Bronze Age tribal marker unearthed by archaeologists

[G-Manicus]

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ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed what could be one of the earliest tribal markers ever found in this country.

 

Rock art experts are still to fully examine the mysterious carved stone, which dates back thousands of years and was found on the headland at Whitby.

 

But one theory is that the stone could have been an instantly recognizable "logo" with a specific meaning to the people that were around at the time.

 

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However the carved stone found in the latest dig is much earlier and possibly dates from the Bronze Age period of 2000BC to 700BC.

 

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Measuring 16ins by 20ins, it displays linear carved markings which have yet to be understood or deciphered, and was found in one of four trenches dug just to the east of Whitby Abbey.

 

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"If it is Bronze Age, then it underlines that the headland has a long history of settlement, well before St Hild founded the Abbey in 657AD."

 

The stone bears similarities to others found on the North York Moors that date from the Bronze Age But the purpose of such carvings has long been a source of conjecture, although they may have denoted tribal boundaries or have had a ritual significance.

 

A defensive Iron Age enclosure complete with a palisade, which would have comprised a wooden fence fronted by a deep ditch designed to repel attackers has also been uncovered during the dig.

[G-Manicus]

Photos of the stone that I found in this other article

 

 

 

 

The purpose of the stones is not known. It has been suggested that they could have denoted tribal boundaries or have a ritual use. A much more ornate stone found at Fylingdales Moor in 2003 has been likened to Irish grave passage art.

 

The Fylingdales rock, discovered after a fire on the moors in 2003: