Giant suddenly looking years younger
THE world famous Cerne Abbas Giant chalk figure is unlikely to be as ancient as thought – after medieval snail shells were found there.
Experts had hoped that the famous landmark may have dated back as far as Roman or prehistoric times.
A century after the giant in Dorset was gifted by the Pitt-Rivers family in 1920, the National Trust, in collaboration with the University of Gloucestershire, has been attempting to establish when the figure was first hewn into the chalk hillside.
But recent tests carried out on soil revealed microscopic species first found during the 13th and 14th centuries.
Archaeologists have declared that this “sadly” means the figure is unlikely to be thousands of years old.
Further – more accurate – analysis is being carried out and is due for publication in the autumn, having been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The earliest recorded mention of the 180ft (55m) man is in 1694, with local folklore holding it to be a fertility aid. He has at times thought to have been modelled on Hercules, Anglo-Saxon deity Helis or a parody of Oliver Cromwell.
The project is being carried out by the National Trust to celebrate its ownership of the site over the last century.
Soil was taken from giant’s elbows and feet and is being analysed using a technique called optically stimulated luminescence.
Speaking about the snail finds, environmental archaeologist Mike Allen said: “They arrived here accidentally, probably in straw and hay used as packing for goods from the continent.
“Sadly, this shows the giant is unlikely to be prehistoric or Roman, and more likely dates to medieval times or later.”