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Seahenge at the time of excavation. © Wendy George.Dr Jennifer Wexler, project curator of The world ofStonehenge at the British Museum, said: “If Stonehengeis one of the world’s most remarkable surviving ancientstone circles, then Seahenge is the equivalent in timber.But as it was only rediscovered in 1998, it is still relativelyunknown. We know about some aspects of themonument, including that it was constructed in thespring and summer of 2049 BC, from mighty oaks. Butthere’s much that still eludes us, including exactly what itwas used for. Perhaps the central upturned trunk wasused in funerary rituals to support a dead body. Perhapsentering the circular shrine brought worshippers closerto the otherworld. By displaying Seahenge in thisexhibition we hope to bring it to a wider audience, and itprovides an unparalleled opportunity to time travel backto the moment when circles of stone and timber were atthe heart of people’s beliefs.”Nearly two-thirds of the objects going on display in TheWorld of Stonehenge will be loans, with objects comingfrom 35 lenders across the UK, the Republic of Ireland,France, Italy, Germany, Denmark and Switzerland. Ofthese, the majority have never been seen in the UKbefore. Newly revealed today as going on show in theexhibition are two rare and remarkable gold coneshapedhats - the Schifferstadt gold hat from Germanyand the Avanton gold cone from France. This is the veryfirst time either will have been seen in Britain. These aredecorated with elaborate solar motifs that reflect thereligious importance of the sun during this era. Only twoother examples of these hats are known to havesurvived. Serving as headgear during ceremonies orrituals, they perhaps imbued the wearer with divine orotherworldly status. Carefully buried alone oraccompanied by axes, rather than interred with thedeceased, it seems they were held in trust for thecommunity. Similar motifs are to be found on a belt plateon loan from the National Museum of Denmark. Thisexample, and others like it, was found on the stomach ofa women buried in Scandinavia. Its conical central pointmight represent the same concept as the sun hat, but inminiature form.Alongside the international loans, visitors will see someof the most important objects unearthed in theStonehenge landscape, many of them now in thecollections of neighbouring museums. On loan fromWiltshire Museum will be the whole hoard of objects thataccompanied a burial known as the Bush Barrow site.This burial hoard has never been lent in its entiretybefore. They include the ‘gold lozenge’ which is the finestexample of Bronze Age gold craftsmanship ever found inBritain, which was buried across the chest of the BushBarrow chieftain. This grave, with commanding views ofStonehenge, shows close parallels with the richest gravesfrom northern France, eastern Germany and evenAncient Greece. The exhibition will illustrate these longdistanceconnections.From Salisbury Museum will be the treasures buried withthe Amesbury Archer, a man honoured with remarkablegrave goods after his death. His grave contained therichest array of items ever found in a Bronze Age burialsite in the UK, and 39 of these items – including copperknives, gold ornaments and flint tools – will travel to theexhibition. The gold discovered is thought to be among70 INSIDE HISTORY
The gold lozenge of the Bush Barrow grave goods, 1950–1600 BC Amesbury, Wiltshire, England.Photographs taken by David Bukach. © Wiltshire Museum, Devizesthe earliest found in Britain. The Amesbury Archer wasalso buried close to Stonehenge, but he came from thearea of modern day Switzerland or Germany. His earlydates mean that he could have participated in theconstruction of the iconic phase of the stone circle.Hartwig Fischer, Director of the British Museum, said: “Tounderstand the purpose of the great stone monumentconstructed on Salisbury Plain, it is essential to considerits contemporary world and the culture of its builders.We are delighted to be able to do this in thisunprecedented exhibition. Over 430 exceptional objectsare being brought together, objects which are the lastand only testament of sophisticated and ingeniouspeople, and we are grateful to all of the lenders whohave made it possible.”The exhibition has been organised with the StateMuseum of Prehistory, Halle/Saale, Germany, who will belending the Nebra Sky Disc, the oldest survivingrepresentation of the cosmos anywhere in the world.Decorated sun-disc from a woman’s belt, c. 1400BC Langstrup, Frederiksborg Amt and Vellinge,Fyn, Denmark. CC-BY-SA, Roberto Fortuna & KiraUrsem, National Museum of DenmarkThe world of Stonehengeruns from 17 February – 17July 2022 in the SainsburyExhibitions Gallery at theBritish Museum.Open Saturday – Thursday10.00–17.00, Friday 10.00–20.30. Last entry 90 minsbefore closing.Details on Tickets below:www.britishmuseum.org/stonehengeA full public programme ofevents will accompany theexhibition.www.britishmuseum.orgINSIDE HISTORY 61
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