[Sca-cooks] Circles

[Stefan li Rous]

Bear commented:
> Since hunter/gatherers don't remained fixed enough to build great
> monuments, I think that we can safely assume the initial builders were 
> an agrarian
> culture.  The primary crops would probably be oats, barley and einkorn.
>   The Beaker People were pastoralists, adding at least sheep to the 
> agrarian
> mix, if they weren't already there.

I'm not sure I would agree with this. Hunter/gatherers don't remain 
fixed, but they don't travel randomly. Like pastoral people, they tend 
to migrate in regular patterns. Following the migrating animals and the 
ripening plants. So I think they could well come back to an area 
repeatedly, working on something in that area while they were there and 
then leaving it to return later. But if the circles are meant to 
measure the time through the year or be used for religious ceremonies 
through the year, then no, they probably wouldn't build them because 
they wouldn't fit their lifestyle and needs. The real test would 
probably be looking at any hunter/gatherer or pastoral cultures that 
still exist. Do they build permanent structures of any kind?

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****