Megalithic manufacturing in Britain

[Mick Harper]

Land/water caves are definitely Megalithic and follow the pattern of land/water tidal islands (and by the fact that we haven't fathomed their purposes yet). You might wish to look at the caves associated with, for instance, Worm's Head, Tintagel and Brecqhou (Sark).

[Boreades]

Caves and underground chambers seem to have had a special role as sacred birthing places, especially around the summer and winter solstices.

The same seems to have been true in Old Testament times in Egypt and Israel, along with stone circles, in the Enochian tradition (not the same as all Jewish traditions)

[hvered]

Seems unlikely, unless by sacred you mean secret. Most women prefer to give birth in safety, childbirth being a risky business. However one can imagine women whose waters broke while working might prefer a cave to giving birth in the open. Most underground caves, particularly in Britain, appear to be cold and damp, not at all suitable for the job,

It was common practice of course to bury money, valuables, food (Pepys' cheese is well known, but only because he wrote about it) for secrecy/safety.

[Boreades]

Unlikely? Yes.

Perhaps I should say sacred and secret, like the legends of Newgrange being used as a sacred place of death, birth and resurrection. It wouldn't be the likes of peasants like us that would be allowed in there, this really would be a case of high-caste priests and rituals (stop me if I start to sound like an ortho-archaeo)

[hvered]

Newgrange is too conspicuous to be secret. No reason to suppose it was a sacred site is there?

I like the idea of sacred being synonymous with secret. All that stuff going on behind the reredos screen.

[Boreades]

Have you tried getting into Stonehenge recently? You can look (from afar) but you can't touch.

IIRC, our very own Jon portrayed this quite nicely in his book?

[Boreades]

[Mick Harper]

It confirms TME's point about the longevity of local families that Lord Lambton was the local worthy and MP until he resigned in a drugs'n'sex scandal in 1973.

[Boreades]

[Boreades]

The monastery called Sochasburg is described as "a very early monastic community" - and the North East of England clung to its version of Christianity longer than many parts of Britain.

https://www.dur.ac.uk/research/director ... ect&id=716