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After the Axes? The Rock Art at Copt Howe, North-west England, and the Neolithic Sequence at Great Langdale

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 July 2019

Richard Bradley ,
Aaron Watson  and
Peter Style
Richard Bradley
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6 ABEmail: r.j.bradley@reading.ac.uk
Aaron Watson
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE Email: info@aaronwatson.co.uk
Peter Style
Affiliation:
Independent Researcher Email: peterstyle@hotmail.co.uk
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Abstract

Within sight of the Neolithic axe quarries on the Langdale Pikes is a group of massive boulders at Copt Howe. The two largest command a direct view of the stone source where the sun sets into the mountainside at the midsummer solstice. Both are decorated by pecked motifs which resemble features of Irish passage tomb art. Small-scale excavation in 2018 showed that a rubble platform had been built at the foot of the main decorated surface and sealed two further motifs of similar character. New work has established an important sequence in Great Langdale. Recently obtained radiocarbon dates indicate that the main period of axe production was between 3800 and 3300 bc, whilst Irish megalithic art is later and was made between about 3300 and 2900 bc, suggesting that Copt Howe achieved its importance after axe-making had ceased or was in decline. That is consistent with an increasing emphasis on relations between northern Britain and Ireland during the Late Neolithic period. Perhaps Copt Howe itself was treated as a ‘natural’ passage tomb.

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ

Après les haches? L’art rupestre à Copt Howe Angleterre du nord-ouest et la séquence du Néolithiqque de Great Langdale, de Richard Bradley, Aaron Watson et Peter Style

A portée de vue des carrières de haches néolithiques sur les Langdale Pikes se trouve, à Copt Howe, un groupe d’énormes rochers. Les deux plus gros ont une vue directe sur le gisement de pierre où le soleil se couche dans le flanc de la montagne au solstice d’été. Tous deux sont décorés de motifs piqués qui ressemblent à certains traits de l’art des tombes à couloir irlandaises..Des excavations de petite échelle en 2018 ont montré qu’une plateforme de débris avait été construite au pied de la principale surface décorée et scelllait deux motifs supplémentaires de caractère similaire De nouveaux travaux ont établi une importante séquence à Great Langdale. Des datations au C 14 obtenues récemment indiquent que la principale période de production de haches se situait entre 3 800 et 3300 av.J.-C. tandis que l’art mégalithique irlandais était plus tardif et se faisait entre environ 3 300 et 2 900 av.J.-C,ce qui donne à penser que Copt Howe a atteint son apogée après que la fabrication de haches avait cessé ou était sur le déclin. Ce qui concorde avec une emphase grandissante sur les relations entre la Grande-Bretagne du nord et l’Irlande au cours du Néolithique final. Il se peut que Copt Howe lui même ait été traité comme une tombe à couloir ‘naturelle’.

Zussamenfassung

ZUSSAMENFASSUNG

Nach den Beilen? Die Felsbildkunst von Copt Howe, Nordwestengland, und die neolithische Abfolge von Great Langsdale, von Richard Bradley, Aaron Watson und Peter Style

In Sichtweite der neolithischen Steinbrüche für polierte Beile in den Langdale Pikes findet sich eine Gruppe massiver Felsblöcke bei Copt Howe. Die beiden größten bieten einen direkten Blick auf den Steinbruch, dort, wo die Sonne während der Sommersonnwende hinter den Bergen versinkt. Beide sind mit eingepickten Motiven verziert, die solchen der Motivwelt der irischen Ganggräber ähneln. Eine kleinflächige Ausgrabung im Jahr 2018 ergab, dass eine Plattform aus Geröll am Fuß der vornehmlich dekorierten Fläche errichtet worden war und dabei zwei weitere Motive ähnlichen Charakters verdeckte. Neue Untersuchungen konnten eine wichtige Abfolge in Great Langdale aufzeigen. Jüngst gewonnene C14-Daten lassen erkennen, dass die wichtigste Phase der Herstellung von Beilen zwischen 3800 und 3300 bc lag, während die irische Megalithkunst jünger ist und zwischen etwa 3300 und 2900 bc erstellt wurde; dies legt nahe, dass Copt Howe seine Bedeutung erlangte, nachdem die Produktion von Beilen geendet hatte oder im Schwinden begriffen war. Dies steht in Einklang mit einer wachsenden Betonung der Beziehungen zwischen dem nördlichen Großbritannien und Irland während des Spätneolithikums. Möglicherweise wurde Copt Howe selbst als ein „natürliches” Ganggrab angesehen.

Resumen

RESUMEN

¿Después de las hachas? El arte rupestre de Copt Howe, noroeste de Inglaterra, y la secuencia neolítica de Great Langdale, por Richard Bradley, Aaron Watson y Peter Style

Dentro de las canteras de hachas neolíticas de Langdale Pikes existe un grupo de rocas masivas en Copt Howe. Las dos de mayor tamaño tienen el control visual de la zona del afloramiento donde se pone el sol en la ladera de las formaciones montañosas durante el solsticio de verano. Ambas están decoradas con motivos piqueteados que son similares al arte megalítico de las tumbas de corredor irlandesas. La excavación arqueológica de 2018 mostró que se había construido una plataforma al pie de la superficie principal decorada y que sellaba dos motivos más de carácter similar. Estas nuevas intervenciones han establecido la importante secuencia en Great Langdale. Las dataciones radiocarbónicas recientemente obtenidas indican que el principal período de producción de hachas se produjo entre el 3800 y el 3300 bc a pesar de que el arte megalítico es posterior y posiblemente fue realizado entre el 3300 y el 2900 bc, sugiriendo que Copt Howe alcanzó su importancia una vez que la producción de hachas había cesado o se encontrada en pleno declive. Esto es consistente con el énfasis creciente que se observa en las relaciones entre el norte de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda durante el Neolítico final. Quizá Copt Howe en sí mismo fue considerado como una tumba de corredor “natural”.

Keywords

Rock artaxesquarriespassage tombsIrish Seamidsummer solstice
Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 85 , December 2019 , pp. 177 - 192
Copyright
© The Prehistoric Society, 2019 

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