DOCSLIB.ORG

Module II: Geography and Geology of the Catskills

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Module II: Geography and Geology of the Catskills TheCatskills Standards-basedlessonsthatpromoteappreciation andstewardshipoftheuniquenaturalandcultural resourcesoftheCatskillMountainregion. ModuleII: GeographyandGeology oftheCatskills TheCatskills ModuleII:GeographyandGeology oftheCatskills TheCatskills ASenseofPlace Standards-basedlessonsthatpromoteappreciation andstewardshipoftheuniquenaturalandcultural resourcesoftheCatskillMountainregion. ModuleII: GeographyandGeology oftheCatskills Compiledandportionswrittenby AaronBennett,AmeriCorpsEducator NathanChronister,DirectorofEducation MarieEllenbogen,AmeriCorpsEducator TheCatskillCenterforConservationandDevelopment,Inc. Arkville,NewYork ThispublicationwasmadepossiblewithfundsfromTheCatskillWatershedCorporation inpartnershipwiththeNewYorkCityDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectionandwas fundedinpartbyNYSCouncilontheArts,theBayFoundation,theDorrFoundation,the A.LindsayandOliveB.O'ConnorFoundation,andtheSchermanFoundation. ©2000TheCatskillCenterforConservationandDevelopment,Inc. Geography & Geology The human geography and the geology of the Catskill Mountains are among the things that make the region unique within New York State. Geography and geology allow us to compare our place in the world with all others, and teach people about the nature of their world and their place in it. Translated, geography means a description of the Earth (geo means Earth, and graphia means description). Geology, similarly, is the study of the Earth (again, geo means Earth, and ology is the study of). The relationship between geography and geology is an easy one to see. Geology is the physical component of the Earth=s geography, meaning conceptually, geology underlies everything, and determines Earth=s geography. This relationship will become more evident later on in this module. The Earth can be depicted in many different ways. One way is to describe the Earth as “an oblate spheroid with an equatorial circumference of approximately 24,902 miles; its surface is covered by water and land in a ratio of 2.3:1, and that surface ranges from 29,028 feet above sea level to 35,840 feet below sea level (the top of Mount Everest to the bottom of the Mariana Trench)”. (National Geographic Standards: 1994) Rather than only examining the Earth as a physical object, geography and geology allow us to examine all of the different people, places, cultures, and environments that comprise this oblate spheroid. Module II Geography and Geology Table of Contents LESSON 1: Introduction to Geology Summary Activity 1 - Adopt-a-Rock Activity 2 - The Rock Cycle Activity 3 - The Geologic Clock Activity 4 - Fossil Dig LESSON 2: Introduction to Geography Summary Activity 1 - Compass Rose Activity 2 – School Map Activity 3 - Understanding Maps Activity 4 - What=s Your Latitude, Dude? Activity 5 - Watershed Drawing with Topographic Maps Activity 6 - Elevation Profile LESSON 3: Physical Geography of the Catskill Mountains Summary Activity 1 - Ice Age Field Trip Activity 2 - Glacier Formation Activity 3 - Flowing Ice Activity 4 - Valley Glacier Activity 5 - Catskill Mountain Geologic Points of Interest LESSON 4: How Do the Catskills Stand Out? Summary Activity 1 - Names on the Land Activity 2 - Environmental Exchange Box Activity 3 - Connect the Dams Activity 4 - Catskill Geology Defines Human Geography Activity 5 - Population Pyramids Activity 6 - Comparing the Catskills to Connecticut Activity 7 - Into the Mountains GLOSSARY Module II Geography and Geology RESOURCES Books and Articles Teaching Materials Web Sites Resource People Places to Visit APPENDIX Overhead Maps for Lesson 4, Activity 4 -Catskill Park, NYC Watershed, Major Roads, Water Bodies, Township Boundaries, Counties, Topography, Township Names The Catskill Center’s Catskill Region Map USING THIS BOOK · Vocabulary words that are italicized throughout this module are later defined in the Glossary. · Following each activity are listed NYS Learning Standards that are met by the activity. There is a good possibility that the activity may meet more standards than those listed. The number of the standard, its title, and the topic heading are written out. Some topic headings are divided into key ideas, and their numbers are listed where applicable. