Fort shows what we did for Roman army - icWales

Fort shows what we did for Roman army - icWales

Jun 21 2005 Sam Burson, Western Mail

Ancient Welsh history has been turned on its head by the discovery of a huge Roman fort.

Archaeologists using special equipment to scan underneath the countryside have confirmed that a 2,000-year-old settlement at Dinefwr in Carmarthenshire would have been a huge centre of Roman military might.

Spanning an area greater than two rugby pitches, it indicates controlling our ancestors was far harder work than had previously been believed.

Emma Plunkett Dillon, the National Trust in Wales's archaeologist, said, 'At Dinefwr we appear to have one of the most significant Roman archaeological landscapes in Wales preserved under the turf and invisible on the surface.

'The forts are shown to be associated with roads, a civilian settlement and a possible bathhouse and the quality is remarkable.

'The site has the potential to enhance and possibly rewrite our understanding of the Roman conquest of Wales.'

Remains were initially discovered in 2003, but only now has it been brought to light just how large the settlement is.

Two overlapping Roman forts at the site almost certainly date to the 1st century AD.

The later fort was surrounded by an impressive set of defences. The earlier fort was even bigger and could be the largest garrison fort ever found in Wales.

The forthcoming dig is part of a project to restore the landscape of Dinefwr Park and Castle.

Gwilym Hughes, of Cambria Archaeology, said, 'The discovery could transform our understanding of the Roman conquest of South-West Wales and our intention is to determine the character of the buried archaeology through this work.

'Although we can tell a lot from the geophysical survey, excavation will provide the critical dating evidence from items such as coins and pottery that may confirm when the forts were built and abandoned.'

The organisation's Dr Nikki Cook added, 'We knew about the Roman settlements in the area, but this means the idea that most of the Welsh were happy about Roman occupation does not ring true.

'They wouldn't have had such a huge military facility, with the ability to contain so many legionaries, if they didn't need them.

'Most of the population were eventually Romanised, because there were a lot of benefits to it, but it may not be until a lot later than we had thought.'

Tony Robinson and the Time Team will be filming live from the excavation on July 2 and 3 as part of their 'Big Roman Dig' week.

icNorthWales - Anybody out there

icNorthWales - Anybody out there: "
May 9 2005

By Steve Bagnall, Daily Post


MYSTERIOUS lights appearing in the night sky over North Wales were baffling experts last night.

Former DIY store manager John White is seeking answers after catching sight of the strange lights near his rural home.

He took nine hours video footage of the lights near his house in Llannefydd, near Denbigh, over the past five weeks.

But Ministry of Defence chiefs have so far failed to come up with an explanation.

Between one and three separate lights have turned up regularly.

They appear as bright spots changing colours between blue, red, orange and purple.

The unidentified flying objects sometimes pulse or shimmer and grow in size before shrinking back.

They also move silently across the night sky. The 60-year-old first noticed them midway through March.

They continued to appear. Intrigued, Mr White splashed out hundreds of pounds on video recording equipment to capture them in action.

He said: "I had just gone into the room to pick up my glasses.

"I looked through the window and I could see this light. I didn't know what it was. "I have viewed them through my binoculars. "They pulse all sorts of colours, reds, blues, greens and purples. You would also get sparks of white light.

"I contacted the police and they told me to get in touch with the Ministry of Defence. A man there took a look and he had no idea what they were.

"One night, one came down from the east and then it moved slowly across the sky, making no noise. Another night, there were three of them in a line."

Other people have come to Mr White's house to view the mysterious lights, but so far they remain baffled, he said.

"I don't know what they are. But I would like somebody to tell me," he said..

Police said they were unaware of reports of the lights.

Nick Pope, who used to run the MoD's UFO project desk, said: "When I ran the desk, 80% of all sightings were explicable, for 15% there was not enough evidence to make a judgment and 5% were unexplained. This case certainly sounds very interesting. It seems like it warrants further proper scientific investigation."

The MoD declined to comment.

stevebagnall@dailypost.co.uk John White watches the unidentified flying objects from his house near Denbigh. They have been appearing for five weeks and John has recorded them, examples of which can be seen here. The Ministry of Defence has failed to come up with an explanation

"

Echoes of Da Vinci Code at National Library - icWales

Echoes of Da Vinci Code at National Library - icWales

Apr 28 2005 Sam Burson, Western Mail

IT sounds like it could be a chapter straight from the pages of the international best-seller The Da Vinci Code.

Just like Dan Brown's book, the dusty document contains long forgotten insights into the history and relationships of Jesus Christ.

Now scholars at a Welsh college believe they have unearthed their own version of the Da Vinci code with the discovery of a 400-year-old book. Entitled The Genealogy of Jesus Christ, it has spent the past 70 years locked in the dusty depths of the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth.

Peter Hogan, the warden at Llandovery College, happened on the school's lost document while trawling through archives.

He said, "I was absolutely flabbergasted.

"There isn't anybody I know who hasn't read The Da Vinci Code, and we've found the sort of thing that would have been a major part of the plot."

