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What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)



 
 
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  #11  
Old February 19th, 2013, 12:16 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Surreyman[_3_]
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Posts: 303
Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

On Monday, February 18, 2013 9:18:45 PM UTC, Jack Campin wrote:
What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than


Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.


Tarxien (and other sites), Malta.


Absolutely incomparable - and, I believe, the oldest.




A little way outside Europe, but Gobekli Tepe near Urfa makes

Tarxien and Stonehenge look as modern as a Wal-Mart.



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mobile 07800 739 557 http://www.campin.me.uk Twitter: JackCampin


Yep, was there some dozen years back. Fascinating & incredibly ancient, but I didn't find it physically imposing.
  #12  
Old February 19th, 2013, 09:00 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Erilar
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Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

David Horne wrote:
S Viemeister wrote:

On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote:

What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than
Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.

The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney.
It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy.

I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also
fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has
some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites,
but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is
stone. . .

Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae!


First time I visited, we wandered around the site at midnight in June.
That was the 80s, not sure if you can still do that?

David


They've tightened up access. I envy you the site at midnight in June!

--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad
  #13  
Old February 19th, 2013, 09:21 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Paul Aubrin
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Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other thanStonehenge)

On Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:08:37 -0600, Dan Stephenson wrote:


http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...way_Broch.html

So: this is probably my favorite megalithic site, because of the mystery
behind it and its uniqueness. Does anyone have an explanation for it?

What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than
Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.


Carnac, Gavrinis.

http://www.brittanytourism.com/disco...rittany/carnac

http://noe-education.org/D125.php

  #14  
Old February 20th, 2013, 02:18 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Poetic Justice
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Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other thanStonehenge)

Erilar wrote;

I envy you the site at midnight in June!


In the summer of '75 I was backpacking and hitch-hiking Europe (good ole
days.

I hitched out of london and made it to a pub IIRC ~1.5mi from Stonehenge
in the evening.

My plan was to spend the night inside the stones and get-up and out at
1st light.

Earlier that day I got picked-up by a doctor with 2 kids even stopped at
his house for a while.

I told him my plan and he said that the site does attract some odd types
so I should watch myself.

Anyway the pub closed and the locals pointed me in the right direction
down a *long dark deserted road*.

Well I had 2nd thoughts on my plan either from the odd types or the
horror movies of my youth and changed my mind.
And with those old 10PM pub closings I guess I just didn't have enough
liquid courage in me either.

In hindsight I wish I had as it would have made a cool story whenever
Stonehenge came-up in conversation.

I went off into a field and unrolled my sleeping bag.

In the morning I sat up and there in the short distance was Stonehenge,
I remember that view vividly.

Very close to this except without the roadway
http://tinyurl.com/ac5tkwf
Regards, Walter

  #15  
Old February 20th, 2013, 04:19 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
irwell
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Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

On 19 Feb 2013 20:21:19 GMT, Paul Aubrin wrote:

On Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:08:37 -0600, Dan Stephenson wrote:


http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...way_Broch.html

So: this is probably my favorite megalithic site, because of the mystery
behind it and its uniqueness. Does anyone have an explanation for it?

What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than
Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.


Carnac, Gavrinis.

I agree, also a nice bunch in Northern Portugal.
  #16  
Old February 20th, 2013, 11:21 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Tom P[_6_]
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Posts: 563
Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

On 02/17/2013 03:08 PM, Dan Stephenson wrote:
I love connecting with history, that is why I travel. One of my
most-sought connections is with ancient history, and there is nothing
more ancient than megalithics.

In 2006 in particular, I visited the south of England, and got lost in
the West Country in the search for ancient ruins. Wonderful
experience. One develops an eye for arrangement of stones that is not
accidental, and you can be alone with something few if any people have
seen.

I came across a stone arrangement I never saw before, and I've seen
hundreds of megalithics. It consisted of two concentric rings, ten feet
apart, with an interior area about ten feet across.

http://stepheda.com/England_2006/Day_5.html#13

The close arrangement of the stones is inconsistent with stone circles,
and I've seen no concentric stone circles apart from Stonehenge. Yet
there are two rings of stones, so these do not appear to be kerb stones
of a burial mound whose mound stones have been removed. The most
similar thing I've seen are some tombs near Culloden, Balnualan of
Clava, with two concentric rings of kerb stones with a mass of fill
stones between them:

http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...f_Clava.html#8

But, Culloden and Cornwall are so far apart, I know from experience
seeing megalithics, that it is doubtful a cultural mixing occurred, and
if it did, where are the fill stones?

