Stonehenge, Beakers and Sundiscs
Everytime I hear something about Stonehenge it is about how it was built. How they got the stones all the way from Wales, how they might have erected them. This is always a bit of a turn off, don’t get me wrong I like lego… love it in fact.. below is proof of me building lego with my cat Susan on Christmas day… but if I’m honest I find the construction the least interesting part of Stonehenge. Am I allowed to say that?
I think the much more interesting question is the who and the why not so much the how.
I got to record this podcast deep in the basement of The British Museum and learnt so much about the people in Early Europe and how stone henge is just one of many clues as to just how ‘advanced’ bronze aged people were.
We all make jokes about the Beaker people, but this podcast was the first time I’d considered how NOT having a written language is an act of power. As you’ll hear, direct from curtator Neil Wilkin’s mouth, some of the technology they had was extraordinary… sky and sun discs that were accurate calendars and only skilled technicians could use them. Knowledge is power. Writing ruins that power. Writing means any idiot can learn stuff… and make a podcast… and then who has the power?
Ok Neil does… he is the curator.
Not a real Beaker person
Also not a real beaker person
More episodes are available below!
In a new series the British Museum Untold sees Dr Julia Farley and Iszi Lawrence discover all the different ways The British Museum has been supporting international conversation projects and bringing the past to life!