A spokesman for Catholic newspaper The Tablet believed the find could be extremely significant.

Philip Crispin, who writes for the national publication, said, "I think people should be excited about it because it sounds a fantastic find.

"Certainly if it is a genuine document, and not some sort of 19th century hoax, it is extremely interesting.

"Dan Brown's novel has generated a huge amount of new interest in religion and the Bible, even though a lot of his ideas were taken from earlier books."

The leather-bound, hand-written book by William Spenser has nearly 600 A3-sized pages, split into two sections. One is about, "the names, people and empires recorded in the old and New Testaments".

The other is titled "biographical reference of old Bible stories".

It is an alphabetical way to find a seemingly endless list of religious characters.

Mr Hogan said, "It has details on everybody in the Bible, who they were married to where they came from and their family trees.

"The college has always had a history of owning many interesting books, but this one had slipped through the net.

"We have a section in the library that has some of our books in but I think I'm the first warden to have looked at it in about 70 years.

"I knew we had some books squirrelled away so I went to see. I was taken right into the bowels of the building."

It was only his noticing a discrepancy in what should have been there and what was on the list, which led to the book's discovery.

The allegation at the centre of Dan Brown's novel is that the church has conspired for millennia to lie about the role of Mary Magdalene in Christ's life.

It is an idea which Mr Hogan feels has echoes in his newly discovered tome.

He said, "One name I was interested in was Mary Magdalene."

The woman some believe to be the wife of Jesus Christ is a central figure in The Da Vinci Code, which claims Catholic historians have diminished her role in the early church.

Mr Hogan revealed, "The interesting thing is that about half of what's been written about her has been crossed off.

"It may be just a co-incidence, but there's not too many other crossings-off that I can see yet."

One piece of legible text reads, "She was one of many women ministering into Christ, of their substances."

Scholars at Lampeter, Swansea and Canterbury universities refused to speculate on how much the book could be worth. It is being taken to Christie's auctioneers in London today for valuation, although Mr Hogan did not want to contemplate selling it, saying, "I'd like it kept at the National Library.

"This has to survive another three or four hundred years and I want to know it's being properly looked after.

"All I know is I've never seen anything like this before and I want it put in a safe as soon as possible."

He did admit however, "If it turns out to be ludicrously valuable we may have to think again."

The book was acquired by the founder of Llandovery College Thomas Philips in 1851. It's history before that is currently a mystery.

Bethlehem Star now falls under computer's gaze - icWales

Bethlehem Star now falls under computer's gaze - icWales

Nov 29 2004 David Williamson, Western Mail

A WELSH university is carrying out research into one of the world's most enduring mysteries - the star of Bethlehem.

Martin Griffiths, from the University of Glamorgan, is fascinated by the Biblical story which led the mysterious Magi from the East to the infant Christ.

Rather than dismissing the story as pure mythology, he thinks that it is likely something extraordinary did appear in the night sky 2,000 years ago.

The bright light, he speculates, may not have been an actual star but could have been caused by a unique conjunction of the planets.

Sir Isaac Newton and Johannes Kepler both sought explanations for this key event in the Christmas story. Now, computer software used to map the paths of constellations has revealed several possibilities.

Mr Griffiths said, "There were a series of significant events across a period of a few years which would all have been clearly visible and may have created an air of anticipation on the part of the Magi."

A triple conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn was seen in the constellation Pisces in 7BC. This blaze of light would have excited peoples in neighbouring cultures who looked for signs in the skies.

Jews were banned in their scriptures from practising astrology, but a leading theory is that the legendary Wise Men who visited Jesus at birth may have been Persian Zoroastrians.

Mr Griffiths said, "The Jews were a nation bound to God via the law of Moses. This law specifically forbade the foretelling of events, divination or consulting astrologers, so no Jew would realise the import of such a star as their culture was not steeped in the lore of ancient astrology, where celestial events would have major significance.

"The Chaldeans [whom the Wise Men are referred to as in certain sources] however would be examining the heavens and interpreting events according to their own definitions, and realised that this occurrence would have consequences for the Jews and thus travelled to Israel."

Some scholars have suggested that the story of the Magi is a literary invention, deliberately alluding to Old Testament prophecy.

"This of course is a possibility as Matthew did write his gospel long after the event, and is the only gospel writer to mention the star and the events surrounding the birth," Mr Griffiths said.

"However, I think it is more likely to have been an astronomical event, since unusual celestial events in history can have ambiguous interpretations.

"Most explanations for an astronomical occurrence focus upon comets, supernovae or planetary conjunctions."

The story of the Magi has excited new interest in recent years because it represents an interaction between different faiths at the birth of Christianity.

Some religious scholars embrace the idea of the planets being deliberately set in course to come into alignment at the time of Christ's birth. Others prefer to think of the star as a wholly supernatural sign.

Mr Griffiths acknowledges that the mystery will never be conclusively solved.

He said, "Checking these phenomena via commonly available astronomy software will enable an amateur sleuth to enjoy a rewarding hour or so contemplating this ancient thriller, and still leaves one to ponder the religious significance of this mysterious event."

