Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway
Late Neolithic (2400–2300 BCE)·Beaker / Late Neolithic·🇬🇧 England, Wiltshire, Avebury / West Kennet, United Kingdom
About
About Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway
Southern approach terraces excavated by Atkinson 1968–70, linking Silbury to West Kennet causewayed enclosure, view from 800 m.
Why it mattersKey Beaker / Late Neolithic earthwork with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Collapse cause
- 02Trade network extent
Theories
- 01Observatory
- 02Seasonal gathering
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 2400 BCE (mountain 2470–2350 cal BCE)
- Period
- Late Neolithic (2400–2300 BCE)
- Culture
- Beaker / Late Neolithic
- Purpose
- Approach causeway and spur of Europe's largest prehistoric mound (39.3 m high, 167 m diameter)
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1923
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
1990 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway
c. 800 CE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway
On the ground
Structures & features
51.4150° N · 1.8580° W · 144 m · 4 mapped features
Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — Principal Rampart
rampartrampart at Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — hydraulic feature
51.4161° N · 1.8570° WSilbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — Northern Ditch
ditchditch at Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — hydraulic feature
51.4157° N · 1.8564° WSilbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — Southern Entrance
entranceentrance at Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — subsidiary complex
51.4135° N · 1.8597° WSilbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — Eastern Rampart
rampartrampart at Silbury Hill South Spur — Waden Hill Causeway — outlier feature
51.4157° N · 1.8591° W