The Cerne Abbas Giant - Enigma of Britain's Biggest Phallus
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- Опубликовано: 23 апр 2023
- The Cerne-Abbas Giant, today managed by the National Trust, has puzzled historians since its sudden appearance in the written record in 1694. When was it created? What was its purpose? As recent as 2021 we have begun to shed more light on some of the questions. Watch until the end, if you want to know how to (archeologically!) date a giant phallus...
For chalk figures, also have a look at Tom Scott's video about the Uffington White Horse:
• I hit 3,000-year-old a...
Also, have a look at the National Trust's excellent short docu about the dating effort:
• Archaeologists reveal ...
An excellent presentation Matthias, thank you. I am a Dorset native and have known the Giant for most of my life - he is held in great affection locally and referred to as "our" Giant and regarded as benevolent. During the severe drought of 1976 we were living in Stalbridge about 10 miles from Cerne Abbas. My mother was concerned about our mains water and phoned the Local Water Board - "Don't worry madam" said the official answering, "there's always plenty of water under the Giant!"
Thanks for that nice comment! I remember that scorching summer of 1976 very well. I spent a few weeks back in my beloved Thames-valley, south Buckinghamshire, after having been 'exiled' the year before. Great memories!
Showing the fertility of the land, fresh clean water in times after the plague, encouraging people to create families in places of abundance ✨
I had a holiday very near both the horse and the giant so it was great to hear about both of them, thank you. We walked to see both of them.
Glad you liked the videos! It is a wonderful part of the world and I miss it since I moved away.
My goodness I have only just found your channel… what a find!
Excellent commentary, professionally presented images and a good pace.
Many thanks, I am looking forward to working through your channel in the coming weeks. ❤🏆
Many thanks, and great encouragement for future work!
Looks like a beautiful area - the lovely little village, the rolling hills, everything!
Thank you!
Yes, it's gorgeous, especially if you get a bit of sunshine!
Man I hope your channel grows. You deserve it! You make quality content for sure! Keep it up!
I'll do my best - thanks!!
The interesting thing about the White Horse is that, if it were made today it would be regarded as a fine example of modern art. It's stylized figure is very much in the vein of what we now call modern art in fact. And it reminds me that there are some drawings from the French caves that are stunningly similar to those of current artists.
Thanks for that!
Yes, it is interesting that the giant looks much cruder, making you think it's the older of the two, whereas the horse is at least 1500 years older. Is elegance timeless? Or (my favourite theory) was there much more cultural exchange and trade even in the bronze age than what we give those people credit for?
@@MattMesserPics I really do think that there may well have been a great deal more interaction between cultures than we might think. I do wonder if there were intrepid "commerce explorers" who were always on the hunt for new markets for their own tradesmen, as well as new sources of new items they could take back home and sell.
@@denniseldridge2936 I think that's exactly how it was. We have found artefacts of Mediterranean origin in stone-age dwellings in England and think about the uncanny similarity between the Scottish brochs and the Sardinian Nuraghes, both from the same period, to name but two examples.
Excellent video. Thanks for taking us along. Especially liked the bit with you sitting on that huge old tree roots, which suggests to me, what a wild place England once was.
Thanks! That tree was a lucky find - I haven't got the time and funds to do any meaningful scouting before I hit an area for filming. And I'm a bit ashamed about that Boris-crack - but I just couldn't resist. My own daughter told me off for introducing a 'political' note.
The Romans called him "Biggus Dikkus with the tiny head."
SCIENCE, HISTORY, ART, BEAUTY, MYSTERY IN ONE VLOG! BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Ohh, what a nice comment to start the weekend with, thanks!!
Brilliant video!
Thank you!
I think the biggest Bellends are resided in Westminster!
How true - I overlooked the obvious - again! 🤣
Just found you and I am enjoying your videos, thank you.
Thank you!
Lovely video, Matthias! Very informative and beautifully presented.
Thanks for that!
I remember every time my family would go on holiday we would stop to see him, my mum would wind down her window, look and with a smile on her face say, 'he's very impressive, ‘that’s one of the biggest clubs I’ve ever seen’ or ‘I bet he enjoyed beating’. Me and my brothers would be in the backseat looking at each other saying ‘What the hell is mum talking about he’s just a badly drawn stickman’.😂
Great story, thanks! That must have been from Acreman Street, new the A352. What struck me is that the view, although the best you can get from ground level, is actually not that good. If she is still around, show her the drone footage - you probably have told her about those childhood thoughts!
