A structure in southwest England that’s associated with King Arthur isn’t medieval as scientists had long thought. Instead, it dates back more than 5,000 years, to the Neolithic, or New Stone Age, archaeologists say — thousands of years before the mythical king and his knights are said to have lived.
The scientists who were involved in recent excavations at “King Arthur’s Hall,” an unusual rectangular structure on the Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, used several dating techniques to establish that the hall was built between 5,000 and 5,500 years ago.
The results challenge the idea that the structure had anything to do with the mythical Arthur, who would have lived in the fifth or sixth centuries A.D. — although most historians think he didn’t exist at all and, in reality, was a medieval fiction based on traditional tales.
“Writer Fuel” is a series of cool real-world stories that might inspire your little writer heart. Check out our Writer Fuel page on the LimFic blog for more inspiration.
