Silbury Hill

The largest ancient man-made mound in Europe situated 1.5 km south of Avebury, in Wiltshire (England), and probably contemporary with the Late Neolithic sanctuary there. It is about 40 m high and has a ditch surrounding it about 6 m deep, which was used as the quarry for the building of the mound. Various known attempts have been made to find out its constructional details and purpose. They have revealed that the sides were originally terraced, that it may have been about a third higher, and that the main mound was built over a primary mound of about 25 min diameter in a series of horizontal layers. Local legends of a life-size statue of King Sil and horse contained in the interior have been disproved, however, as no burial or any significant finds have ever been made. Its purpose is still unclear.

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