Thank you for the first explanation of luminescence dating expressed clearly (and simply) enough for me to understand. The rest was fascinating and up to your usual, highly professional standard. As an aside, I read somewhere that much of the library contents of many ‘dissolved’ abbeys was used as wrapping paper and firelighters. In view of the extremist attitudes of some elements this may be true.
Thanks Mike - very happy that it was so clear! Given how valuable books still were in the mid 16th century, I can only hope that there is not too much truth in what you read about the fate of the books. But then who knows, most people were illiterate back in those days...
New subscriber. Lovely explorations of our beautiful, mysterious West Country. Please read Alfred Watkins, he dowsed the giant. He said he dowsed the outline of the skin over the arm, and a head under the hand. He definitely thought it was Hercules.
Thanks for that! I found Alfred Watkins and started reading online. Difficult to get hold of a hard copy these days, it would appear.
Excellent videos Matt. By the way your ability to maintain a serious posture at the 04:53 humor was truly a masterpiece...🤣. Greetings -from Malaysia
I am honoured and humbled to receive praise from as far as Malaysia, thanks! Don't tell anybody, but it took me several takes to get the 'Naughtius Maximus' line right ;-)
7:46 In the US, pagan is pronounced PAY gun; with a hard g sound. Nice documentary. Soothing voice. Quality work.😊❤
Thanks very much! And, yes, it is pronounced the same way in the UK. Gotcha for the non-native speaker. It happens rarely these days, but it does happen. ;-)
I’m so happy I discovered your channel! It is fascinating. Thank you.
Thanks for enjoying it!
This is quality, youve got a lovely voice, your narration is witty and engaging, the editing and camerawork do justice to that gorgeous part of our country, im a fan. on a side note, that is an incredible penis.
Thanks for that! And yes, it does seem that my own love for the country shows in those videos.
I really enjoyed your presentation, thank you so much. 🙏
And thanks very much for enjoying and telling me!
I live in the valley and the twisty lane is my favourite cycle route.
There are often people taking photos of the giant from all around the world 😊
And it isn't actually so quick to get there - just shows what a lovely place it is!
Only found your channel today! I am loving your videos, thank you!
Thanks for letting me know, always much appreciated. I hope that means I now have another subscriber - I'm still at the point where I can send everybody a personal welcome note..😅
Superb video, very informative and well presented as always. The giant is fairly local to me and as seen in some of the drone shots, there are a few settlements still extant on the hilltop & the surrounding countryside is awash with 'Celtic' field systems.
Your description of the dating process was extremely well done, thank you.
Seriously happy and humbled by that praise, thank you!
The square structure on the hilltop is believed to be Iron-Age but, as far as could find out, not much investigated to date. It is too small for a fort, too strange for a residential building and, I guess, a bit of a mystery in itself. Or have I missed something?
Thanks again!
@@MattMesserPics You're very welcome, just praise where it's due.
The general consensus is that most small enclosures were exactly that, stock enclosures, with some containing evidence of abodes as in the one further North of the earthwork shown.
But like anything that ancient, and as you alluded to, conjecture is the best we can manage so far.
Lovely video. Most likely a rude gesture from the locals against the incomers. Food for thought.
in AD 700 or so, the incomers would have been around for more than 200 years - but, yes, could be...
Great Video as always
Thanks, mate!
Excellent video, thank you very much.
Thanks for that nice comment!
A late uncle of my ex had a large house full of ancient documents and books in Ohio, USA. Most were made by monks, but there were also hand-made pieces and books by authors who are famous. He had to build a library addition to the house, and there were more in the attic. Astoundingly, his job was working a back-hoe in a gravel pit! It wouldn't surprise me if the missing documents were there.
Wow!
They may well be! Mind you, there are dozens of libraries like this from the time when collecting old books was a niche-hobby - my own modest collection is proof of how you could pick them up for a steal in the 1990s. Interestingly, when I hunt around for something specific today, it's mostly offered from book-sellers in the USA. Is there any chance someone can have a look at the ex-uncle's library?
