King Arthur’s Hall in Cornwall is 4,000 years older than previously thought
Attraction is reflected in the name. King Arthur’s Hall. On hearing that name, the mind activates the springs of imagination and glimpses mighty walls, tall pillars, brightly colored glass windows, long tables, a crowd of maidens and knights, and a grand banquet.
The reality, as always, is harsher. King Arthur Hall is a megalithic enclosure located on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, England. The monument measures approximately 20 by 47 meters and consists of 56 standing stones (some of which are 1.8 meters high) arranged in a rectangle, surrounded by a bank of earth.
optically stimulated luminescence
For decades it was believed that the construction was from medieval times, hence its connection to Arthurian legend. However, a team of researchers from the University of St Andrews have just discovered that the historic site is 4,000 years older than previously thought.
The team led by Dr Tim Kinnard from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences has studied the Bodmin Moor Cairn using a technique called Optically Stimulated Luminescence and confirmed that the construction dates back to the Neolithic period.
Panoramic view of the mound from 5,500 years ago
Historic England, which counts King Arthur Hall as one of its protected sites, has listed it as an early medieval farmyard dating from around 1000 AD. Nevertheless, the integrated vertical stones suggest that the mound was much older.
Dr. Kinnard and his team say the monument would be approximately 5,500 years old, which is 4,000 years older than the earlier estimate. They have come to the conclusion that the sediment was analyzed when it was last exposed to light, before burial.
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“It is extremely exciting that we have finally been able to know the date of construction of this mysterious construction, which until now was shrouded in myth and legend,” the University of St Andrews researcher said in a statement.
Between 2013 and 2014, members of The Heritage Trust carried out some cleaning and research at King Arthur Hall. Their work revealed a revetment wall built to retain the inner bank. It was concluded that over time earth had covered the top of the wall and about 140 upright stones were now buried, lying down or lying at an angle. It was suggested that the structure originally formed a tank that was filled with water, or possibly used for ritual purposes.
For decades it was believed that King Arthur’s Hall was a medieval construction
“Because the monument is older than previously thought, we now have to consider it in the context of the prehistoric landscape of Bodmin Moor and the other structures on the moorland that would have been important at the time. All of this is evidence of an active community in the area,’ ‘ Kinnard says.
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