Are linear arrangements of Early Bronze Age round barrows oriented towards predictable extreme solar events on the horizon?

Abstract

The aim of the thesis was to investigate the orientations of lines of Bronze Age burial mounds (‘round barrows’) in Dorset and the New Forest. Doing this required identifying as many as possible lines of round barrows in the study area, which contained 3,587 sites of individual barrows. A set of criteria to define lines of barrows was produced. Two methods were used to identify linear arrangements of barrows. The first used a computer programme developed for this purpose to synthesise lines from the 3,587 sites. The second searched the records of 'Historic England'. All potential lines were evaluated for their suitability against preset criteria by examining maps, LIDAR images, and other sources of information. Seventy-one lines were identified as being suitable for the study. The researcher generated models of the bare horizons potentially visible from defined points. Using Smith’s dedicated GIS computer programme, Horizon, enabled him to record the declination of each line 'pointing ‘ outwards towards the horizon. A basic case-study analysis found that two (of the 142) directions were towards the Bronze Age Winter Solstice. The researcher then used a specialist programme (Silva’s skyscapeR) which can identify recurring orientations, beyond those expected by chance alone. This found no evidence that lines were organised in any directions that could not be accounted for by chance. He also noted a group of lines oriented west-east, that occurred in one area of Dorset and nowhere else. These results highlight the importance of the two lines identified here as ‘pointing’ towards the Winter Solstice sunset, given the rarity of lines that ‘point’ towards any astronomical events on the horizon, and also that of the Badbury Rings area, and also the need to accept that some directional organisation of lines may be influenced by non-celestial factors (or both?)