@@MattMesserPics Ex-uncle has unfortunately passed away, and the house with the library has been sold. During my years visiting him, he had received large offers from major American Universities (Harvard, Yale, etc.,) but he had a disdain for them. My ex and I are not on speaking terms, so I won't be asking. Ex-uncle was reclusive, but would attend the American book shows. I'd love to know what happened to all the magnificent material, but alas! Thank you very much for the high quality video! (I distain BoJo, too! ;-)
@@rridderbusch518 Ah, what a shame. But thanks very much again for the praise!
I actually do dislike the way BoJo was prepared to put the country in the toilet for the sake of his own career. He stands for a total loss of morale, largely in, but not limited to, his own party. I'll stop my rant here.
But in a weird way, I think he's probably a fun guy to have a beer with in a pub...
@@MattMesserPics BoJo's the poster-boy for narcissists. I'd not enjoy a beer with him (unless I could spit in his mug first!) Just kidding. Or not! ;-)
ancient aliens should cover this it would be comedy gold
Quite right! Most of the puns you could think of would get you banned from RUclips!
Great videos really enjoying the footage you’ve captured. I seem to remember some years ago they did ground penetrating radar and LiDAR scans of the giant and found it originally had something draped over his arm. This was thought to be an animal skin or some kind of standard or flag and very similar to Roman images of deities such as Mars goddess of War. This was changed after the giant was re cut years later after becoming overgrown.
Thanks for enjoying and saying so! You are quite right: It is commonly believed that he had something draped over his left arm. I'd have to read up what the evidence was - I forgot. But that was one reason for the Hercules interpretation. I've written it a few times here - A more thorough investigation of which bits are how old and what was there that is now overgrown wouldn't be too difficult and would yield fantastic insights. All this can be done without really disturbing the figure, but that does cost a lot of money, which would have to be found. Certainly, the National Trust has other fish to fry with what funds they have.
Yes Alfred Watkins thought it was Hercules, with the Lion's skin over his arm. He said he also dowsed the shape of a head under the outstretched hand. Hercules was a Greek hero from circa 1300 BC, and popular with the Roman emperors. Makes you wonder if a Roman Legion carved it?
Random Chalk Giant strikes again, I encountered the big chap purely by accident about 20 years ago, went for a short holiday to Weymouth and got the directions muddled at some point and there he was, as for the why, well as any Sandman fan will get you he's there to open the door to Fae, nice vid thanks
And thanks to you for that nice comment! I stumbled on him in a second hand book and then found that, having lived in the region, I should have known about him anyway.
Fascinating
Indeed! Thanks!
Seems to. be a distinct similarity between the Cerne giant and "Maree Man" in Australia - holding a weapon, visible genitals, similar pose and rib-cage details also in evidence. Are there others ??
Excellent!
Thank you!
Just like with the horse, there is a fort like structure with ditches higher on the hill. Maybe it has something to do with the wildman.
I have read somewhere that it is the remains of an iron-age enclosure, possibly for keeping animals.
There is elsewhere a hillside phallus later turned into a cross, yes?
The Church and things ribald makes me think of ‘Carmina Burana’, “I am the abbot of Cockaigne”. Big Rock-Candy Mountain for us yanks.
Is that a hill fort just above his right shoulder? Very interesting video. Thank you.
It is thought to be an enclosure, possibly used for farming. As I recall, it is Iron Age and there are traces of a small building in the middle.
There is a faint impression above the head of a structure or something overgrown with grass.
I have read somewhere that it is the remains of an iron-age enclosure, possibly for keeping animals
@@MattMesserPics thx
I heard from various sources that some of the white horse hill chalk figures actually started as dragon chalk figures- we will never know i suppose.
You are right, we will never know. But absolute knowledge is rare in archeology. Reasonably probable is as good as it get's, usually.
@@MattMesserPics have you read that the giant originally also carried something in his other hand?
@@tommyxbones5126 Hi Tommy, yes I have, he is believed to have carried a cloth draped over his left arm. A more systematic and thorough probing with OSL dating would provide a lot more insight but that's very expensive and the National Trust have many other sites to look after, too. Difficult...