Offhand, it could also look like a fort on the Dun Carloway model. But
the space between the rings, at ten feet, is too larger, and the
interior space, ten feet across, is too small.

http://stepheda.com/Scotland_2004_Me...way_Broch.html

So: this is probably my favorite megalithic site, because of the mystery
behind it and its uniqueness. Does anyone have an explanation for it?

What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than
Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.





Silvio Berlusconi?
  #17  
Old February 20th, 2013, 11:57 AM posted to rec.travel.europe
Surreyman[_3_]
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Posts: 303
Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

On Tuesday, February 19, 2013 8:00:35 PM UTC, Erilar wrote:
David Horne wrote:

S Viemeister wrote:




On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote:




What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than


Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.




The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney.


It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy.




I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is also


fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca. Sicily has


some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there are so many sites,


but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list shorter. Skara Brae is


stone. . .




Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae!




First time I visited, we wandered around the site at midnight in June.


That was the 80s, not sure if you can still do that?




David




They've tightened up access. I envy you the site at midnight in June!



--

Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad


Not megaliths, but we did similar in Petra in the 1990s.
Having 'suffered' the package tour in the first half of the valley amid hundreds of others, we spent the night in a nearby small hotel and were the first to walk into Petra just after dawn. We had the entire valley to ourselves for an hour or so. Total magic.
  #18  
Old February 20th, 2013, 01:20 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
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Posts: 890
Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

Erilar wrote:

David Horne wrote:
S Viemeister wrote:

On 2/18/2013 11:06 AM, Erilar wrote:

What is your favorite megalithic in Europe? And why? Other than
Stonehenge, that is -- that could be an easy choice already.

The Ring of Brodgar, in Orkney.
It's approachable, and doesn't feel at all touristy.

I replied to this part, then had other thoughts. Tarxien in Malta is
also fascinating. So is the Taula Sanctuary on, I think, Minorca.
Sicily has some great sites, but a bit later. Back in Orkney, there
are so many sites, but trying to stick to megalithic keeps the list
shorter. Skara Brae is stone. . .

Yes, I _loved_ Skara Brae!


First time I visited, we wandered around the site at midnight in June.
That was the 80s, not sure if you can still do that?

David


They've tightened up access. I envy you the site at midnight in June!


I was 16 the first time- made quite an impression!

David

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)
  #19  
Old February 20th, 2013, 01:20 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
David Horne[_2_]
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Posts: 890
Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

Surreyman wrote:

[]
Not megaliths, but we did similar in Petra in the 1990s. Having 'suffered'
the package tour in the first half of the valley amid hundreds of others,
we spent the night in a nearby small hotel and were the first to walk into
Petra just after dawn. We had the entire valley to ourselves for an hour
or so. Total magic.


Ah, good tip. A little OT but we're visiting Israel/Jordan in April and
I'd wondered about spending a night in Petra just for that...

David

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)
  #20  
Old February 20th, 2013, 02:46 PM posted to rec.travel.europe
Surreyman[_3_]
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Posts: 303
Default What is your favorite European megalithic? (other than Stonehenge)

On Wednesday, February 20, 2013 12:20:24 PM UTC, David Horne wrote:
Surreyman wrote:



[]

Not megaliths, but we did similar in Petra in the 1990s. Having 'suffered'


the package tour in the first half of the valley amid hundreds of others,


we spent the night in a nearby small hotel and were the first to walk into


Petra just after dawn. We had the entire valley to ourselves for an hour


or so. Total magic.




Ah, good tip. A little OT but we're visiting Israel/Jordan in April and

I'd wondered about spending a night in Petra just for that...



David



--

(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate

www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)

"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first

world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)


Do it - an experience we've never forgotten.
It gives you time, too, to get up onto the heights (Monastery etc.) where the guided tours never go - in fact they rarely get beyond the amphitheatre a third of the way along the valley!
More than happy to discuss further if you wish.
 




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