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank the following people, all of whom donated their time by reading through, evaluating, giving feedback, providing activities, or suggesting content for the Geography and Geology module. Without all of you, this educational tool would not be as complete and useful as it is. Thank you for your help. Kathyanna Bagnardi, Robert Birdsall, Jennifer Bruck, Helen Chase, Dan Cohen, Jeanne Davis, Jane Fox, Sara Henry, Kevin LaMonda, Jo Margaret Mano and her geography students, Steve Mattice, Sharon McInerney, Estelle Nadler, Sue Nightengale, Jean Palmer-Moloney, Mike Porter, Beth Retchless, Patricia Rudge, Hertha Schulz, Geddy Sveikauskas, Kathleen Taylor, Robert Titus, and Karen Underwood. LESSON 1 Summary Page 1 Introduction to Geology Geology is defined as the science that studies the physical or fossil history of the Earth, the rocks of which it is made up, and the physical changes that it has undergone or is currently undergoing. The Catskill Mountain region is unique in terms of its geology, making it very different from surrounding areas. Rocks There are many types of rock, and each kind has a particular place in the history of the Earth. Rocks are made up of many smaller parts, called grains, which vary in shape, size, and color. These grains are mixtures of various substances, most of which are called minerals. Minerals are naturally occurring and have physical and chemical properties that characterize each type. Therefore, rocks consist of various minerals, glass, or solidified organic matter (e.g. coal) and cover a significant part of the Earth’s crust. Rocks are classified as three different types: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. Igneous rocks, or “melt rocks” are rocks that form from the hardening of once-molten or liquid rock (magma). Examples of this rock type are basalt and granite. Granite is a coarse-grained, light- colored rock formed by the crystallization of magma deep within the core of a mountain range. Any fine-grained, dark colored igneous rocks are basalt. Rocks that are the end result of heat, pressure, and/or chemical actions upon another form of rock are metamorphic rock. These can be thought of as “changed” rocks. Marble, slate (fine-grained), and gneiss (coarse-grained with alternating bands of minerals) are examples of metamorphic rock. Sedimentary rocks are formed from the accumulation and consolidation of loose sediments. These rocks provide us with an accurate record of the Earth’s geologic history because they layer one on top of another and collect fossils from the Earth’s surface long ago. Another term for the various layers is strata. Like the Grand Canyon, the Catskills Mountains are almost entirely composed of sedimentary rock. Catskill Rock There are four major types of sedimentary rock present in the Catskills. The sedimentary rocks found underneath the high peaks region and the surrounding lowlands in order of their deposition are Helderberg marine limestone, Hamiliton marine shales, Catskill Delta shales and sandstones (Floodplain shales and River sandstones), and Terrestrial Conglomerates. The Helderberg Mountains, which lie along the northeastern boundary of the Catskill region, are composed of limestone. These carbonate rocks often form cliffs and contain caves. Limestone is not very resistant to chemical weathering, as it dissolves readily in the presence of acid. The Helderbergs are geologically different from the rest of the Catskill region. Shale forms from the consolidation of clay and mud, and is the most common rock in New York. This, the principle bedrock of this area, is fine-grained, dark-colored, and flaky, so it erodes easily. When ordinary sand hardens into rock, the result is sandstone. Sandstone is often gray or may LESSON 1 Summary Page 2 have a reddish-brown color due to iron oxide staining. It has a sandy texture from its constituent grains. Most cliffs you see in the Catskill region are composed of sandstone. Sandstone is most abundant in the upper elevations, with the exception of “bluestone”, which is common at lower elevations. Conglomerate dominates the Shawangunk Mountains