Beckhampton Avenue facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
Stukeley's vision of the complete Beckhampton Avenue
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| Location | Wiltshire, United Kingdom |
| Part of | Avebury Section of Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i), (ii), (iii) |
| Inscription | 1986 (10th Session) |
| Extensions | 2008 |
The Beckhampton Avenue was a very old path made of standing stones in Wiltshire, England. It was built a long, long time ago, probably during the late Neolithic (New Stone Age) and early Bronze Age. This curving avenue connected the famous Avebury stone circle to another important ancient site called The Longstones at Beckhampton.
Contents
Exploring the Ancient Beckhampton Avenue
The Beckhampton Avenue was a special pathway lined with two rows of large stones. It stretched broadly southwest from the huge stone circle at Avebury. This ancient route probably helped people travel between important ceremonial places.
What Remains Today?
Today, only one of these ancient stones is still standing. It is known as "Adam." Even hundreds of years ago, when a man named William Stukeley studied these sites, there wasn't much left to see of the avenue above ground. Most of the other stones were likely broken up and sold by local landowners a long time ago.
Discovering Hidden Stones
In the year 2000, archaeologists from the University of Southampton started digging. They found parallel rows of holes in the ground! These holes were where the giant stones once stood. They uncovered about 120 meters (around 390 feet) of the avenue.
The discoveries showed that the avenue had two rows of stones. Each stone was placed about 15 meters (50 feet) apart. This pattern was similar to another stone path called the Kennet Avenue, which also leads to Avebury.
Stukeley's Snake Theory
William Stukeley had a fascinating idea about these stone avenues. He believed that the Beckhampton Avenue and the Kennet Avenue were part of a giant "snake" shape winding across the landscape. He thought the head of this snake was at a place called The Sanctuary, and the body included Avebury itself.
The Avenue's Full Length
It's possible that the Beckhampton Avenue originally went even further past The Longstones. The stone called Adam might have been part of a special arrangement of stones, like a "cove," along the avenue's path. Another stone, called "Eve," was part of the avenue leading back to the western entrance of the Avebury henge, which is now where the village high street is.
Before the Avenue
Before the Beckhampton Avenue was built, this area was home to an even older site. It was a causewayed enclosure, which was a type of early Neolithic settlement or meeting place.
See also
In Spanish: Avenida Beckhampton para niños
