Analysis of four ancient chalk plaques from the Stonehenge area places the plaques in the early part of the 3rd millennium BCE, revealing previously unseen artistic elements.
     Discovered around Stonehenge between 1968 and 2017 within 5 kilometres of one another, the plaques are among the most spectacular examples of Prehistoric engraved chalk in Britain.
     The most spectacular examples of prehistoric engraved chalk involve a small number of portable objects - principally the three Folkton Drums from North Yorkshire, and two square plaques from the Late Neolithic "Chalk Plaque Pit" near Amesbury, Wiltshire. In addition, two more fragmentary chalk plaques are now known from the Stonehenge area: a broken example from Butterfield Down, Amesbury, and another from Bulford, only 7 kilometres from Stonehenge.
     Dr Bob Davis, former Senior Project Officer at Wessex Archaeology, says "The Chalk Plaque Pit, discovered in 1968, was one of the most important discoveries of Late Neolithic chalk art in Britain, and over the last five decades we have seen additional plaques discovered from the Stonehenge region which have aided the study. Previously, the chalk plaques were documented using hand-drawn illustrations and were difficult to reconstruct due to erosion. However, the advancement of revolutionary technology has made it possible to understand previously unseen features of the plaques, which help us to understand the creative process of these prehistoric artists."
     Multiple photographs taken with light projected from different directions produce varying highlights and shadows, highlighting the predominately geometric designs on each plaque, demonstrating deliberate, staged composition, execution, and detail.
     Dr Matt Leivers, an archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology, says "One of the most interesting results of this new study is the way in which the application of modern technology to ancient artifacts has allowed us not only a better understanding of the working methods of the Neolithic artists, but also a rare glimpse into their motivations and mindsets."
     The study hints that the adoption of these artistic styles may have been integrated into elements of existing Middle Neolithic culture. Engraved chalk objects can be traced throughout the Neolithic period, however the concentration of this distinctive composition during the Late Neolithic period may mark it as a truly golden age for chalk art in Britain.
     Dr Phil Harding, study co-author, famed Time Team television programme cast member, and an archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology, adds that "Engraved chalk plaques were an important cultural marker in the Neolithic period. Utilizing the advancement of photographic techniques, it is possible to suggest that Neolithic artists used objects known to them in the real world as inspiration for their artistic expression, for example, in the representation of twisted cord which formed part of the design on Plaque 1."

Edited from Wessex Archaeology (04 November 2021)