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Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 13:12 GMT 14:12 UK

In pictures: Inside Silbury Hill

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Building work has been going on to stabilise the ancient monument of Silbury Hill in Wiltshire for six months but before sealing up the tunnel, media were allowed inside it.

Mining engineer in Silbury Hill tunnel

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Parts of the 4,400-year-old Neolithic site were thought to be collapsing because of the tunnels dug by archaeologists over many centuries - the last of which was created in 1968.

Workman in tunnel

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As engineers worked to stabilise the monument, archaeologists have tried to unlock the site's ancient secrets and find out how, why and when it was built.

Head archaeologist Jim Leary shows an artefact

Head archaeologist Jim Leary shows an artefact

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Discoveries include medieval postholes on top of the hill and iron arrowheads, indicating there may have been a huge military building there during the Saxon or Norman periods.

Foxy Demeanour, English Heritage finds and artefacts supervisor, studies artefacts

Foxy Demeanour, English Heritage finds and artefacts supervisor, studies artefacts

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One theory is that the top of the hill was lopped off around the time of the Battle of Hastings or even earlier.

Silbury Hill in Wiltshire

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From next week, the tunnel will be repacked with chalk to stabilise the hill for future generations to appreciate.

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Related to this story:
Silbury Hill repair works stopped (27 Jul 07 | Wiltshire )
Tunnel open again at Silbury hill (11 May 07 | Wiltshire )

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