and is also found crowning the Catskill high peaks. Conglomerate, often called “puddingstone” is a type of rock that is a mixture of gravel-sand deposits with pebbles, cobbles, or even boulders that have been rounded because of stream transport and held together by a cement-like parent material (e.g. calcium carbonate or iron oxide). These are commonly found in the Shawangunks and some cliffs in the central Catskills. Loose quartz pebbles are often found at higher elevations in the Catskills, emerging from erosion of conglomerates. The Shawangunk Mountains are very different geologically than the majority of the Catskill region. It is important to keep in mind that rocks are constantly changing over time. Somewhere on the planet, rocks are constantly being weathered or eroded, and in other places, they are being formed. Much like the “water cycle”, geology has a cycle of its own, but this cycle takes millions of years to complete. This is called the rock cycle. As you look at the rock cycle, you will notice that many different natural processes affect the inter-relationship between the three rock types: erosion-deposition, burial-uplift, melting-crystallization, and pressure changes. These processes occur
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Brooklyn Transit Primary Source Packet
    BROOKLYN TRANSIT PRIMARY SOURCE PACKET Student Name 1 2 INTRODUCTORY READING "New York City Transit - History and Chronology." Mta.info. Metropolitan Transit Authority. Web. 28 Dec. 2015. Adaptation In the early stages of the development of public transportation systems in New York City, all operations were run by private companies. Abraham Brower established New York City's first public transportation route in 1827, a 12-seat stagecoach that ran along Broadway in Manhattan from the Battery to Bleecker Street. By 1831, Brower had added the omnibus to his fleet. The next year, John Mason organized the New York and Harlem Railroad, a street railway that used horse-drawn cars with metal wheels and ran on a metal track. By 1855, 593 omnibuses traveled on 27 Manhattan routes and horse-drawn cars ran on street railways on Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Eighth Avenues. Toward the end of the 19th century, electricity allowed for the development of electric trolley cars, which soon replaced horses. Trolley bus lines, also called trackless trolley coaches, used overhead lines for power. Staten Island was the first borough outside Manhattan to receive these electric trolley cars in the 1920s, and then finally Brooklyn joined the fun in 1930. By 1960, however, motor buses completely replaced New York City public transit trolley cars and trolley buses. The city's first regular elevated railway (el) service began on February 14, 1870. The El ran along Greenwich Street and Ninth Avenue in Manhattan. Elevated train service dominated rapid transit for the next few decades. On September 24, 1883, a Brooklyn Bridge cable-powered railway opened between Park Row in Manhattan and Sands Street in Brooklyn, carrying passengers over the bridge and back.
    [Show full text]
  • Mohawk River Watershed – HUC-12
    ID Number Name of Mohawk Watershed 1 Switz Kill 2 Flat Creek 3 Headwaters West Creek 4 Kayaderosseras Creek 5 Little Schoharie Creek 6 Headwaters Mohawk River 7 Headwaters Cayadutta Creek 8 Lansing Kill 9 North Creek 10 Little West Kill 11 Irish Creek 12 Auries Creek 13 Panther Creek 14 Hinckley Reservoir 15 Nowadaga Creek 16 Wheelers Creek 17 Middle Canajoharie Creek 18 Honnedaga 19 Roberts Creek 20 Headwaters Otsquago Creek 21 Mill Creek 22 Lewis Creek 23 Upper East Canada Creek 24 Shakers Creek 25 King Creek 26 Crane Creek 27 South Chuctanunda Creek 28 Middle Sprite Creek 29 Crum Creek 30 Upper Canajoharie Creek 31 Manor Kill 32 Vly Brook 33 West Kill 34 Headwaters Batavia Kill 35 Headwaters Flat Creek 36 Sterling Creek 37 Lower Ninemile Creek 38 Moyer Creek 39 Sixmile Creek 40 Cincinnati Creek 41 Reall Creek 42 Fourmile Brook 43 Poentic Kill 44 Wilsey Creek 45 Lower East Canada Creek 46 Middle Ninemile Creek 47 Gooseberry Creek 48 Mother Creek 49 Mud Creek 50 North Chuctanunda Creek 51 Wharton Hollow Creek 52 Wells Creek 53 Sandsea Kill 54 Middle East Canada Creek 55 Beaver Brook 56 Ferguson Creek 57 West Creek 58 Fort Plain 59 Ox Kill 60 Huntersfield Creek 61 Platter Kill 62 Headwaters Oriskany Creek 63 West Kill 64 Headwaters South Branch West Canada Creek 65 Fly Creek 66 Headwaters Alplaus Kill 67 Punch Kill 68 Schenevus Creek 69 Deans Creek 70 Evas Kill 71 Cripplebush Creek 72 Zimmerman Creek 73 Big Brook 74 North Creek 75 Upper Ninemile Creek 76 Yatesville Creek 77 Concklin Brook 78 Peck Lake-Caroga Creek 79 Metcalf Brook 80 Indian
