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Welcome to Avebury. Put on your golashes, zip up your windbreaker, and prepare for a mystical experience. The bus from Swindon stops in front of the Red Lion Inn and Pub. They had their roof repaired in February of 1997. I know this because that's when I went and it was closed for renovations. But we'll stop in later to warm up. The rocks are calling to us. Let's check them out. |
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As you step off the main road, the first thing you'll notice is the wind. It seems to pick up from nowhere and hurtle its way over the field and down the avenue of stones. It whistles and it whines through the grass, threatening to knock over anything and everything in its path. Somehow, the rocks continue to stand and the sheep continue to graze.
You'll also notice that the town is built right into the site itself. The rings of stones are to the left of the main road and part of the great earthenwork ditches are to the right; the modern world has intruded into this great historic place and the two now live together, inseparable.
As we approach the first oddly shaped stones, stop and listen. Hear that? Above the wind is silence. Listen to it for awhile. It drowns out the few cars that roll by, the hammering of the workers at the Red Lion Inn (if they're still there). Feel the isolation of this place. It's what makes the trip so memorable.
Before you visit Avebury or while you're there, be sure to read the Celestine Prophecy. It talks about this energy that flows through everybody and everything and if you concentrate hard enough and really try to feel what is around you, you can feel the energy. I know it sounds rather abstract, but it won't really make sense until you actually feel it. The silence, the wind, the rocks at Avebury make it a place full of energy and it all becomes clear.
Look at the rocks. Go up to them and feel them. Hide from the wind behind them. Hug them. Think about how old they are and what they symbolized to a past civilization. Get lost in the wonder of the place.
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A bit of history and legend is necessary to put things in perspective. Avebury is the largest stone circle in the world. When it was originally built, 98 rocks encircled 2 smaller rings of stone (30 in each ring). Now, only 28 stones from the original outer circle and a few from the inner circles still stand at Avebury.
Archaeologists believe that the inner circles were used in ceremonies or rituals, and were most likely erected first. There were originally two avenues of stones that ran through the main ring. Only one of these remains.
The stones that still stand survived the destruction waged on Avebury for the past millenium. For some time, people found it entertaining to break up the huge rocks by setting fires under them or pouring icy water over them until they crumbled. The rock fragments were used to build the village that stands inside the earthwork.
Later centuries took to digging pits in front of the rocks, heaving the stones over, and then burying them. In the 14th century, a rock prematurely toppled into the pit that had been prepared for it. This was good for the townspeople, who didn't have to go through the trouble of uprooting it and knocking it down, but wasn't so good for one man who had the misfortune of being in the pit when the rock fell over. This rock has been named the Barber's Stone, since along with the poor man's skeleton, archaeologists found a pair of scissors, a lancet, and three silver coins under the rock.
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Other rocks that have special characteristics or legends have also been named. There's the Swindon Stone, which is the largest stone at Avebury, weighing in at about 60 tons. The Devil's Chair is appropriately named since, according to legend, the devil can be summoned if one runs counterclockwise around this rock 100 times. One rock which has been repaired in a rather odd shape has been named the Repaired Stone.
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Located near the site at Avebury is Silbury Hill, a mystical monument in and of itself. It's the tallest prehistoric manmade structure in Europe, and is an awesome site to behold.
Before you leave, be sure to get a pint at the Red Lion Inn. Let me know how it is, since I've never had the pleasure of going inside. And before you get on the bus that takes you back to Swindon, stop and listen again to the silence. It's like no other quiet in the world on the plains at Avebury.
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