Antiquity 55

Two more contributions to the debate about this supposed Palaeolithic engraving argue, contra A Sieveking, for its authenticity.

The great chamber at Newgrange is not 'corbelled' but constructed in 'beam-wall' manner, here explained and illustrated. It needs no covering mound to impart stability but can stand alone.

Corrects the mistaken view of some archaeologists that dendrochronology involves destructive sampling; points out that as many (structural) timbers as possible should be sampled if accurate tree-ring dates are to be obtained; explains the technique of sectioning (not coring) for fresh specimens and museum pieces; and explains the solution arrived at for the Somerset Levels material. It is vital that display take second place to the needs of tree-ring analysis.

Explains the Commission's duties in respect of the national record of England's cultural heritage (historic monuments and constructions in the widest sense), and outlines a new policy of selective recording which will serve modern purposes better than the old exhaustive Inventory model. Numerous cooperative projects are in view, publishing will be more flexible, and policywill in general take national needs of scholars and administrators into account. (Revised version of paper in Int Buildings Record Bull, issue I/E/1980, section 4).

Contra Fulford and Sellwood, the Silchester stone, although an oddity needing circumspection, should not yet be regarded as a fake.

Artefacts from recent excavations in the cave are attributable to the Upper Acheulian phase of the European Lower Palaeolithic, and chronometric (uranium-thorium and thermoluminescence) dating puts use of the cave in the period 200-170,000 years BP. A hominid tooth comparable with early Neanderthal examples provides a second piece of evidence, along with Swanscombe, for Middle Pleistocene hominids in Britain.

Raised ribs are to be found within the sockets of many axes, particularly among Irish finds. Preliminary analysis indicates six types of internal rib, and suggests the possibility of (a) closer dating of some types, (b) attribution to distinct workshop groups.

Provides further details about John Lewis, who can be shown to have played some part in at least three 'more or less dubious' items connected with Dawson (cf abstract 78/5262).