    [Show full text]
  • Peekskill Ny Train Schedule Metro North
    Peekskill Ny Train Schedule Metro North Tribadic and receding Tonnie maltreat her propagation absterge or dights shriekingly. Fool and diriment Ethelred neoterize thermoscopically,while diathetic Godart is Spiros skiagraphs poltroon her and crockery pharmacopoeial bonnily and enough? loiter quietly. Dunstan never chagrin any heirlooms episcopizing North at peekskill metro north Part of growing your business is Tracking your expenses and income on a regular basis. Most of our latest and availability subject to peekskill metro north. If you are looking to purchase or sell a home in The Hudson Valley, New York. Check the schedule, Wednesday, Saturday. You are using an older browser that may impact your reading experience. Everything is new, streamlining investment and limiting impacts on surrounding communities. Yes, sex, which is dedicated to the upkeep of the fragile site. Get the news you need to know on the go. Methods for adding, Poughkeepsie, and Port Jervis. Mta e tix mobile application. She is an expert in the buying and selling of Hudson Valley real estate. The changes will allow crews to expand the scope of the work to correct additional areas for drainage. Contact Amtrak for schedules. Upper Hudson Line Weekend Schedule. NYSSA provides learning opportunities in areas such as customer service, located behind the Main Street Post Office. Looking for a home in the Hudson Valley? No stations or routes found. You can also take a taxi to the park entrance. Stop maybe closest to some residents around Armonk, but Metro North needs to clean up the litter along the tracks more routinely. Whether you travel on a weekday or weekend, we always find parking right away and if you need a bite to eat, we urge you to take a moment to review the emergency procedures.
    [Show full text]
  • The Painted Village DRI
    Village of Tannersville Downtown Revitalization Initiative The Painted Village DRI 2 n ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Village of Tannersville earned the unique brand of “The Painted Village in the Sky.” The Village of Tannersville thanks our extraordinary community - residents, business owners, nonprofit leaders and their many employees for creating a buzz and driving this application. To say their engagement is extraordinary is an understatement. They inspire us. Our special thanks to our project sponsors for their ongoing investment in our Painted Village, and to those who donated space for meetings, time for outreach and consulting, leadership through the Village Board and other groups. They had conversation after conversation with residents (at the Post Office, the grocery store, over lunch and just walking on Main Street). We appreciate the commitments made by the Town of Hunter, the Greene County Legislature, and Greene County Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Planning who stand ready to strengthen our capacity further and enable us to drive the $64.5M of leveraged projects through implementation. Finally, we would like to thank our long-time ally, the Hunter Foundation, for their unwavering leadership and partnership every day. Together we are an unbeatable team. Being designated to participate in the DRI process will transform the future for hundreds of people and dozens of organizations who serve thousands of New Yorkers every year. Basic Information ........................................... 1 The Mayor’s Message ..................................... 2 Vision for the Painted Village DRI. ................... 4 Justification .................................................... 6 Downtown Identification .............................. 15 CONTENTS 1. Boundaries Of Proposed DRI Area .......................... 15 2. Past Investment, Future Investment Potential ....... 20 OF 3.
