Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology

2014 Edition
| Editors: Claire Smith

Silbury Hill: Environmental Archaeology

Reference work entry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0465-2_864
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Introduction

Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, UK (NGR SU 100 685), is the largest prehistoric mound in Western Europe. Its lies at approximately 158 m OD close to the source of the river Kennet, on the western side of the valley bottom within a natural amphitheater formed by the surrounding chalk hills. It is one of a complex of early prehistoric monuments that comprise the UNESCO Avebury and Stonehenge World Heritage Site with Avebury Henge lying 1 km further up the valley to the north (Fig. 1), the West Kennet palisade enclosures 1 km to the east, and the West Kennet chambered long barrow occupying the first chalk ridge to the south east. Silbury Hill is a designated Scheduled Monument (National Heritage List for England 1008445; Scheduled Monument 21707; formerly County Number WI 2SAM 220743) and also a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on account of the rare chalk grassland vegetation that grows on its slopes. The site is under the guardianship of the Secretary of State for the...
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References

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.English Heritage, Fort CumberlandEastneyUK