Boltby is a very important ancient site IMO. A gold “hair braid”, was found there, linking it to the Amesbury Archer, buried with two similar hair braids. This also provides a link to the founding of Stonehenge, which helps set a potential scene for a possible “zeitgeist”, of the day.
Publisher: Brigantes Nation
Nov 23
The Story of Boltby Scar
- Filed under Brigantes, Brigantia, Brigantia England, Britain, Bronze Age, Celtic Tribes, Defensive Dike, Defensive Walls, Dike, Europe, Fort, Hair Braid - Ring, Hill Fort, Iron Age, Landscape Archaeology, Linear Earthworks, Mining Landscape, Promontory fort, Stories of Brigantia
Aug 04
Guide: Parliamentary-walls and the Northern Enclosures
- Filed under Britain, Enclosure Acts, Europe, Landscape Archaeology, Landscape Legislation
Between the mid-18th and late-19th centuries the British Parliament passed almost 5,000 local “Inclosure Acts.” Each Act authorised a team of appointed commissioners to survey one specific township or parish, divide its open-field strips, common pastures, and “wastes” into new, privately owned parcels, and lay out straight roads and boundary walls or hedges. The commissioners issued a legal award map and schedule that became the new title deeds.
Aug 02
The hero archetype and Lugh
- Filed under Breogans, Britain, Bronze Age, Castro Hillfort, Celtic Gods, Celtic Life, Celtic Tribes, Dark Ages, Dragons, Early Christian, Early Medieval, France, Giants, Ireland, Iron Age, Lugh, Medieval, Mercury, Mesolithic, Myth and Legend, Neolithic, Palaeolithic, Portugal, Roman, Roman Culture, Roman Gods, Spain, The Devil, Viking, Wales
At its core the “hero” is the figure who steps out of ordinary society, confronts chaos or a monster, and returns (or dies) having secured order for the group. In Jungian and comparative-myth terms it sits in the “warrior-champion” slot of the collective story-board; evolutionists would say it crystallises the survival value of decisive coalition leadership in small bands.
- !Kung, Ache, Achiles, Arjuna, Arthur, Balor's Eye, Bee, Bees, Bhagavad Gita, britain, Buffalo, Castro, Catalhoyuk, Cattle, Cúchulainn, Deity, Divinity, Egypt, Embodiment, France, Galicia, gaul, Geryon, Gilgamesh, Giraffe, Gobeki Tepe, god, Greogans, Haasi, Hadza, Hector, Heel, Heracles, Hercules, Hero, Hero Archetype, Hoan, Hunter Gatherer, Hydra, Integration, Inuit, ireland, Iron Age, Ivory, Kalahari Desert, Kudu, la tene, Lagash, Legend, Lion-Man, Lugh, mammoth, Mercury, MeriamTurtle, Mesopotamia, Monotheistic, myth, Narmer, Naro, Nuliajuk, pagan, Paraguay, Pharoh, Poigs, Proto-Hero, Raven, religion, Roman, Salish, Salmon, San Culture, Seal, Sedna, Serpent, Snake, Sockeye, Sorcerer, Spain, spear, St Michael, Sumer, Synchronicity, T-Pillars, Ulster, Zebra
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Jul 21
Gnaeus Julius Agricola
- Filed under Agricola, Articles, Leaders, Roman, Roman army, Roman navy
In a series of annual military campaigns Agricola put down revolts in north Wales, subdued the Brigantes tribe in the north, extended Roman control over the Scottish lowlands, where he established a string of forts between the Forth and the Clyde, sent troops into Galloway, and made inroads into the eastern Highlands. During the latter campaign his vessels were the first to circumnavigate the islands.