@@tommyxbones5126Alfred Watkins dowsed it and thought the figure was Hercules, with the lion's pelt over his arm and even a head under the hand I believe.
Excellent video. A date around 600 to 700 AD is much more understandable than 900 to 1100. It really is a mystery. I always wonder about the border - he’s in something, or framed. I don’t know if that was ever chalked.
Thanks for that nice comment!
As I understand, the "coffin" shaped border is just the location of the old National Trust fence before the area was expanded to what we have today.
@@MattMesserPics ah! How mundane - and there was me thinking I’d discovered something!
The phallus was smaller, with the navel above. At some time the two were amalgamated to give the larger phallus seen now
You are absolutely right. I had read this, but didn't mention it in the video fearing I'd loose people's attention if there is too much information. Dito for all discussions about a cloth that might once have been draped over his left arm. Thanks for the comment!
In the 1990’s I flew in the cockpit of an RAF Special Forces support Hercules on a training mission and was amused to find that the crew used the Giant as a Navigation aid and as per usual for the military and their unique sense of humour they called it ‘Biggus Dickus’ 😂😂
That is excellent! I love all this kind of additional information you folks are providing here - stuff you can read in no book! Thanks for that!
Sorry that title goes to Kier Starmer not the Cerne Abbas Giant
Good point, I thought. But then I looked around Whitehall, found the place teeming with them and got all confused - so better stick with the Cerne Giant 😎
Is there any information on the earthworks above the giant’s head? That looks like a rhomboid medieval manor imho.
Another great video 👍🏻.
Thanks for the nice comment! There is very little information, but from what I read, it's iron-age, not medieval and probably some encloseure for animals. It is a (not very large) wall and ditch encloseure with the remains of a building in the middle.
@@MattMesserPics did wonder Iron Age but in error poopoo’d this idea due to its position. Didn’t think of it being an enclosure though.
We have a number of similar sites like this where I am (Cheshire) so that biased my opinion. Thanks 🙏🏻.
I was under the impression that it was a Roman temple building, they are usually square. A better preserved one is at Maiden Castle.
@@stephendickinson7071 Oh, it's the first time I've heard of that interpretation. I'll do some more reading...
Thanks.. It might interest you to know that in the western US, ( I don't know if it is common in other parts of the US) many towns and cities would whitewash a large Letter representing their community... like a R for Reno...on a nearby mountain. All I've seen could be viewed from the town . Obviously a letter is less " controversial " than a religious symbol. Could the original citizens had just wanted a Giant to represent them ? They may not have been so worried about nudity. Thanks for the look . I know of the Giant but I always find it interesting.
Interesting...I've read that some old British traditions have survived in the US that have been forgotten here. It's the same with many ways in which the American spelling and pronunciation are also the older, more traditional British. Changes were mostly made by the Victorians.
Is the Cerne project here?
What is the Cerne project?
Oh - do you mean the CERN research facility?
@@MattMesserPics yes
@@debrapaulino918 Ah - no. The CERN research facility is in Geneva, Switzerland close to the French border. It is an amazing place. I actually worked there for 6 years. Happy memories!
It's "Biggus Dickus" I'm sure!
It is, but I wanted to let people find out 😁
Sir Terry sent me (may he Rest In Peace.)
I'm afraid I need footnotes on that one...puzzled...
In 2020 soil samples taken from beneath the giant revealed the remains of tiny snails that were accidentally introduced into England only in the 13th - 14th centuries.
The OSL technique gives a date range of 700 - 1100 AD.
The scientist who carried out the snail survey says that the dates are compatible.
So, if we take the two results together, we seem to have a date for the creation of the giant of around 1100 - 1200.
Whoever it is the giant is supposed to represent would the established religious community at Cerne Abbas have allowed such a blatantly sexual image to be created?
Which begs the question. Was the Giant given his 'appendage' at a later less reverential age - say the late 17th century?
