Silbury Hill
 Prehistoric Britain |
A short journey south from the Wiltshire village of Avebury stands a massive man-made mound known as Silbury Hill, rising up dramatically from amidst the gently sloping Marlborough Downs. The hill is the tallest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe, and is a part of the greater Neolithic complex of monuments stretching across Wiltshire and centering around Avebury.
Standing on a base covering more than 5 acres, Silbury Hill rises to a height of 39.6 metres (130ft) crowned by a flat plateau some 30 metres across. The hills external appearance is deceptive for it is constructed as a step pyramid, incorporating six enormous steps each 6 metres high. The covering of earth and grass protects the chalk-blocked steps from deterioration. This labour-intensive enterprise was completed over three stages beginning around 2660BC, the year at which carbon- dating places its inception.
How it was built is easier to discern than why it was built. Excavations have disproved the theory of its being a burial mound, thereby laying to rest the folktale asserting that the hill provides the final resting place of King Sil, buried astride a golden horse.
A colourful legend suggests that the devil was about to empty a huge sack of earth on Marlborough town, when the power of prayer from nearby Avebury priests forced him to drop it where the mound was thus formed.
A more reasoned explanation is that as a part of the larger prehistoric complex of monuments, Silbury Hill was employed as a solar observatory. A lay line running from Stonehenge passes through the eastern slope of Silbury, crossing a meridian line as it does. It is also worth mentioning in this context that a number of ancient prehistoric tracks were aligned directly through the hill.
A further explanation for its purpose is associated with the important pagan festival of Lammas, celebrated in August, the time of year when Silbury Hill was thought to be founded. This is in turn related to the harvest festivals, fertility rites and the Mother Goddess beliefs.