Another Centre Of The Universe

[poliphilo]

Silbury Hill really is a mystery. They've recently completed a dig which established that it was built in three stages- over a period corresponding to a long lifetime- but they're still no closer to establishing what it's for- or how it relates to the rest of Avebury's neolithic landscape. 

Michael Dames- whose books first got me interested in Avebury- argues that the hill represents the pregnant belly of the Mother Goddess. His work is unscholarly and largely discredited now, but his guess remains as good as any.  Maybe it's a centotaph (we can rule out burial mound because there's nothing buried there) or a ritual platform or an observatory or merely an extravagant piece of self-assertion by some forgotten tribal warlord-  "Gaze on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

Looking again at these photographs, I'm struck by how anomalous it is.  A smooth-sided hill rising out of a valley bottom- it doesn't fit; it's against Nature. It's as if some gigantic child with a bucket and spade had just dumped it there. 

It's made of chalk. In its original state- like the ditch and walls of Avebury- it would have gleamed an unearthy white.

Comments

[mamarose.livejournal.com]

I visited this site a number of years ago, and saw things I'm not sure I saw.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

How do you mean? What sort of things exactly? I'm eager to know more....

[mamarose.livejournal.com]

In my teen and young adult years, I lived a highly mystical/magickal life. I 'saw' things regularly, and made a living as a tarot card reader who seldom actually read the cards, and received a lot of mail from clients regarding the detailed accuracy of my readings.

Somewhere in my mid-twenties, I lost all of the faith, and now question things I 'saw' and 'knew'. Nonetheless, the memories are there.

Sitting across from Silbury Hill, on an elevated tuft of grass, I meditated the curious nature of the mound. I had already read the signs, and the day I was there (this was Aug 97) a crop circle had been found in the field behind it. As badly as I wanted to see a crop circle, and could just barely see it from where I was sitting, I was completely distracted by Silbury Hill. A few days later, I did indeed go visit a crop circle :)

As for what I 'saw'. I'm not sure. A spiral procession to the top of the hill. Figures of a sort, dancing, at the very least a spiraling energy. Fluid movements, gentle, a seriousness/somberness and yet some sort of merriment, too. I was mesmerized, but later convinced myself that I have an active imagination that sees things like that to amuse myself or something. I am not finding the right words to describe what I saw, if only I were the sort of artist who could draw or paint!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Your vision makes sense to me. A person builds a hill. Why? Because they want to climb it. Why do they want to climb it? In order to get closer to the realm of the gods. And if the hill is circular- rather than square or pyramidal- a spiralling path is the obvious way of tackling the ascent.

I've never been able to "see" things. I wish I could. I'm terribly envious of those who can. :)

[mamarose.livejournal.com]

I have always "seen" things, even now when I am trying to convince myself that I don't. It feels a bit maddening, actually. To see things no one else does. Of course, I have met people who see the things I see, and it is always comforting to have confirmation.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Strange, isn't it? You find the gift a nuisance- and I'd just love to possess it.