The Cerne Abbas Giant, an ancient naked figure sculpted into chalk hillside in Dorset, was created during the late Saxon period, scientists say
In July, scientists said microscopic"Many archaeologists and historians thought he was prehistoric or post-medieval, but not medieval," said Mr Allen.
Scientists studied soil samples by using technology to show when individual grains of sand in the sediment were last exposed to sunlight. Researchers said material taken from the deepest layer yielded a date range of AD700 to 1100, which suggested the giant was first made by late Saxons.But other samples suggested the giant was made at later dates of up to 1560, which left the archaeologists with a conundrum, due to the earliest documented record of the giant featuring in a church warden's account of repairing it in 1694.
"In the 16th Century it's as if the giant's not there, and John Norden's survey of 1617 makes no mention of him," he added. Mr Papworth's theory is that the giant may have been created in the late Saxon period, but then for some unknown reason was neglected for several hundred years and grassed over, before being rediscovered.Follow BBC South on
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