ORDINARY MEETING OF FELLOWS LECTURE

A date with the two Cerne Giants: results of the National Trust’s excavation in 2020

by Dr Michael J Allen FSA 

The date of the Cerne Giant has long been a matter for debate, as exemplified by a public and televised debate of March 1996, published as The Cerne Giant; an antiquity on trial (1999, Oxbow). Excavations were conducted in 2020 by the National Trust in the centenary year of its ownership of the Giant. The excavations were limited and targeted in extent and scope, the aim was to date the actual construction of the iconic figure by absolute dating methods (OSL). As the 1999 publication explained, the jury was still out – with advocates for a prehistoric origin, one connected to the period of the Civil War or a more modern one. In the event, the dates were a complete surprise, falling within the Anglo-Saxon period.

The research has provided an accurate, scientifically verified date for the Cerne Giant. These unexpected results, together with the land-use history and ominous ‘disappearance’ of the Giant for six centuries, provide the platform for reconsideration and new discussion and debate … including some stunning discoveries.

Mike Allen FSA is a geoarchaeologist and environmental archaeologist principally known for his work on the prehistoric land-use histories of chalkland landscapes such as Stonehenge, Avebury, Dorchester, Cranborne Chase and the South Downs – for which his interpretations have rewritten a long held textbook comprehensions. As freelance consultant (running Allen Environmental Archaeology) he has worked all over the country and abroad (eg, Malta, France and Cape Verde). He has lectured widely and for departments at Oxford University Continuing Education, Sussex and Bristol Universities, and Bournemouth where his is a research fellow. 

He was invited to help design the National Trust’s research excavation and programme for the Cerne Giant in 2019, and undertook the environmental sampling of the excavations and led the scientific team (2020), and following completion of the excavation he spearheaded the post-excavation programme and publication (2023-4) on behalf of Martin Papworth, former National Trust archaeologist.  

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This event will be both in person at Burlington House and online. Please select the appropriate ticket below.

Attendance at Burlington House:

• Open to anyone to join, Fellows, Affiliates and General Public.
• Places in person will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The event will begin at 17.00 BST. Please arrive in plenty of time.
• Tea/Coffee is served from 16.30 BST.
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The schedule for the evening if attending in person:

• Refreshments are served from 16.30 BST in the council room.
• The meeting begins at 17.00 BST with the lecture starting at approximately 17.10 BST.
• Lectures run for approximately 45min and are followed by a short Q&A.
• Sherry is served in the Foyer following the lecture.

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