This paper reviews the date of large circular enclosures in Cornwall

What is it about?

Both large and small-scale ceremonial monuments are a well-known feature of the third and second millennia cal BC. However, from the middle of the second millennium cal BC the character of the evidence changes, firstly with the appearance of widespread settlement remains, and then in the earlier first millennium cal BC with the appearance of hillforts. This paper considers the evidence from a number of newly discovered enclosures in Cornwall, which, given their similarity to much older ceremonial monument forms, have unexpectedly been found to date from the first millennium cal BC. The implications of these discoveries are discussed as well as the evidence for possible Atlantic Connections across the Irish Sea.

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Photo by Pascal Büchel on Unsplash

Photo by Pascal Büchel on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The paper is important because it argues thaat monument morphology need not be an an indicator of date and that in the south west of England some enclosure forms may instead signify long-distance relationships.