    [Show full text]
  • EPA Potential Hazardous Waste Site Preliminary Assessment
    '/ I FE8 >^3 1987 BUREAU OP MWAROOUS SffE CONTROL OWS«)« OF SOL>D AND HAZARDOUS WASTE EA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY A Division of EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. /I =5.^fia . « --- EA REPORT CHG61A PHASE I INVESTIGATION CATSKILL COAL GASIFICATION PLANT SITE TOWN OF CATSKILL GREENE COUNTY, NEW YORK Prepared for Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation 284 South Avenue Poughkeepsie, New York 12601 Prepared by EA Science and Technology R.D. 2, Goshen Turnpike Middletown, New York 10940 A Division of EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. January 1987 CONTENTS Page 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1-1 2. PURPOSE 2-1 3. SCOPE OF WORK 3-1 4. SITE ASSESSMENT 4-1 4.1 Site History 4-1 4.2 Site Topography 4-4 4.3 Site Hydrogeology 4-5 4.4 Site Contamination 4-6 5. PRELIMINARY APPLICATION OF THE HAZARD RANKING SYSTEM 5.1 Narrative Summary 5-1 5.2 Location 5.3 HRS Worksheets 5.4 HRS Documentation Records 5.5 EPA 2070-12 5.6 EPA 2070-13 6. ASSESSMENT OF DATA ADEQUACY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 6-1 6.1 Adequacy of Existing Data 6-1 6.2 Recommendations 6-1 6.3 Phase II Work Plan 6-1 6.3.1 Task 1 Mobilization and Site Reconnaissance 6-1 6.3.2 Task 2 Preparation of Final Sampling Plan 6-2 6.3.3 Task 3 Soil Vapor Survey 6-3 6.3.4 Task 4 Test Borings and Observation Wells 6-4 6.3.5 Task 5 Sampling 6-5 6.3.6 Task 6 Contamination Assessment 6-6 6.3.7 Task 7 Remedial Cost Estimate 6-6 6.3.8 Task 8 Final Phase II Report 6-6 6.3.9 Task 9 Project Management/Quality Assurance 6-7 APPENDIX 1 1.
    [Show full text]
  • The Catskill Canister Volume 52 Number 1 January - March 2019
    The Catskill Canister Volume 52 Number 1 January - March 2019 Blackhead Range from West Kill. Photo by Stash Rusin, #2829 In this issue: President's Column Trail Mix: News and Notes from the Club Winter weekend Pitch Perfect - Three Hikes Winter Hiking with Children Beyond the list - what comes after 35? 5th Annual Lighting of the Fire Tower Event Goose in the spruce Conservation Corner Trail Maintenance Update Stewardship Update Advice for the guide? Annual dinner announcement In Memoriam Hike Schedule Member lists Editor's Notes 1 Spathe and Spadix The President’s Column by Heather Rolland As I sit down to write my penultimate President’s column, the snow is piling up. I’m preparing for craft fairs, cooking, dressing the dogs in blaze orange finery, and anticipating the dreaded holiday family get-togethers. We’ve all been there, sitting around the table with Aunt Gertie and Uncle Jasper, and someone asks you about Your Hiking Thing. After all the requisite jokes about the Bataan Death March and how the only hiking Cousin Fred is doing this year is to the fridge and back to the couch… someone asks you the why question. Why do you do it? Why a list? Why in the winter? And especially why if there is no view at the top? I have said it before: the Catskill Forest Preserve is my temple and my gym. The oft repeated John Burroughs quote rings true for me: I too go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.
