Balfarg Henge | Glenrothes | Fife | Neolithic Age | Ancient History of Scotland | Before Caledonia
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- A Journey Through Scotland's Ancient Sites.
Before Caledonia PATREON
www.patreon.com/user?u=21567811
Please consider being a PATREON for exclusive and early access content while supporting my work.
Before Caledonia FACEBOOK
groups/39155...
Share your photos, articles, ask questions, review books and share UA-cam videos etc....
Balfarg Henge | The Henge | Glenrothes | Fife | Scotland
A built up urban area of north east Glenrothes has been used as far back as six thousand years ago by its Neolithic inhabitants. Balfarg Henge was discovered by air photography and is a very important component in one of east Scotland’s best preserved prehistoric complex’s.
Two sandstone megaliths survive into the present day and modern wooden posts mark where a stone circle originally stood. Information boards are provided at the Henge’s north east orientated entrance. The well defined ditch can be made out encompassing the 60m diameter Henge.
Our ancestors first sign of activity was just over six thousand years ago. To the west of the Henge, pits were dug and large quantities of pottery were placed inside. Come roughly one thousand years later, burnt bone and burnt pottery charcoal were also deposited. This pottery was different to the kind known as ‘Grooved Ware’. After these deposits, Balfarg Henge was constructed with the entrance aligned with Balbirnie Stone Circle’s original location.
Within the Henge a number of constructions were created, one after the other. The first was huge wooden Oak posts arranged in five or six concentric ringed circle’s and a porch arrangement, accompanied by an extra two timbers. This wood circle lasted for five hundred years. The Balfarg Henge we see today is a reconstruction from this time line period.
Come the late Neolithic/early Bronze age, the timber arrangement was replaced by a 30m diameter stone circle, two megaliths still survive (think of Avebury but on a much smaller scale). One seems to be at the entrance, while the other seems to be an avenue stone. Some archaeologists think each megalith may represent an ancestor who you could communicate with during your visit.
In the centre of the site is a two ton stone slab, still in its original position. Below this was a young person likely a male, around twenty who was laid to rest here. The person had a flint knife and a finely made beaker with a handle, buried with them.
In 1977 and 1978 excavations took place by Roger Mercer and funded by Historic Scotland. The purpose of these enigmatic Henge’s is unknown but a clue might be some of the pottery vessels, they contained Black Henbane which is a powerful hallucinogen but also a poison. Up until 1995 the local fete moved away from the henge to Gilvenbank Park.
It is possible the site was linked with the prominent hills of East Lomond and West Lomond. Our ancestors may have thought these hills were sacred or might have viewed them as breasts of the earth mother. This photo was taken from the bridge at Markinch Train Station which is on an elevated position. I am unsure if these hills were visible from the Balfarg sites before the houses and trees.
The Henge is located between the A92 and B969 roads and is 1.5 miles from the Glenrothes town centre. The Balfarg Ritual Enclosure is a short 275m walk away and Balbirnie Stone Circle is just over the other side of the A92.
A HUGE thanks to our ancient ancestors.
Fluidscape by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
I moved to Balfarg in 1983 from Larkhall. Me and my mates used to play football on the henge, and at that time the surrounding houses weren’t there. I lived at 95 Tummel Road so the henge was opposite the rear of our house. I may also add, I found an old Irish shillelagh next to the henge that I kept for years.
Hi Darren, that is awesome you had Balfarg Henge on your doorstep, I would love to be near a site like that. I have also made films on the nearby Balbirnie stone circle and the ritual enclosure. Thanks, Martin.
@@BeforeCaledonia thanks Martin, I really enjoyed watching that.
Brilliant i mind of all the work getting done as a kid
👍👍👍😜🏴🦕🦄😁🤞✌️
I have visited a few times, you can also find videos of the other two nearby sites on my channel. Thanks, Martin.
@@BeforeCaledonia chears
I will have a wee look I have seen them but been a good few years since there only in collydean to lol
👍👍👍😜🏴🦕🦄😁🤞✌️
Thanks.
Thanks, that's great. Balfarg is a place I have wanted to visit and I hope to get there one day soon. Watching your film is the next best thing.
Thanks for your kind words, I hope you get to visit sometime. There are three site's to visit, all not far from each other.
Ooo. That feels uncomfortably hemmed in. But at least it is still in it's original position, unlike in one of your recent videos.
Hi Nigel, Yes! the Balbirnie stone circle was moved from its original position. Not many people have a neolithic site at their front door. Best wishes from Scotland.
shame that the developer has destroyed that site in cahoots with the council and authorities.
I seen a few photos of the site before the houses were built and it looks pretty much the same. I am so glad this site still exsists, thanks for watching.
I fitted all they solar panels on that scheme
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Another great video and again very informative. What was the name of the hallucinogenic found in the pottery?
Thanks again Steven. Black Henbane was the hallucinogen found in some of the pottery, it is also a posion. Glad you enjoyed the video.
It is East and West LOMOND hills not East and West Lothian!!!
Thanks for the info, I am not a local. I hope you enjoyed the video.