SARA TRILLO

Grimes Graves are the largest group of Neolithic flint mines in the world, located in the Breckland area of Norfolk.The 400 plus pits were first named Grim’s Graves by the Anglo-Saxons (Grim is another name for the god Woden, and they were believed to be his handiwork). It was not until one of them was excavated in 1870 that they were identified as flint mines dug over 4,000 years ago.

I went down the Cannon Greenwell Pit, where I saw first hand the mine shafts that had been excavated out of the chalk, with flint seams running through the chalk. There were huge red deer antler picks left in situ, along with the remains of what seemed to be ritual fires (each had two rabbit skulls). I also saw the "Goddess"stone, a huge smoothed flint like a torso, and a dead pole cat!