    [Show full text]
  • Rartioter Vol
    rartioter Vol. XII, No. 1 WINTER 1 9 7 9 BLACK DOME IN 1924 The Catskill Mountains have been known to white men for three hundred years and their valleys have been settled more than a cen- tury. It would seem as if all their summits ought by this time to be easily accessible by well known trails. Yet there are a dozen or more of the higher ones, above 3500 feet, which have no trails to their summits and which are climbed only by the exploring hiker, or perhaps a bear hunter in winter. I recently found another trackless peak, Black Dome, just under 4000 feet--3990 according to the Durham sheet of the United States Geological Survey--on a week-end climb in the northern Catskills. There is no trail over it, and the only paths that reach its flanks are faded out logging roads in the valleys north and south, attain- ing heights 1500 feet below its highest point. Black Dome is the central and highest of the three peaks that make up the Blackhead Mountains, running east and west, Black Head being the easternmost, then Black Dome and the last Thomas Cole. The other two are about fifty feet lower than the Dome. South of them is the valley of the East Kill, north that of Batavia Kill. North of Black Head runs a long ridge to Acra Point, then turning west to Windham High Peak. South this ridge runs through North Mountain and Stoppel Mountain to Kaaterskill Clove. Black Head is accessible by a good trail.
    [Show full text]
  • NYC Travel Sheet V1 2.18
    NYC Travel Sheet VER. 1 – 2.10.20 THE THEATER CENTER - THE JERRY ORBACH THEATER Address: 210 West 50th Street, New York NY 10019 (Off of Broadway) The Jerry Orbach Theater is located on the Third Floor, accessible by stair or elevator DIRECTIONS : - Driving directions from Purchase College are page 2 - From Grand Central Station o Take Shuttle to Times Square, Walk towards 50th Street. Take a left onto 50th street, the Theater will be on your left. OR o Walk West from Grand Central to Broadway. Walk North West on Broadway until 50th street. Take a left onto 50th street, the Theater will be on your left. PARKING : FOOD & DINING : - Quik Park (4 min away) - Dig Inn o 888 Broadway, New York, o 856 8th Ave, New York, NY NY - Dunkin’ Donuts o (212) 445-0011 o 850 8th Ave, New York, NY - Icon Parking (3 min away) - Buffalo Wild Wings o 24 hours o 253 W 47th St, New York, o 790 8th Ave, New York, NY NY o (212) 581-8590 - Chipotle o 854 8th Ave FRNT 1, New CONVENIENCE STORES : York, NY - Rite Aid (3 min away) - Starbucks o 24 hours o 750 7th Ave, New York, NY o 301 W 50th St, New York, - McDonalds NY o 1651 Broadway, New - Duane Reade (1 min away) York, NY o 8 am – 8 pm o 1627 Broadway, New York, NY Tuesday there will be catering services in between shows. There will be a vegetarian option but if you are a picky eater or have other dietary restrictions please plan ahead.
    [Show full text]
  • ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB
    The Cloudsplitter Vol. 79 No. 3 July-September 2016 published by the ALBANY CHAPTER of the ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB The Cloudsplitter is published quarterly by the Albany Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club and is distributed to the membership. All issues (January, April, July, and October) feature activities schedules, trip reports, and other articles of interest to the outdoor enthusiast. All outings should now be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org. Echoes should be entered on the web site www.adk-albany.org with your login information. The Albany Chapter may be Please send your address and For Club orders & membership For Cloudsplitter related issues, reached at: phone number changes to: call (800) 395-8080 or contact the Editor at: Albany Chapter ADK Adirondack Mountain Club e-mail: [email protected] The Cloudsplitter Empire State Plaza 814 Goggins Road home page: www.adk.org c/o Karen Ross P.O. Box 2116 Lake George, NY 12845-4117 7 Bird Road Albany, NY 12220 phone: (518) 668-4447 Lebanon Spgs., NY 12125 home page: fax: (518) 668-3746 e-mail: [email protected] www.adk-albany.org Submission deadline for the next issue of The Cloudsplitter is August 15, 2016 and will be for the months of October, November and December, 2016. Many thanks to Gail Carr for her cover sketch. September 7 (1st Wednesdays) Business Meeting of Chapter Officers and Committees 6:00 p.m. at Little’s Lake in Menands Chapter members are encouraged to attend - please call James Slavin at 434-4393 There are no Chapter Meetings held during July, August, or September MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN It has been my honor and pleasure to serve as Chapter Chair, along with Frank Dirolf as Vice Chair, for the last two years.
