Charlie (skeleton)
Encyclopedia
Charlie is a Neolithic
skeleton of a three-year-old child found near the ancient stone circle
of Avebury
. Charlie was excavated from Windmill Hill, Avebury in the 1920s and is currently on display at the Alexander Keiller Museum.
There is a certain amount of controversy surrounding this issue. The Council of British Druid
Orders (CoBDO) have demanded that the skeleton be reburied where it was found, or as near as is practically possible, claiming that putting a skeleton in a museum as an attraction is disrespectful. The archaeological community fear that reburying "Charlie" will lead to a dangerous precedent being set. Historians have also argued that "Charlie's" skeleton should be kept in a museum so it is available for research.
English Heritage
and The National Trust
have held a public consultation on the future of "Charlie". in April 2010 the decision was made to keep the skeleton on public view.
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
skeleton of a three-year-old child found near the ancient stone circle
Stone circle
A stone circle is a monument of standing stones arranged in a circle. Such monuments have been constructed across the world throughout history for many different reasons....
of Avebury
Avebury
Avebury is a Neolithic henge monument containing three stone circles which is located around the village of Avebury in Wiltshire, south west England. Unique amongst megalithic monuments, Avebury contains the largest stone circle in Europe, and is one of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain...
. Charlie was excavated from Windmill Hill, Avebury in the 1920s and is currently on display at the Alexander Keiller Museum.
There is a certain amount of controversy surrounding this issue. The Council of British Druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
Orders (CoBDO) have demanded that the skeleton be reburied where it was found, or as near as is practically possible, claiming that putting a skeleton in a museum as an attraction is disrespectful. The archaeological community fear that reburying "Charlie" will lead to a dangerous precedent being set. Historians have also argued that "Charlie's" skeleton should be kept in a museum so it is available for research.
English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and The National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
have held a public consultation on the future of "Charlie". in April 2010 the decision was made to keep the skeleton on public view.
External links
- BBC News report
- thisisbristol.co.uk Local News report