Roger says:
"Science is about putting up new ideas and re-examining old ideas. To
deliberately block any idea, even the most ludicrous is bad science."
I have to state categorically that I personally endorse this opinion in full
and consider it a great shame that this attitude does not extend to ALL
fields of science.
Roy Fellows
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger B. Hutchins [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 08 July 2009 07:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: The Dartmoor Reaves and Their relationship to the transport of Tin
Ore
As a result of my recent posting of a query entitled "Transportation of
Mining Products by Pack Animals", I had one positive and helpful reply and
one
negative put down. I asked the writer of the put down who claims that there
is overwhelming evidence that the Dartmoor Reaves are boundaries to list
what he believes to be the irrefutable evidence. This list has not been
forthcoming.
Contrastingly, the other respondant was enthusiastic and asked for a
"write
up" for his group's newsletter.
I supplied what I thought was an innocuous explanation of why I believe
that the Reaves are, as first thought Trackways and are not pointless
boundaries of imagined territories.
It seems that this was some kind of academic sacriledge. The group
chairman was INSTRUCTED by two archaeologists (group members) not to
include the essay in the newsletter. Thay were afraid that it might MISLEAD
the group members. I am sure that these members are capable of looking at
the evidence and making up their own minds.
Science is about putting up new ideas and re-examining old ideas. To
deliberately block any idea, even the most ludicrous is bad science. Perhaps
these two archaeologists should look at the long list of "disproved
theories" on
the internet.
Many of the members of The Mining History group will come from the
North,and will understand the packhorse system on the pennines and the
North York Moors. Pack animals were vital for the movement of many mining
products. These pack animals required specially constructed causeways,
which are slowly being re-discovered, mainly by horse riders and walkers.
On Dartmoor, tin has been a high value mining product for perhaps
thousands of years, and yet there are no causeways, pannierways or bog
roads. I suggest that a complete re-appraisal of the reave system may show
that they not mindless boundaries of imagined territories but are causeways
designed and built over thousands of years for the use of pack animals.
My original query was about the use of goats for the transport of ores.
This
is not so strange. I recommend that your members look at the excellant
Google Video "Goat Packing Through the Wind River Mountains".
I have recently learned that goats are used as pack animals in the
mountains of Switzerland.
I have been considering posting my subversive article on the Mining
History
discussion page, and exlpaining how the Dartmoor Reaves link settlement to
settlement, and settlement to tin ore sources, but I would not like to
MISLEAD
the members. Roger B. Hutchins.
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