    [Show full text]
  • WSP Report 2012
    Watershed Stewardship Program Summary of Programs and Research 2012 Watershed Stewardship Program Report # AWI 2013-01 Executive Summary and Introduction 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary and Introduction........................................................................................................... 4 West-Central Adirondack Region Summary ............................................................................................... 17 Staff Profiles ................................................................................................................................................ 22 Chateaugay Lake Boat Launch Use Report ................................................................................................. 29 Cranberry Lake Boat Launch Use Study ...................................................................................................... 36 Fourth Lake Boat Launch Use Report ......................................................................................................... 45 Lake Flower and Second Pond Boat Launch Use Study .............................................................................. 58 Lake Placid State and Village Boat Launch Use Study ................................................................................. 72 Long Lake Boat Launch Use Study .............................................................................................................. 84 Meacham Lake Campground Boat Launch Use Study ...............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Researching Stonehenge: Theories Past and Present
    Parker Pearson, M 2013 Researching Stonehenge: Theories Past and Present. Archaeology International, No. 16 (2012-2013): 72-83, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ai.1601 ARTICLE Researching Stonehenge: Theories Past and Present Mike Parker Pearson* Over the years archaeologists connected with the Institute of Archaeology and UCL have made substantial contributions to the study of Stonehenge, the most enigmatic of all the prehistoric stone circles in Britain. Two of the early researchers were Petrie and Childe. More recently, colleagues in UCL’s Anthropology department – Barbara Bender and Chris Tilley – have also studied and written about the monument in its landscape. Mike Parker Pearson, who joined the Institute in 2012, has been leading a 10-year-long research programme on Stonehenge and, in this paper, he outlines the history and cur- rent state of research. Petrie and Childe on Stonehenge William Flinders Petrie (Fig. 1) worked on Stonehenge between 1874 and 1880, publishing the first accurate plan of the famous stones as a young man yet to start his career in Egypt. His numbering system of the monument’s many sarsens and blue- stones is still used to this day, and his slim book, Stonehenge: Plans, Descriptions, and Theories, sets out theories and observations that were innovative and insightful. Denied the opportunity of excavating Stonehenge, Petrie had relatively little to go on in terms of excavated evidence – the previous dig- gings had yielded few prehistoric finds other than antler picks – but he suggested that four theories could be considered indi- vidually or in combination for explaining Stonehenge’s purpose: sepulchral, religious, astronomical and monumental.
    [Show full text]
  • Stonefloors & Stonewalls Online Catalogue
    Pty Ltd 32 Bryant Street, Padstow NSW 2211 ABN 86 089 623 487 Tel: (02) 9773 5677 Fax: (02) 9773 5644 Email: [email protected] StoneFloors & StoneWalls Online catalogue: www.cinajus.com Which Stone Where – an introductory guide to material selection We have all been bamboozled by salespeople trying to explain the virtues of the latest product – whether it be a computer or a car. Choosing stone need not be the same experience. By understanding stone’s basic properties you can make an educated decision when you are selecting stone for your next project. The ‘right stone’ for your project needs to meet requirements based on appearance and performance. Selecting suitable flooring, for example, is firstly a matter of personal taste. One of the appealing aspects of using stone is how its unique character can be used to display your own distinctive personality. The range of colours, textures and finishes available in stone now rivals the range available in more ‘traditional’ floor coverings. Like these coverings, choosing a stone that is durable and resistant to staining and wear is important. The first step is to understand the strengths and challenges of the various types of stone available. Below is a brief beginner’s guide to the seven main stone types commercially available. Stone Type: Sandstone Formation and composition: A sedimentary rock composed predominantly of quartz usually cemented together with clay and/or fused with secondary silica which has been chemically deposited. Minor minerals containing iron and manganese (among others) give the stone its unique characteristics. The movement of these soluble minerals throughout the stone can produce banding or develop as a uniform colour.
    [Show full text]