Rudston ‘Cursus A’– Engaging with a Neolithic Monument in Its Landscape Setting Using GIS

Abstract

Summary. Cursus monuments are one of the most functionally enigmatic of prehistoric structures. Surrounding Rudston, East Yorkshire, a cluster of at least four cursuses converges on a bend in the Great Wold Valley. Of these monuments, Cursus A, or the ‘Woldgate Cursus’, is particularly unusual, with a curving morphology that forms a ‘dogleg’ plan. The unique shape of this structure provides an opportunity for studying cursus morphology with the aim of interpreting its function – essentially, why does the structure curve in this way? A GIS‐based approach is used which demonstrates a compelling visual relationship between the area enclosed by the cursus and the positions of two long barrows lying on its western horizon. The results of this study are considered in relation to the broader question of cursus function.

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