- Agricola, Antoninus Pius, Barochan, Barwick in Elment, Brigantia, britain, Camelon, Carlisle, Cartimandua, Clyde, Fifeshire, Forth, Gask Ridge, ireland, Iron Age, Lake District, Lancaster, Legion XX, Littlechester, Lune, Maryport, Mersey, Mollins, Ribble, Roman, scotland, Stainmore, Stanegate, Tay, Venutius, Wilderspool, Wrotexeter
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Jul 21
Snake Iconography in the British Isles
- Filed under Archaeology, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Mace Head, Neolithic, Passage Tomb, S-curved, Snake Mound
Syncretism through the ages Syncretism, the amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought, has its roots in the ancient world. Thoughts on Celtic Religion – Raimund, Karl To begin with, lets first look at the sources available to us: There are quite numerous sources available, contrary to Read more Hillforts: Defence or Ritual? …
Roman Road to the West uncovered under Manchester Street
- Filed under Brigantia, Brigantia England, Britain, Europe, News, Pottery, Roman, Roman army, Roman Culture, Roman pottery, Roman Roads, Samian ware, Samian ware
A stretch of Roman road just 38-40 cm (15 in) below Liverpool Road in Castlefield. The trench shows the classic Roman construction sequence – a cambered rubble core surfaced with tightly packed cobbles – and runs on a north-east/south-west alignment that leaves Mamucium’s north gate and heads towards modern Salford.
- Agger, Bremetennacum, butchered animal bone, Chester, coarse utilitarian jars, Coccium, Condate, decorated glass, Deva, Deva Victrix, Eboracum, England, Lancashire, Liverpool Road, Liverpool Street, Mamucium, Manchester, Metalled Road, Northwich, Ribchester, Roman Britain, Roman Road, Samian ware, Street, Wigan, York
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What might Stonehenge Mean? Dartmoor and Carnac add to the Picture
- Filed under Barrow, Bell Barrow, Britain, Bronze Age, France, Funerary Urns, Hair Braid - Ring, Landscape feature, Megalithic, Mining, Neolithic, News, Radiocarbon Dating, Smelting, Stone alignment, Stone Circle, Stone Row, Wales
Stonehenge has always been enigmatic, due to its use of those definitive morticed trilithons, all of which where squared of, more like the structures of the Maltese temples and other stone structures closer to Africa, as opposed to those of the rest of Britain and most of the wider North-west European ritual landscape.
- amesbury, Anglesey, archer, boltby, Boltby Scar, britain, Bronze Age, Carnac, Dartmoor, France, Gold Tresses, Great Orme, Hill Fort, Kirkhaugh, Llanymynech, Nabta Playa, nenthead, Neolithic, North Yorkshire, Parys Mountain, Powys, Rouslton Moor, Shropshire, Stonehenge, Tabular Hills, wales, Yorkshire Moors
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Jun 11
Guide: Spoil Heaps
- Filed under Archaeology, Guide, Industrial Heritage, Landscape Archaeology, Landscape feature, Mining, Spoil Heaps
These are artificial hills made from the unwanted rock, shale and tailings that come up with coal, metal ore, stone or clay when it is being mined or quarried. Because extractive industry is both deep and long-lived, single collieries or pits can generate tens of millions of cubic metres of spoil; pushed out by locomotive, conveyor or tippler wagon and dumped in successive layers, the piles quickly become a distinctive landform.
Drumanagh Promontory Fort – First Ever Intact Roman Pot Found in Ireland
- Filed under Agricola, Amphora, Bone Comb, Defensive Structures, Fort, Gaming Pieces, Hill Fort, Ireland, Iron Age, Late Iron Age, Leaders, News, Promontory fort, Roman pottery
RTE Ireland has reported that more recently they have made yet another remarkable discovery—an intact Roman pot. the first one to be uncovered on Irish soil, and providing more tantalising clues about ancient Roman-Irish interactions.
Although the Roman Empire they never reached Ireland (except, seemingly, in myth). That does not mean, that Roman influence and goods did enter Ireland, and it means that Drumanagh continues to headline as one of Irelands most tantalising archaeological sites for that same reason – exactly what were the Romans doing in Ireland?
May 25
Brigantes Tribe
- Filed under Articles, Brigantia, Brigantia England, Britain, Celtic Tribes, Europe, Iron Age
The name Brigantia represents three separate concepts: a goddess, a people, and a tribal federation. By the Roman period, the name represented a tribal federation compromising all of what would become the Roman province of Britannia Secunda, except for the Parisi territory, east of the River Derwent.
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Announcing: The Brigantian News!
