Bronze age Ribbon to be tarmacked

An aerial view of the 4000 year old 'Rotherwas Ribbon' Enlarge Image

Plans to build a new road over a 4,000-year-old serpent-shaped feature in Herefordshire have been criticised.

Archaeologists have said the ribbon of stones, known as the Rotherwas Ribbon, is of similar importance to Stonehenge.

Herefordshire council said a protective shield will be built over the site to preserve it for future generations. A relief road will then be built over it.

But Mary Webb, of the Salisbury and Stonehenge Tourism Partnership, said it would generate revenue for the area.

She said the Ribbon should be preserved so that people and visitors could enjoy it.

Had we discovered this at a much earlier stage we could have featured it into the planning process Dr Keith Ray, Herefordshire County Archaeologist

She added: "Most places would cry out for an opportunity like this to actually generate income and wealth for the region."

Archaeologists have said there are no parallels to the site in the rest of Europe, with the closest similar artefact being the 2,000-year-old serpent mound of the Ohio River valley in the US.

Dr Keith Ray, Herefordshire County Archaeologist, said the site was unique because it was built in three dimensions, adding: "It sinuates down the hill but it's also going up and down, it's undulating. This is very unusual.

'Best practice'

"There would have been standing posts so it would have been quite an impressive monument."

He added: "Had we discovered this at a much earlier stage we could have featured it into the planning process.

"What we're doing is we're following best practice, basically enclosing it beneath the road to protect it for future generations.

"The road might go out of use and then it would be revealed."

Michael Hainge, the council's director for environment, said it was up to English Heritage to decide whether it would be designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.