Giant assumptions: locating chalk figures within prehistory

Abstract

Armed with the knowledge that the Cerne Abbas Giant dates to the early medieval period, it is now worth looking back at the debates and discussion about the period of his creation, with the benefit of hindsight. An examination of the evidence presented to support the idea that the Giant was prehistoric or Romano-British, and why these arguments were wrong, has the potential to teach us how ideas emerge and dominate, sometimes to the detriment of our understanding of the past. It is well recognised that archaeological interpretations involve at least some element of subjective reasoning, and in the case of Cerne Abbas there was a scarcity of direct evidence. However, some giant assumptions have been made; we need to critically examine these so that we might better conduct archaeological research in the future.