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CERNE GIANT

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DESCRIPTION

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Large turf-cut hill figure on Giant Hill, representing a naked male brandishing a club. Various anatomical features have been boldly depicted. There has been considerable debate over his origins, with most periods from Romano-British to Post Medieval suggested. There have been many suggestions regarding who the figure represents, it has been identified as Hercules and related to the second-century cult of Commodus. Another suggested identity for the figure is Nodons, a Celtic equivalent of Donar, a massively strong all-powerful figure worshipped by the Germanic tribes. A resistivity survey of the area was carried out in 1980 by Anthonty Clark of the Ancient Monuments Laboratory for the programme by Arthur C Clarke entitled `This Mysterious World'. When the anolomalies were plotted they revealed a feature that has been identified as a cloak or skin thrown over the giant's left arm, this has been used as further evidence to identify the figure as Hercules. There is a lack of documentary evidence for the site pre-dating the mid 16th century. The figure was renovated in 1868 and 1887, and was given to the National Trust in 1920 by the Pitt-Rivers Family.

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MORE INFORMATION & SOURCES

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(ST 66650167) The Giant (NR) (1)

a(28) THE CERNE GIANT (Plate 107) is a turf-cut figure on the
SW end of Giant Hill 1/4 m N of the church. The figure is
outlined by cuttings now about 2ft deep. It represents a nude
man (height of figure 180ft) striding towards the left; he
holds a knotted club in the right hand and has the left arm
stretched out; the nipples and ribs are boldly represented as
is the phallus. The figure, according to Hutchins, had letters
or figures between the legs of doubtful significance and date.
The figure has been repaired and recut at various periods, a
general repair having taken place in 1887. Whether the
outstretched left arm originally carried a lion-skin or cloak
is now impossible to say; but the general resemblance of the
figure to that of a Roman Hercules is sufficient to suggest the
probability of a Romano-British origin. There is some evidence
that the traditional local name of the god was Helis or Helith.
(Gentleman's Magazine (1764), XXXIV; J Hutchins, History of
Dorset (1774); Sir Flinders Petrie, Hill Figures of England
(1926); Stuart Piggott, in Antiquity (1932), VI, and (1938),
XII; Morris Marples, White Horses and other Hill Figures
(1949)). (2,3)

The "Cerne Giant" (a) hill-figure is in a good state of
preservation, and under the care of the National Trust; (Due to
severe erosion of the turf around the monument, the perimeter
fence has recently been enlarged to enclose the hill-figure and
nearby earthwork (ST 60 SE 40 The public is requested to remain
outside the fence). (4)

Revised at 1:2500 on MSD.

Changes in the Giant iconography 1764-1980. (5)

The lack of documentary evidence concerning the Giant prior to the mid-c17th suggests either that it was cut in the post-Medieval period, or that it was not visible prior to the mid-C17th, the latter being the core. (6)

A resistivity survey of the Giant in 1980 recovered the outline of a probable lion-skin over the Giants' left arm which would almost entirely link the Giant with hercules. The survey indicated that Sir Flinders Petrie plan of the Giant during the First World War seems to be the most accurate. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1962

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, England 1952 An inventory of the historical monuments in Dorset. Vol. I : west

Page(s)82

( 3) Aerial photograph

AP (NMR 9785/16/63)

( 4a) General reference

National Trust Name plate

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 GB 07-JUL-77

( 5) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

LV Grinsell 54, 1980 Page(s)28-34

( 6) Antiquity Publications Limited Antiquity

JH Bettey 55, 1981 Page(s)118-21

( 7) Royal Archaeological Institute The Archaeological Journal

AJ Clark 140, 1983 Page(s)29-30

(8) by Kate Bergamar 1997 Discovering hill figures

Shire discovering series 12 Page(s)24-7

(9) by Paul Newman 1987 Gods and graven images: the chalk hill-figures of Britain

Page(s)72-101

(10) by Morris Marples 1949 White horses and other hill figures

Page(s)159-179

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