Sacred Spaces, ctd.

In October 2004 I went to Bath, England and took a tour to Stonehenge and Avebury Circle. The mysticism and legends belong to Stonehenge, but I found Avebury to be much more interesting and much more human, largely because it encircles a living village, a place where humans live and sheep graze. Immediate close up access to Stonehenge is roped off by the society for the preservation of this and that.

What made Avebury interesting to me was that it was so much more accessible, one could not only see, but touch the stones, even though a number had been removed and replaced with markers, nonetheless the spaces had been preserved. Additionally, the tour bus came from the south, along West Kennet Avenue which runs one and a half miles to Overton Hills, originally consisting of 100 pairs of stones. The road to Avebury runs through part of this avenue, giving the feel of a grand exalted entrance. At Stonehenge, the visitors' cars and tour buses park at the entrance across the road and entry is gained via a tunnel under the busy highway, for a less hallowed feel at the onset. Additionally, at Stonehenge there was the constant assault of highway noise, where Avebury gives off the aura of quiet little English village.

Stonehenge, Nancy Charak photograph, October 2004

Stonehenge, Nancy Charak photograph, October 2004

Avebury, Nancy Charak photograph, October 2004

Avebury, Nancy Charak photograph, October 2004

Avebury Avenue, Nancy Charak photograph, October 2004