I always thought that the snail-evidence and the OSL dates are just about not compatible. I guess it shows that both ways of dating come with huge systematic errors. Bear in mind that the range of 700-1100 AD is the oldest measured range, albeit the one with the smallest error bar. Other areas have yielded more recent dates. So, you may be right, or we are perhaps victim of our desire to get more precise (and ideally old) date ranges. There is so much more work one could do. The question whether the naughty bits are a later addition can be systematically addressed, but wasn't so far. An answer to that could take a lot of speculation out of this 'coexistence' issue with the monastery. Anyway, thanks for that comment and interest! I am glad to see that there are others equally deeply fascinated with understanding the giant!
@@MattMesserPics
Actually, a bit of a search informs me that a 2020 LIDAR scan revealed that the giant's naughty bits were added at a later date.
Perhaps tying in with a 17th century recut following a long period of neglect - post the 1617 land survey (and earlier Tuder ones) which make no reference to the giant but pre the 1694 churchwardens account showing costs for repairs.
Also, there is evidence of there once being a cloak or animal skin draped over the left arm which perhaps also ties in with the Oliver Cromwell characture theory - 'England's Hercules'.
There being no rude bits to upset the monks would explain its survival in the earlier period.
Also, is it likely that a huge pagan image would have been cut into a hillside in 10th century Wessex which had been Christian for some 300 years?
So, if it was created at this time did the giant represent something more acceptable to the Church authorities?
Questions, questions.
Nobody is talking about the phallus. I'm disappointed in humanity.
I have been wondering myself - glad someone points it out.!Obviously, a lot of speculation has been going on: was it a later, perhaps parliamentarian time, prank? Is it part of the original pagan idea? Interestingly, the OSL dating team carefully avoided taking samples from that area - as if the victorians are still watching us...
Britain’s Biggest in the South of England? You need to visit Yorkshire!
👍😂
I love the horse. Not sure about the big tonker
"Forgive me, it is a second language!", says he, trying to sound like Christoph Waltz - you caught me out with "tonker" ;-), although, of course, I can make a shrewd guess.
My favourite is also the horse, but it has been post-mortally flogged a lot amongst us videographers.
@@MattMesserPics well, it is big.
@@susanfarley1332 The horse? Haha, I know what you mean, but I am totally innocent here - it was made a thousand years ago.
@@MattMesserPics the horse is quite lovely. It looks like instead of making it look like a horse they tried to capture what it's speed looks like when it runs. I would love to have a piece of jewelry with it on the pendant. Not so much of the man with the tonker.
Amazing that people have been keeping the chalk lines clear for so many years. I think they were proud of the designs.
@@susanfarley1332 It is the elegance and abstractness of the horse that has been fascinating people as much as its age. Mind you, before we learnt about OSL dating, people thought it was from saxon times. It has even been suggested that it is a wild cat, not a horse - who knows...Interestingly, it has been inspiring some jewelry: i.etsystatic.com/6448153/r/il/2012f4/844086246/il_1588xN.844086246_go0x.jpg
The period 700 thru 900 was Anglo Saxon in nature and, although nominally Christian, there may still have been competing iconography. For example, many graves of the period still point north-south instead of the official east-west indicating the ‘new’ religion was still regarded with suspicion hundreds of years after attaining official status. Why didn’t the monks at Cerne Abbey write about the giant? I suspect they were embarrassed about it.
Good point! A lot of pagan icons were even incorporated into the new religion to make the transition easier. And a good thing, too - Wouldn't we all miss our Christmas tree?
But about the Cerne monks: For all we know, they might have written about the giant. The abbey's library was lost with the dissolution. And the intriguing thought is that some of their manuscripts have probably ended in other collections where their thoughts on the giant - just possibly - still wait to be re-discovered.
According to Tacitus the Germans worshipped Donar who was equated with the Roman Hercules during the time of Empire. Donar is Anglo-Saxon Thunor but would this Roman era imagery of Hercules still be valid for Anglo-Saxons of the 8th century ad? Could it be a local survival dating to Roman times? The science gives a date for the undisturbed chalk but what if the locals re-cut an old image rather than just re-chalking it? The area was apparently still British in the mid 7th century so the cutting may have been a way of asserting local identity during a time of change. Perhaps the image had almost faded away so they recut it below the earlier layer making the image appear younger than it actually was.
