#durotriges

This summer, I am incredibly privileged to have uncovered an immense wealth of artefacts from the Durotriges Iron Age tribe, from a Roman snail farm to a Durotrigan bangled lady, this excavation has been amazing for all involved. Catch more in Sandi Toksvig’s Hidden Wonders!

Durotriges Cemetery: an Iron Age cemetery which was in use between about 100 BC and AD 100 held fifty-five related individuals who apparently belonged to a society which was unusual for its time - a matrilocal society.

okay, random theory because I’m weird and randomly decide to research King Arthur for no apparent reason.

Camelot’s situation is debated, however, Castle Cadbury in Somerset was formerly called Camalet (coincidence? I think not!). Okay so castle found, easy. Cadbury was established in the Iron age, used by the Romans, and by unknown persons in the 5th and 6th centuries (Arthurian time), used by Saxons until the 11th century [x]

Glastonbury has often been associated with Avalon, the resting place of King Arthur and there is evidence of a lake in the area that has since dried up (go back far enough most of Somerset was under the sea). Glastonbury Lake Village was located north-west of Glastonbury, showing there was once a lake in the area immediately surrounding the Tor.

But the fun bit is Camlann, the battlefield where Mordred was killed and Arthur was mortally wounded. Unfortunately, I only have a Wikipedia source, Camlann may derive from Brittonic (ancient English) Cambo-landa meaning "crooked/twisting-enclosure" or "crooked/twisting open land" ... my first thought was Cheddar Gorge.

Now look at this:

Glastonbury Tor (Avalon) is almost exactly between Cadbury Castle (Camelot) and Cheddar (Camlann). Arthur is wounded, where else is he going to go but home?? it’s only a 9 hours walk on a good day, but he dies en route.

Regarding Poetry: Part 2 – Getting your Poetry Out into the Wide, Wide, Gloriously Wide World

By Sam Levenberg, Staff Writer

Hermetic Globe, by Durotriges

Hello again out there!

First of all, thanks to everyone who submitted to the Summer 2013 issue of Yorick! Alex and Lauren sent responses to all who submitted, so check your emails if you sent in work. Expect the full issue to be produced by mid-August. Contributors’ copies will be sent out in the coming months.

So in the past I’ve…

Pre-Roman, White Gold Stater of the Durotriges Celts of Britain

Circa 65 BC - 45 AD Obverse:  Abstract head of Apollo facing right with a wreath. Reverse:  Disjointed horse facing left, the tail has three strands pointing up, a pellet below horse, a small elliptical pellet above horse and a coffee bean above the tail.

Durotriges were more a tribal confederation than a tribe. They were one of the groups that issued coinage before the Roman conquest in 43 AD. They were located in modern Dorset, south Wiltshire, south Somerset and Devon east of the River Axe, South West England.

The Durotriges coins were rather simple and had no inscriptions, and thus no names of coin-issuers can be known, let alone evidence about monarchs or rulers. Nevertheless, the Durotriges presented a settled society, based in the farming of lands surrounded and controlled by strong hill forts that were still in use when the Romans invaded in 43 AD. Maiden Castle is a preserved example of one of these hill forts.

One of the late Roman burials found at the site, outside the Iron Age banjo enclosure of the Durotriges.