To Have And To Hold

Horse hill figures .

Neolithic, Norfolk UK

“In 1939 Leslie Armstrong discovered a group of 'ritual objects' near the base of the mineshaft. His finds included several chalk carvings. The 'goddess' caused immediate controversy when Ethel Rudkin, Armstrong's fiancée, carved a copy on the day of its discovery. This led to a bitter argument that ended their engagement. Since then the goddess has attracted much debate. No similar figurines from the Late Neolithic period have ever been found in Britain. It bears closer resemblance to earlier Palaeolithic carvings. This, and the copy carved by Rudkin, have led to suspicions that the goddess was planted, perhaps as a practical joke or to support Armstrong's earlier theories that mining began here before the Neolithic period. We may never know the truth.”