Lavant drum facts for kids

The Lavant drum is a small, round object made of chalk from the Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age. It was found in 1993 and looks a bit like other ancient chalk drums found in England, such as the Folkton drums and the Burton Agnes drum.

Unlike some other drums, the Lavant drum doesn't have any decorations, but any old markings might have worn off over thousands of years. It was found near a piece of ancient pottery called Mortlake ware, which helps experts know it's from the Middle Neolithic period. Today, you can see this interesting ancient object at The Novium museum in Chichester.

What is the Lavant Drum?

The Lavant drum is a small, cylinder-shaped object carved from chalk. It's from the Neolithic period, which was a time long ago when people first started farming and building large monuments. Even though it's quite old, it's still in good condition. It's special because it's one of only a few such chalk drums found in England.

A Special Ancient Tool

The Lavant drum is unique because it doesn't have any carvings or patterns on its surface. Other similar drums, like the Folkton drums, are often decorated with detailed designs. Experts think that any original markings on the Lavant drum might have simply worn away over thousands of years.

The drum was found with a small piece of pottery called Mortlake ware. This type of pottery was used during the Middle Neolithic period. Finding the drum and pottery together helps archaeologists figure out how old the drum is.

How Was It Found?

The Lavant drum was discovered in 1993 during an archaeological dig. This dig took place at Chalk Pit Lane in Lavant, West Sussex, England. The excavation was carried out by a group called the Chichester and District Archaeology Unit.

Unfortunately, the full report about the discovery was never officially published. This was because the company that took over the original archaeology unit faced financial problems. However, in 2005, an expert named Anne Teather realized how similar the Lavant drum was to the famous Folkton drum.

Measuring the Past: What Was It For?

Experts believe that the Lavant drum, along with the Folkton and Burton Agnes drums, might have been used as tools. They think these drums helped ancient builders measure lengths of cord. These cords would then have been used to plan and build huge monuments.

Ancient Builders' Secrets

Some archaeologists, like Anne Teather, Andrew Chamberlain, and Mike Parker Pearson, have suggested a fascinating idea. They think these chalk drums were used to measure standard lengths of cord. These cords could have been important for building famous ancient sites. Examples include Stonehenge and the large timber circle at Durrington Walls.

The distance around each drum (its circumference) seems to match a specific measurement. This measurement is based on something called the Neolithic 'long foot'. Experts believe a Neolithic long foot was about 1.056 modern feet, or 0.3219 meters. The Lavant drum's circumference is 361.3 millimeters. This length is almost exactly one-ninth of ten Neolithic long feet. This suggests it was a precise measuring tool.

Where Can You See It?

If you want to see the Lavant drum for yourself, you can find it in a museum. It is currently kept at The Novium museum, which is located in Chichester, England.