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STONE MONOLITH, AVEBURY ENGLAND

After our breakfast of clotted cream and raspberries, cereals, eggs and pastries, we ventured out into the cold and damp winter air to experience the energy of Avebury's stones as well as the surrounding prehistoric structures.  We learned of the area's history in the local museum and visitor's Center, tiptoed through a very old cemetery, and made our way to the huge standing stones.  I’ve read books about the massive old trees in Great Britain, and many of those around the stones lived up to their reputation as ancient sentinels.  The countryside was beautiful; Avebury itself is still quite rural and animals graze in the shadow of the monoliths.

The stones themselves held great power still, though the energy of the circle had long ago been broken with the construction of a village within it, and the destruction of most of the stones.  Had I not seen sketches of the site before its desecration, it would have been difficult to imagine the majesty of the original henge of Avebury.

We went on to nearby Silbury Hill, walking through the very Wiltshire fields where the most famous crop circles form, though at the time I had no idea that I was in crop circle territory. The phenomenon of the circles has always interested me. Some of the geometries most certainly carry messages, as the forms instantly seem to open people's hearts. We are fortunate to have seen Chet Snow present his fabulous slides and lecture about them a few times. There will have to be another trip to the Wiltshire area in the summer circle season, particularly since we now have friends there. 

Silbury Hill is the largest man-made mound in Europe, and today it rests within verdant fields and its mantle is a green carpet of grass. Its surface originally had six horizontal, stepped levels made of chalk and soil. The oldest part of the mound contains flora and fauna from 2800 B.C., when it was quite a bit smaller.  Two other phases of construction occurred later in its history as it reached its current height of over 130 feet.

It remains an enigma among prehistoric sites, as its purpose has never been discovered.  The life force around it felt strong, and our walk through the soggy and chilly fields surrounding the Hill afforded me the opportunity to appreciate the rocky soil underfoot. The freshly tilled earth contained many beautiful stones, most of them chalk-like.

West Kennet Long Barrow was our next stop. It houses a massive Neolithic burial chamber complex.  Within it were excavated tunnels leading to ancient tombs.  Though the bones of those interred here had long ago been removed, the energy was quite eerie.  Nearly 50 people were buried in multiple chambers over a period of more than 1500 years, though many skeletons were not found intact.  This indicates that only portions of bodies may have been buried, or that some of the bones have been removed from the Barrow.