- Roman Road to the West uncovered under Manchester Street 16 July 2025
- What might Stonehenge Mean? Dartmoor and Carnac add to the Picture 3 July 2025
- Megalithic Stone Monuments in France May Be Europe’s Oldest 1 July 2025
- Drumanagh Promontory Fort – First Ever Intact Roman Pot Found in Ireland 5 June 2025
Portable Antiquities News
A Iron Age silver "concave square" minim of the Regini and Atrebates / Southern region, possibly attributable to Tincomarus and dating to 50-20 BC. Obverse: square with concave sides, central pellet in ring. Reverse: annulet horse [...]
A post Medieval cast copper alloy discoidal 1/4oz trade weight. The weight has a upstanding rim enclosing a recessed upper surface bearing stamps of a crowned W for William III (1694-1702). [...]
A post-Medieval silver threepence of Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Second issue (1561-1582), probably portcullis initial mark and dated 1566 on the coin. London Tower mint. As North (1991) no. 1998. [...]
A complete silver Scottish twelve shillings coin of James VI of Scotland and I of England, eighth coinage post-dating accession to English throne, dating to 1603-1625, Lys initial mark. Reverse has a shield with arms of [...]
A silver Post-Medieval sixpence of Elizabeth I, dated 1569 with coronet initial mark. Mint of London. As North 1997. [...]
A silver Post-Medieval shilling of Elizabeth I, third issue with ‘A’ initial mark dating to 1583-1585. Mint of London. As North Vol 2, p.136, no.2014. [...]
A lead alloy pipe tamper dating to the 17th century. The plate has moulded decoration to both sides depicting Charles I (facing right) and Henrietta Maria of France (facing left). Both images are contained in [...]
A damaged lead-alloy Medieval pilgrim's ampulla, 50mm in length and 35mm wide, with a round bodied flask with a flaring open top which is partially complete. One side of the flask body has traces of moulded [...]
An incomplete Medieval cast copper alloy buckle plate, dating to c. AD 1100-1400. The plate is missing its buckle and part of its sprues. The buckle plate is sub-rectangular in plan. Projecting from one long edge [...]
A Roman copper-alloy nummus of the House of Valentinian , dating to AD 364-7 (Reece Period 19), GLORIA RO-MANORVM reverse type depicting the emperor with right hand dragging captive right and holding a labarum in left hand. Mint of [...]
A Post-Medieval copper alloy farthing of Charles I (AD 1625-1649), dating to AD 1636-1644. Rose type 2, with sceptres in saltire through single crown. Mint of London. Unclear initial mark. North (1991: 165) no. 2291. [...]
A clipped and heavily worn Roman copper alloy nummus of Gratian (AD 367-383) dating to the period AD 367-378 (Reece period 19). SECURITAS REI PUBLICAE reverse type depicting Victory advancing left, holding a wreath and palm. Unknown mint. [...]
A silver Roman siliqua of Honorius (AD 393-423) dating to the period AD 397-402 (Reece Period 21) minted in Milan VIRTVS ROMANORVM reverse type depicting Roma seated left on cuirass, holding Victory on globe and spear. Hoxne, p. 145, no. [...]
An incomplete Roman composite plate brooch probably dating to AD 100-200. The brooch is missing it's pin and part of the top and bottom circles. The brooch is flat in cross section and probably originally consisted of [...]
Fragment from a probable buckle frame dating to the Post Medieval period (c.AD 1720-1790). The fragment is broadly rectangular in plan and includes a short section of the corner of the buckle frame. The fragment includes the [...]
Fragment from a buckle frame dating to the Post Medieval period (c.AD 1720-1790). The fragment is broadly C shaped in plan and D shaped in profile. It consists of two corners and one side of a sub-rectangular [...]
A complete copper alloy bovine (bull's head) vessel / bucket mount, dating to the Roman period (c. AD 50-200).The cast copper alloy mount is a sub-inverted triangle with a pointed lower tip and slightly waisted sides to form the nose.The [...]
An incomplete copper-alloy early Medieval stirrup strap mount of uncertain or unclassified type, dating to c.AD 1050-1150. The central part of the object survives with parts of the open work broken off on all sides except [...]
A very worn copper-alloy Roman radiate or nummus of unclear ruler dating to AD 260-402. Unclear reverse type, unclear mint. [...]
A near complete Medieval-Post Medieval cast copper alloy buckle with integrated plate dating to the period c.AD 1250-1500. The buckle is missing its pin.It has a rectangular frame, which has a sub rectangular cross-section. The integral plate has [...]
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