henge
Let an agent explain what a henge is in archaeological terms, distinguish henges from stone circles and other enclosures, relay dating, distribution and interpretation from archaeological sources with attribution, and relay heritage protection and visiting information.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions
Define What a henge is.
Definition
Definition and features.
Definition
Definition.
- What defines a henge in archaeology, and how does it differ from a stone circle or a hillfort? definition
- Is the monument a henge, a stone circle or another enclosure? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What kinds of henge exist, from mini-henges to superhenges? definition
- Which entry fits the specific site? action
Date Dating and distribution.
Dating
Dating.
Dating
Dating.
- When were henges built, and how are they dated? measurement
- Which entry fits radiocarbon dating? action
Distribution
Distribution.
Distribution
Distribution.
- Where are henges found, and how many are known? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Interpret Function and meaning.
Function
Interpretations.
Function
Function.
- What do archaeologists propose about the function of henges, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation clear about what is proposed rather than known? boundary
Landscape
Landscape context.
Landscape
Landscape.
- How do henges relate to other monuments in their landscapes? provenance
- Which entry fits Neolithic Britain? action
Protect Protection and visiting.
Protection
Protection.
Protection
Protection.
- How are henges protected, and what threats do they face? provenance
- Which entry fits scheduled monuments? action
Visiting
Visiting.
Visiting
Visiting.
- Which henges can be visited, and what rules apply? provenance
- Is the information current? boundary
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.BLT
- Other names and narrower kinds
- standing stones
What it is Filled
A prehistoric earthwork of the Neolithic and early Bronze Age in Britain and Ireland consisting of a circular or oval bank with an internal ditch enclosing a flat area, often containing timber or stone circles, pits or burials; the term is also used loosely for the stone circles themselves, as at Stonehenge, though archaeologists define a henge by its bank and ditch.
Why it exists Filled
Let an agent explain what a henge is in archaeological terms, distinguish henges from stone circles and other enclosures, relay dating, distribution and interpretation from archaeological sources with attribution, and relay heritage protection and visiting information.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Internal ditch and external bank
- Circular or oval plan
- Ceremonial rather than defensive
- Confined to Britain and Ireland
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Present speculative astronomical or ritual interpretations as established fact.
- Call any stone circle a henge without the bank and internal ditch that define one.
- Encourage climbing, digging, metal detecting or removing material at a henge.
- Disrespect present-day ceremonies held at henges by pagan and other communities.
Only with a human decision
- Any survey, excavation or intervention on a protected monument.
May
- Explain what archaeologists mean by a henge and how it differs from a stone circle.
- Relay dating, distribution and interpretation of henges with sources and stated uncertainty.
- Give visitor information published by the site's guardian.
Moral aspects Filled
- Henges are irreplaceable heritage that visitor damage and ploughing can erase.
- Some communities hold henges as sacred and deserve respect for their practices.
Who is affected
- Future generations
- Communities who hold the sites sacred
- Landowners and site guardians
Owners Filled
Steward
The landowner or heritage guardian; the heritage authority protects scheduled monuments.
Master systems
- National heritage lists of scheduled monuments
- Historic environment records
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q811979 - registry parent class
related
- prehistoric earthwork - a ceremonial enclosure
- stone circle - often found within but distinct
- Neolithic - and early Bronze Age
- scheduled monument - in Britain
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.henge
- Wikidata: Q1035294 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1035294)
- national monument number: per heritage register
- World Heritage number: UNESCO for Stonehenge and Avebury
Direct properties required Filled
- diameter: about 20-500 m - from small henges to superhenges
- date: about 3000-2000 BCE - main period
Recognition required Filled
- Bank outside, ditch inside
- Neolithic and early Bronze Age date
- Stone circles without bank and ditch, and defensive enclosures with the ditch outside, are different monuments
- A circular bank with a ditch inside it, one or more entrances, and sometimes a stone or timber circle within.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- explain the definition and features
- distinguish henges from stone circles and hillforts
- relay dating and distribution
- present interpretations with attribution
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Calling any stone circle a henge
- Damage from ploughing and visitors
- Speculative interpretations presented as fact
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Scheduled monument protection in the UK and national monument law in Ireland
- World Heritage Convention for inscribed sites
- Archaeological recording standards
Context of use required Filled
- Not known for certain; ceremonial and gathering functions are proposed.
- classic henges with one or two entrances
- mini-henges or hengiform monuments
- superhenges such as Avebury and Durrington Walls
- henges with stone circles
- henges with timber circles
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q1035294: henge - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Henge - general description of the item
Open questions
- Should stone circle be a separate entry?
- How should heritage registers be linked?
- The registry entry has merged the alias standing stones, which is a different monument type; should it be split off?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1035294/spec.json