Trials and Trivialisation

Cultures typically trivialise or desecrate the icons of their precedessors. John Palmer writes in about some of the lesser-known threats facing historic artefacts (from Northern Earth 92)

Hunebeds - dolmenic tombs dating from c.2600 BCE - are among the oldest ritual monuments in Europe. 53 remain in Drenthe - at least that number have been lost. - and are legally protected, although protection does not always automatically extend to newly-found sites. A man seeking to build a historical theme park near the 80-ft long Great Borger hunebed in 1996 uncovered another in development work sought to have it either incorporated into his site or removed.

In July it was proposed to drag by ropes a 5000kg glacial erratic similar to those from which the hunebeds were built from a neighbouring province to Borger; however, that stone was stolen and the project was delayed until it was recovered; but it was accomplished, and a new 54-stone 'hunebed', described as 'the largest ever', constructed without recourse to modern technology (questionable, as they used modern ropes, machine-sawn timber beams, modern protective clothing, modern refreshments too no doubt) as a tourist attraction. In protest at the considerable subsidies (E450,000) this project attracted, inhabitants of nearby Westdorp built their own 'hunebed', using shovels and no subsidies, and left a notice declaring in local slang 'This hunebed was built by the Flint builders of Wespert [sic]. Building occurred without subsidies or sponsorship. Use was made of local stones and no committees were formed. The motto: 'behave normally, you already act crazy enough'. Actually, it looks like a quick job.

Papelooze Kerk, in Sleen, Drenthe, was restored in 1959 using stones robbed from another hunebed at Valtherveld in Odoorn. Two small examples at Diever and another in Noodlaren are similar quasi-follies. One wonders if the builders of these and the recent ones above took orientation into account in the way that the original builders did, and whether these new constructions will eventually come to be considered neolithic?

On another issue, I have just read an article in a Dutch newspaper about the sad fate of prehistoric rock art in Algerian Sahara. There are thousands of such engravings, but many have already been removed by thieves with pneumatic drills, especially in the Jabbaren region on the Libyan border. The sites are deep enough in the desert to be remote and hard to safeguard. The extracted engravings are sent for sale particularly, it appears, in Italy. The smuggling route runs through Libya, apparently with Sicilian Mafia involvement. Some of the rocks shipped out of Africa weigh up to a hundred kilos.

Being pre-Islamic and pagan, there is little respect in Muslim Algeria (like Afghanistan) for such ancient art; indeed many Algerians would object to their country becoming famous for its pagan relics, and it seems that some of the coloured engravings are also being daubed over with paint, and the name of the prophet scrawled over the works. Disrespect is also signalled by urination over the designs. Thus, gradually they are being lost in one way or another, and largely because some Islamic Algerians fail to realise the true value of their ancient inheritance.

Home | Contact Us | Site Map | Search

© Northern Earth