An Archaeological Map of Avebury
Avebury is a pretty village in Wiltshire, in the southwest of England, which is partially enclosed by a prehistoric henge (bank and ditch) and the largest stone circle in the world, within which are two smaller stone circles. Its purpose is not clear, but may have been for ceremonies and rituals connecting the Neolithic people with nature and their gods.
Two avenues of stones led to other ceremonial sites at nearby Beckhampton and Overton Hill, and the man-made Silbury Hill is also close by. World-famous Stonehenge is just over 20 miles to the south.
Many of the original stones at Avebury were dismantled in the Middle Ages, either because they were associated with pagan beliefs, or simply to clear the land or supply materials for other buildings.
Their condition over the years can be traced from the work of pioneer archaeologist John Aubrey in the 17th century, followed by William Stukeley in the 18th century.
Archaeologist Alexander Keiller, of the famous Scottish marmalade business, excavated the site and re-erected many of the fallen stones in the 1930s. Avebury is now a World Heritage Site (as is Stonehenge) and is managed by the National Trust on behalf of English Heritage.
Dennis Maps printed Avebury : An Archaeological Map for Thomas Melrose of megalithicmaps.com. A folded map with a weatherproof cover, it is printed in vegetable ink on FSC certified paper with a scale of 1:875, and has been compiled using information from excavations from the 19th to the present century. The images have been created from:
- LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning, a combination of 3D and laser scanning,
- Oblique Aerial Photography, taken with the camera at an angle to the ground, and
- Photogrammetry, which makes measurements from photographs.
The extremely detailed legend reveals many features of the site, including buried stones, plus stones and sockets found, excavated and erected by Keiller. By referring to the numbered plan of the stones, and the photogrammetric images below, it’s possible to visualise each surviving stone in position.
A bird’s eye view looking north provides a helpful perspective on the whole complex. Along the edge of the map are printed removable images of the four remaining entrance or portal stones, ideal for framing for a wall display. Also included are maps of the village and its amenities, providing all the information required for an absorbing day out.
There is no entry charge at Avebury, and the visitor can stroll freely among the stones. Visit on a summer’s evening or a winter’s day, when the all crowds have dispersed, and you will be able to detect something of the grandeur and atmosphere of that long-ago period when all the stones were standing.
Praised as ‘the definitive archaeological map of the henge and stone circles’ and ‘the must-have source material’, Avebury: An Archaeological Map is available to buy from megalithicmaps.com, at £9.75 plus P&P for the folded version, and £6.75 for the unfolded map.
Please click on the images to get a more detailed view.
You may also be interested in our other historical maps of Medieval York and Medieval London.
And why not take a look a selection of the varied maps we produce at Dennis Maps.