Members of the public are invited to attend a free lecture on December 6 at the University of Glamorgan at which Mr Griffiths will detail different ways of approaching this story. Anyone interested in attending should contact him by emailing mgriffi8@glam.ac.uk.

BBC NEWS | Wales | Mystery of Wales turtle 'solved'

BBC NEWS | Wales | Mystery of Wales turtle 'solved'

23 August, 2004

Scientists think they may at last know why the world's largest leatherback turtle was washed up on a Welsh beach.

The 2.75m-long (9ft) creature was found near Harlech, more than 7,500km (4,700 miles) from its birthplace in the West Indies.

BBC Wildlife magazine reports a new study that suggests leatherbacks should be viewed as a UK/Irish species which simply visits the Caribbean to breed.

Five of the world's seven turtle species, many of whose numbers are in decline, can be seen off the UK coast.

The Harlech leatherback has been put on display at the National Museums and Galleries of Wales in Cardiff.

The animal weighed more than 900kg (2,000lbs) and, at 100 years old, it was the oldest recorded turtle as well as the largest.

Sadly, it was found dead in 1988 after it drowned whilst trapped by fishing lines.

More and more leatherbacks are being spotted around the coast of Britain and Ireland, suggesting the turtles are trawling our waters for their favourite food - jellyfish.

Following the Welsh discovery, marine ecologists at Swansea University and University College Cork used satellite-tracking systems to follow 10 leatherbacks from their nesting sites in the tropics.

Re-classification

Contrary to expectations, the tracking showed the turtles did not stay long in the Caribbean, but spent most of their time in food-rich northern waters, including those around the British Isles.

More work on the study is now underway in the Irish Sea but Peter Richardson, of the Marine Conservation Society, hopes it will lead to leatherbacks being re-classified as British/Irish - so improving the species' chances of survival.

Turtle numbers have been in serious decline worldwide because of coastal redevelopment, egg-snatching, pollution and fishing.

Long-line fishing alone is believed to kill about 50,000 leatherbacks a year when they become accidentally caught on hooks.

BBC NEWS | Wales | Archdruid wants Stonehenge back

BBC NEWS | Wales | Archdruid wants Stonehenge back

22 June, 2004
Archdruid wants Stonehenge back

The archdruid of Wales has called for England's most famous landmark to be returned to Wales.

This week experts said remains found near Stonehenge were almost certainly among those who helped build it.

Tests on teeth found in a 4,300-year-old grave suggest the prehistoric workmen were Welsh.

That and the fact that the stones come from west Wales, has prompted Robyn Lewis - the ceremonial leader of the Gorsedd of Bards - to put pen to paper.

In a letter in the Daily Telegraph, Dr Lewis pointed out the significance of the discovery.

And, he asked : "Since the Stone of Destiny was returned to Scotland a few years since, and it is clearly only a matter of time until the Elgin Marbles are returned to Greece, may I express a request that Stonehenge be returned to Wales?"

Dr Lewis said he was staking an official claim "on behalf of my fellow druids, bards and the rest of my Welsh compatriots".

Links between Stonehenge and Wales have been recognised for generations.

Staking a claim : Dr Robyn Lewis

Bluestone from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire was used in building Stonehenge.

The discovery of the grave at Boscombe Down surprised archaeologists because it contained the remains of seven people - three children, a teenager and three men.

They were dubbed "the Boscombe bowmen" because flint arrowheads were found alongside them.

The grave was found during road improvement works.

Dr Lewis is waiting to hear the reaction of English Heritage to his demand about the UK's most ancient monument.

The archdruid is no stranger to controversy. Soon after taking up his post he was speaking about making "radical changes" to modernise one of Wales' premier cultural events, the National Eisteddfod.

His plans involved a new-style Gorsedd circle - a moveable set of fake ceremonial stones.

Fake stones will be ferried from venue to venue, but the traditional stone circles will still be erected for special ceremonies.

Supporters of the idea said mobile stones would be cheaper, and would allow ceremonies to take place at the centre of the eisteddfod field.

Another move which Dr Lewis approved of was the sale of alcohol on the festival maes for the first time in the history of the event, a decision taken by the Eisteddfod Council in February.

Another break with tradition this year will see the relaxing of the Welsh language-only rule at the event, which this year takes place in Newport.

BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Welsh 'helped build' Stonehenge

BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Welsh 'helped build' Stonehenge: 21 June, 2004 "
Bluestone from Pembrokeshire was used at Stonehenge
Archaeologists say remains found near Stonehenge are almost certainly those of the ancient people who helped to build the monument.

Tests on teeth found in a 4,300-year-old grave at Boscombe Down suggest the prehistoric workmen were Welsh.

It was already known bluestone from the Preseli hills in Pembrokeshire were used in building Stonehenge - called C�r y Cewri which means Choir of Giants.

The grave was unusual as it contained the remains of seven people - three children, a teenager and three men.


For the first time we have found the mortal remains of one of the families who were almost certainly involved in this monumental task.

Archaeologists are calling them 'the Boscombe bowmen' because of the flint..."