 February 2021 Stonehenge The Lost Circle Revealed BBC Two 12 February 2021 Archived from the original on 12 February 2021 Retrieved 19 February 2021 Pearson Mike Parker Bevins Richard Ixer Rob Pollard Joshua Richards Colin Welham Kate Chan Ben Edinborough Kevan Hamilton Derek Macphail Richard Schlee Duncan Schwenninger Jean Luc Simmons Ellen Smith Martin December 2015 Craig Rhos y felin a Welsh bluestone megalith quarry for Stonehenge Antiquity 89 348 1331 1352 doi 10 15184 aqy 2015 177 George Alison 20 February 2021 Stonehenge may be a recycled Welsh structure New Scientist p 16 Pearson Mike Parker Casswell Chris Rylatt Jim Stanford Adam Welham Kate Pollard Josh 2022 01 12 Waun Mawn and Gernos fach the Welsh origins of Stonehenge project Interim report of the 2021 season Musings and bookmarks about Stonehenge and related stuff Archived from the original on 2022 01 13 Retrieved 2022 01 30 In summary the 2021 excavations provide evidence that only 30 of Waun Mawn s stone circle was ever completed leaving large gaps on the west and south sides if Waun Mawn provided some of the bluestones for Stonehenge these can only have been a small portion of the total Pearce N J G Bevins R E and Ixer R A 2022 Portable XRF investigation of Stonehenge Stone 62 and potential source dolerite outcrops in the Mynydd Preseli west Wales Journal of Archaeological Science Reports 44 2022 103525 Bevins R E Pearce N J G Parker Pearson M Ixer R A 2022 Identification of the source of dolerites used at the Waun Mawn stone circle in the Mynydd Preseli west Wales and implications for the proposed link with Stonehenge Journal of Archaeological Science Reports 45 2022 103556 John B S 2024 The Stonehenge bluestones did not come from Waun Mawn in West Wales The Holocene March 20 2024 published online 30pp Stonehenge bluestones the giant lost circle never existed says new research Narberth amp Whitland Observer 24 March 2024 Retrieved 28 March 2024 Further reading editJohn Brian February 2021 The Lost Circle at Waun Mawn a commentary updated ResearchGate Preprint doi 10 13140 RG 2 2 31504 12802 External links editStanding stone at Waun Mawn from geograph org uk Waun Mawn Tafarn y Bwlch at megalithic co uk updated 2018 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Waun Mawn amp oldid 1215987199, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
