For centuries, historians and archaeologists have puzzled over the origins of the Cerne Abbas Colossus, a huge, naked figure wielding a club carved into a chalk hill in the English West. Was he a Celtic god, an ancient symbol of fertility, or perhaps a more recent mockery of Oliver Cromwell?
Research by Oxford University has now concluded that the 60-metre-tall statue in Dorset could have served as an inspiring mustering station for West Saxon armies at a time when the region was under attack by Viking warriors.
A report published on Monday concluded that the giant was Hercules, a symbol of strength and courage, and his looming presence may have provided the backdrop for the forces gathered there before trying to repel the Vikings.
Until 2021, the giant was thought to have been created in prehistoric or early modern times, not the early Middle Ages. Then research led by the National Foundation for the Examination of Sediments and Snail Shells came to the surprising conclusion that the giant was late Saxon, perhaps in the 10th century.
Helen Gittus and Tom Morcom, academics from the University of Oxford, began researching what was happening in the Middle Ages in the area and looking again at the local topography to try to determine why the shape was created.
“It has become clear that the CERN giant is the most visible of a whole host of early medieval features in the landscape,” said Gitus, associate professor of early medieval history.
They wrote in their paper Published in Speculum, the journal of the American Medieval Academythat it “seems clear” that the Titan of Cerne was cut out as an image of Hercules, standing alone, holding his club above his head, with his left hand outstretched, perhaps once with a cloak draped over it.
They wrote that the West Saxon royal family owned much land in the region in the 10th century. The palace of Cirne itself was owned by Æthelmær, a descendant of King Æthelred I and one of the most powerful men in the English court.
From Giant's Hill there are fantastic views over Dorset and it is close to, but not on, the main medieval roads. It is on a promontory that juts out from a ridge but is slightly lower than the ridge.
These characteristics are typical of a special type of meeting place known as a 'hanging outcrop' site which are believed to be meeting places of large groups.
“One reason people might assemble in such a place is for the purpose of raising an army, usually under the command of a local council chief,” Gitus and Marcum wrote. [leader].
“Suitable places for mustering would require as much logistical support as would be available at a major aristocratic estate: water, shelter, and provisions for horses as well as men. They were located to take advantage of main roads and places where there were lookouts.
“They also needed to be marked in a visual way. Given Hercules has long been characterized as a paragon of masculinity, particularly among warriors and his currency in the ninth and tenth centuries, a giant image of him would have made an ideal backdrop against which to memorialize a crowd site in the landscape.” This place, located on main roads, with access to abundant fresh water and a supply of a board member's estate, was a perfect fit.
It is noteworthy, they added, that the first recorded encounter between an Anglo-Saxon raiding party and a Viking was at Portland, just 16 miles south.
They conclude: “A chalk cut statue of Hercules as a fighting warrior, with a club ready to strike, would have served as a great rallying point, a backdrop for a call to arms, a chalk sermon – and perhaps as something with which to keep the gathering army occupied.”
“I believe we have found a compelling story that fits the giant into the local landscape and history better than ever before, transforming him from a reclusive enigma into an active participant in the local community and culture,” Morcom said.