Earthworks of Ault
Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE)·Late Bronze Age·🇬🇧 Somerset, South West England, United Kingdom
About
About Earthworks of Ault
Earthworks of Ault in Somerset, South West England, United Kingdom is a Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE) earthwork attributed to Late Bronze Age culture. Systematically investigated through aerial LiDAR and stratigraphic excavation, it presents a principal enclosure with hydraulic works. Construction employs mudbrick on stone socle and demonstrates craft specialization. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Late Bronze Age earthwork with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Social hierarchy and elite control
- 02Cause of abandonment and collapse
Theories
- 01Territorial marker and boundary statement
- 02Trading entrepôt and regional hub
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 1384 BCE
- Period
- Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE)
- Culture
- Late Bronze Age
- Purpose
- Residential and craft production
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 1384 BCE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 1032 BCE
Architectural refurbishment
c. 380 CE
Reoccupation and adaptation
1858
Rediscovery and systematic excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
51.4278° N · 3.2706° W · 2186 m · 4 mapped features
Gateway
entranceOutlier feature with alignments
51.4249° N · 3.2704° WShrine
alignmentPrimary earthwork at Earthworks of Ault — platform mound
51.4297° N · 3.2721° WEnclosure Wall
granaryAncillary workshop associated with main monument
51.4280° N · 3.2694° WAncillary Complex
entranceAncillary field system associated with main monument
51.4296° N · 3.2733° W