A Retired Rector's Reflections

When he was about six years old my son Gregory said to me, “Daddy I can’t remember where I lived before I came to live in our family.” Parents encounter this kind of simple, and profound musing from children. Where do I come from? Why am I here? Where do I fit in? For small children it is about growing in self consciousness, and growing in awareness of their environment. The thinking and questioning continues for many of us through life. I’d say it is good if it does.

The first exhibit one sees as one enters the unique Faith Museum in Bishop Auckland is a local rock of sandstone carved with cups and rings. It was found at nearby Gainford during excavations in the twentieth century. There are over 700 such stones in mainland Britain and more in Northern Europe. In Teesdale and nearby Swaledale they are found at the lower parts of the dale, and are common around such places as Egglestone and Barningham. They date from the early Bronze Age, about 3000-2000 BC, and evidence suggests they were still in use in some places as late as 100BC.

Intriguingly no definite explanation for the carved stones and their symbols can be given. They are always made of sandstone and are usually found in areas of land commanding good views and in marginal lands overlooking fertile lands. They are not found in Upper Teesdale but lower in the dale. So, were they mapping land, or skies? Some have argued they had a ritual use in religion or magic. Over a hundred different explanations have been suggested, some remarkable for their unusualness.

Although we cannot be sure of the purpose of the rock art it is clear they were important to those who carved them so carefully. It’s also clear that the significance to our primitive ancestors lasted well over two thousand years. In some way they marked boundaries, or mapped lands or skies, or marked events. In their way they tell of a search for meaning or order, a shared story and a growth towards deeper meaning.

As with the child seeking to know how she or he fits in, so too groups of people, communities, search for place and meaning. The process of consciousness, individual or group is ongoing. Our early ancestors, like the children among us, encourage us to keep on considering ourselves and asking – Who am I? Where do I fit in? What is my story and how does it blend into the greater story?

(This is the first of a series of blog posts in which I reflect on a personal selection of objects found in the Faith Museum)