@@damionkeeling3103 These are all very plausible and good points, but at present just add to the plethora of possible interpretations. But your argument about re-cutting can really be addressed: We would have to go back and do a much more comprehensive OSL-dating of all the components of the giant. We do the same with old buildings (I'm just back from looking at the Nuraghes of Sardinia) - they are usually the result of several building phases, often spreading over many centuries. I guess the National Trust would love to go and look a bit more thoroughly, but these studies are very expensive. Money...as always...
@@damionkeeling3103 Yes, I think they could. Today, we have a hard time imagining how little 10th century Christian monks might have been bothered by a chalk phallus on a hillside - Just bear that in Mind! However, doing our best to answer the questions 'What, if anything, has changed since first creation?' and 'Which bit is how old?' would give us massively more insight into this mysterious hill figure. The Giant is some 2000 years younger than the white horse - a totally different animal, so to speak, but one of the results of systematic OSL dating on the horse was that it has changed very little since its original creation.
Read somewhere The Cerne Abbas Giant is the only nude male picture which can go through post
i.e. postcard
Quite correct: It was the only nude image you could send on a postcard with the Royal Mail back in Victorian times.
didnt it have a bear skin over its arm at one time
Yes, there is some evidence that he had something over his left arm at some point.
@@MattMesserPicsAlfred Watkins dowsed it and reckoned it was Hercules, with the Lion skin over his arm and a head, not visible, under the left hand. Hercules was popular in Ancient Rome, so may be why the Romans continued to maintain the figure ( if they didn't make it themselves).
Aka, The rude man of Cerne.
Exascxtly. If he was rude from the first day of his creation, is a matter of some dispute, actually.
So my theory is this. The giant is older, much older than the test indicated. How is this? the chalk is newer than the giant. Who's to say they didn't rebuild it at about the time the church was put in as a reaction to the church's construction and these new religious upstarts coming to THEIR home. So the whole village knew about the giant having been there a long time and it was part of their rituals. Either the person in charge of the church ordered it destroyed carting off all the old chalk which was replaced shortly after by the villages who might have threatened them with violence if they did it again or perhaps a layer of dirt covered the original chalk but enough of it was there that the villages decided to put new chalk right on top of what was there to brighten up their religious icon. As to the penis? Maybe it was something along the line of "Our god's penis is bigger than your god's penis." I would be interested to see the results of taking and testing core samples going down say ten feet and perhaps a half dozen such samples in different places to see what is under the current chalk.
''Eppy tom'' l think its pronounced ''e pit o mee''.
You are absolutely right. It's added to the list of blunders not to be repeated.
Epitome is pronounced "Uh-pit-uh-mee". 👍 Don't blame the sometimes silly English language, it is derived from Greek.
Gotcha - again! I'll add that to the list - says he, distinctly blushing...
@@MattMesserPics And monks is munks!🙂
Good video except for the pronunciation of epitome, it has four syllables not three.
Good accent for a non-native speaker.
I know (now). Pagan isn't pronounced with a soft 'g' either. And that after speaking the language for more than half a century. I guess it's reading too many books and watching too little TV 😅- Anyway, thanks for pointing it out I always note these things and try not to make the same mistakes again.
Eh , playboy magazine in Reverse ?
Maybe , and thank you informing us how they could date and Explain the jigery pokery .
Thanks .
I hope the explanation was the right blend of brief and instructive. This kind of thing is the perfect way to loose your audience.
Excellent video - but lay off Boris and defo lay off Henry VIII... 👍🏴
you forgot biggus dickus!
Actually, I wanted you to say exactly that - just shows what a sneaky bastard I am! 🤣
@@MattMesserPics Mr , Mr Basturd,
@@govang5191 😁
Sorry thought it was a video about rICHI sUNAK
It's not to be taken literally (like the blessed cheese makers). I meant to question the existence of all Richards in Whitehall ;-)
@@MattMesserPics
👏👏👏, i canny retort on that 1 ,-)
Great use of grassland...so 2 fingers up to woke crap!!
He has breasts and phallus so I reckon he’s trans😅
A violent rapist?
Biggest? Nah mate.
So, where's the bigger one then?
I thought Britains biggest phallus was Boris Johnson.
Oh, I thought he never really existed, like Biggus Dickus ;-)
This isn't the biggest phallus in Britain.. that's a toss up (pun intented) between Boris Johnson and Jacob rees-mogg 😅