Stone 98, Southern Entrance, South-East Quadrant (October 2020)      

Illustration A

The upper right portion of the stone shown above catches the light to reveal an astonishing portrait of a priest/chief gazing towards the rising east (see explanatory graphic left).

It is a deliberate work of art so detailed and characterful that it is hard to avoid the conclusion that it must represent an actual person, that it is in fact a true portrait of an individual! Someone who has been dead and otherwise forgotten for at least 44 centuries, celebrated and eventually memorialized on this immense monolith. Being a mere amateur I have the freedom to speculate as I wish, and I do wonder if this gentleman was the inhabitant of the famous wooden building whose foundations are located in the centre of the circle this stone belongs to (see details of the wooden house here)

The sculptor here has technically at least equalled the quality of the best face on the Hag Stone (click here to view). Furthermore this male face projects a wonderful serenity, and its position at the top and east of one of the largest Avebury stones gives him the confidence of rank. We can tell from this portrait that in the neolithic at Avebury senior men wore headbands and long beards, and that their spiritual eyes were firmly looking to the east.

At the same end of this monolith, but on the reverse side, is another regal and dignified east looking character, according to Professor Meaden possibly a priestess? Is she consort to our bearded chief/priest because if so they are set in just the right places on the stone? To see her click here and scroll down to Figure I.

Illustration B
 

This sharp left-profile effigy appears to be fish or a bird >>>>

Illustration C
 

<<<< This right profile bird appears to be looking towards the rising sun, and shares an eye with the bird shown immediately above.

Illustration D
 

The right-profile face indicated here may be a recursive depiction of two D faces sharing the same edge features but different eyes (click here for more details of this style of sculpture) >>>>