Druids and Avebury Reburial

[Pippyn]

This is probably old news by now but I wondered what everyone else thought.

We got this email at Uni about the consultation between the British Druid community and EH/NT about the reburial of remains at Avebury

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/serve.../nav.19819

To quote the lecturer who sent the email "this will serve as a test case for the subsequent treatment of ALL prehistoric remains and artefacts (regardless of period) excavated in the UK"

That sounds a little bit scary to me. If they are re-buried what about the destruction to the archaeology where the are going to be re-interred - they can't be put back where they were cant they?

Avebury's a protected site isn't it? So its hard enough to dig there anyway, whithout having to go through the rigmarole everytime you want to dig the body back up to analyse it (option 2), if it's even managed to survive such drastic changes in conditions by being re-buried.

What about the need for education and research?

The Druid argument is that genetic evidence has shown they are very closely related to the remains. But when considering how old htey are, the EH/NT have shown that so is the majority of people in Western Europe. Just because we're archaeologists doesn't mean you or I aren't closely related to the remains too. (Though some would argue we're a breed apart...)

So...open to the floor :face-thinks:

"Kids, go get a proper job and don't take mine" - Derek Alexander

[trowelmonkey]

See the thread started by Oxbeast in October.

[Beardstroker]

This one, in fact

http://www.bajr.org/BAJRForum/topic.asp?...,reburials

[Pippyn]

Cheers, sorry. I got so worked up I forgot I should probably trawl the archives [:I]

"Kids, go get a proper job and don't take mine" - Derek Alexander

[andy.bicket]

Derek Alexander, legend

[oldgirl]

BTW, for anyone who's thinking about filling this in I'd encourage them to do so! And you get a very nice postcard thanking you!

[Curator Kid]

quote:Originally posted by oldgirl

BTW, for anyone who's thinking about filling this in I'd encourage them to do so!

I'd agree - as long as you're not thinking of agreeing with the Druids, obviously. :face-confused:

[Oxbeast]

I would concur, curator kid. however, this is not at the instigation of 'The Druids', as if they were of one voice. There are a wide variety of perspectives in the pagan/druid community, and this reburial issue seems to be instigated by one bloke.

I don't think there is much chance, as the druid proposal just goes too far. They are not genetically related to the prehistoric pots than they also want to rebury. The precedent that it would set is just too dangerous.

[trowelmonkey]

Well, it's not just one bloke. This particular request was instigated by him under the auspices of HAD, see the link I posted earlier:

http://www.honour.org.uk/node

However, HAD are not representative of the neo-pagan community as a whole and a lot of them object to the underlying theological premise of the request and are upset that these people claim to represent them.

PS- I could still never keep a straight enough face to make a drood (except for perhaps a debaunched Halloween part).

[oldgirl]

quote:Originally posted by Curator Kid

quote:Originally posted by oldgirl

BTW, for anyone who's thinking about filling this in I'd encourage them to do so!

I'd agree - as long as you're not thinking of agreeing with the Druids, obviously. :face-confused:

You know, it didn't occur to me that anyone would..... Could be wrong of course!