Ancient Crop Circle History
How old is the crop circle phenomenon? Most people think that we are dealing with a modern contemporary phenomenon only, born out of the blue in the 1970s in England. However, the truth is different as the history of crop circles dates back many decades, centuries and maybe even millennia and reaches much further than only Great Britain. The first descriptions of what we would today call ‘crop circles’ can be found in legends, folklore and fairy tales spread over different continents. However, these orally past tales are hard to date.
As soon as written documents came into use, events appearing to be crop circles became part of written history. The oldest document that was found so far is a report of a witch trial held in 1590. But it t would take another four centuries (1990) for the phenomenon to become known worldwide. And that happened only a mile from Honeystreet where our Crop Circle Visitors Centre & Exhibition is located, see map below.
Modern Crop Circle History
For many centuries crop circles were mainly small and simple in design, and the phenomenon was relatively unknown to the general public. This situation changed fundamentally on 12th July 1990 with the mysterious appearance of a 600ft. long-drawn pictogram in East Field, near the parishes Alton Barnes, Alton Priors and Honeystreet in the Vale of Pewsey, Wiltshire.
The event made headlines and awakened a worldwide interest in the crop circle phenomenon. Thousands came to Wiltshire to experience them first hand. Research organizations multiplied in numbers. The event preluded a new era in modern crop circle history. Throughout the years that followed a sudden increase and shift took place in crop circle designs, size, numbers and locations.
Much has been learnt since. The timeline and exhibition features the most essential events, topics, facts and factoids from ‘Before and After 1990’.
Fig. The East Field on Andrews’ and Dury’s Map of Wiltshire, in 1773. Honeystreet Village left below. © Map of Wiltshire. Originally published by Ordnance Survey, Southampton, 1878-1890.
The East Field Pictogram from the air. The villagers of Alton Barnes were left with two burning questions: How did it get there, and why? Photo © George Wingfield
Read More – Ancient Crop Circle History
How Crop Circles Work
The sun sets on a field in southern England. When it rises again the following morning, that field is an enormous work of art. A large section of the crop is now elaborate patterns of circles, rings and other intricate geometric shapes. But who created it?
Are crop circles the work of alien visitors? Do they signal paranormal activity? Are they a natural phenomenon, which violent air currents produced? Or are they elaborate hoaxes perpetrated by savvy, talented and very determined crop circle makers? Believers and naysayers each have their own theories, but the truth remains elusive.
Crop circle at Alton Barnes in England, discovered in June 2004.
Photo courtesy www.circlemakers.org
In this article, we’ll look into the phenomenon of crop circles — what they are, where they can be found, how they are made (from the people who claim to create them) and how researchers study them in an effort to separate the supernatural from credible evidence.
Crop circles are patterns that appear in fields. The pattern is the result of certain areas of flattened crops while others are left intact. The edge is so clean that it looks machine-made. Even though the stalks are bent, they are not damaged. Most of the time, the crop continues to grow as normal.
This “optical labyrinth” formation, located near Savernake Forest in Wiltshire, consists of 180 separate standing and flattened elements and is approximately 200 feet (60 meters) across.
Photo courtesy www.circlemakers.org
Sometimes, the patterns are simple circles. In other instances, they are elaborate designs consisting of several interconnecting geometric shapes.
Farmers have reported finding strange circles in their crop fields for centuries. The earliest mention of these odd patterns dates back to the 1500s. A 17th-century English woodcut shows a devilish creature making a crop circle. People who lived in the area called the creature the “mowing devil.”
Contents
- Early Studies of Crop Circles
- Crop Circle Designs
- Crop Circle Locations
- Who Makes Crop Circles?
- How Do You Make a Crop Circle?
- How Do Researchers Study Crop Circles?
Read More – How Crop Circles Work
Britain from the Air – Crop Circles
Fact or folklore?
The first crop circle ever reported was in 1678. According to the story, a farmer and a crop mower were arguing about the cost of harvesting the farmer’s oat field. The farmer was furious at the mower’s price, and stormed off swearing that the Devil himself should harvest the crop.
That night, a dazzlingt light lit up the oat field and in the morning the farmer discovered perfectly round circles in his crops. He was so frightened by the circles, which he thought could only have been so “neatly mowed by the Devil or some infernal spirit”, that he abandoned any attempt to harvest the field.
A phenomenon in British fields since the 17th century, crop circles continue to puzzle us. There have been many bizarre explanations for them. Some have said they are the work of aliens trying to communicate with us using symbols. Scientists have suggested tornadoes, lightning, plasma, and more convincing suggestions, such as wind, heat and animals.
Although there are many theories for why crop circles occur, most have been identified as pranks. Doug Bower and David Chorley admitted to creating 250 crop circles over 13 years using wooden planks and two lengths of string.
Fact or fiction?
One of Britain’s most enduring hoaxes is the Loch Ness Monster. A photo of the creature taken in 1934 by the surgeon Colonel Robert Wilson made its way into the papers and for decades was taken as evidence that a sea monster lived in Loch Ness. Wilson refused to have his name associated with the photograph, so it became known simply as ‘The Surgeon’s Photo’.
Finally in 1994, sixty years after the photograph first emerged, the truth came out. One of the men involved admitted to creating a model from a toy submarine fitted with a serpent head. The hoax was well planned; Colonel Wilson was chosen as a frontman because of his respected status.
‘Nessie’ is not Britain’s only hoax. In 1912 the skull of a “million year old” human was discovered in Piltdown, Sussex by an amateur archaeologist. Scientists believed this ‘Piltdown Man’ was the missing link between primates and humans. Then in 1953 it was exposed as a hoax. The skull fragments were only 500 years old, and the jaw bone belonged to an orangutan.
In 1917 two young girls produced photographic evidence of fairies living in the bottom of their garden. The pictures only emerged as hoaxes in the early 1980s when the women admitted to faking four of the pictures. They used paper cut outs propped up with hat pins. They insisted, however, that the fifth photo was real.
In 2008 one of Britain’s most complex crop circles appeared in Wroughton, Wiltshire. Measuring 150 feet across, it was said to be a coded diagram for the first 10 digits of ‘pi’ – 3.141592654
Read More – Britain from the Air – Crop Circles
Global Crop Circles: Patterns and Hotspots
Exploring the Intricate Designs and Geographic Concentrations of Crop Circles on a Global Scale
Crop circles have long captivated the imagination of people around the world, with their intricate patterns and seemingly inexplicable origins. These geometric designs, often formed in crops such as wheat, barley, or corn, have become a global phenomenon, appearing in various countries and continents. While some dismiss crop circles as mere hoaxes or the work of pranksters, these enigmatic formations continue to baffle scientists and researchers.
One theory suggests that the creation of crop circles could be attributed to natural phenomena, such as plasma vortices or atmospheric anomalies. These natural events, it is believed, could cause the crops to bend and form the distinctive patterns observed in crop circles. However, this hypothesis has yet to be conclusively proven and remains a subject of ongoing debate among experts.
Another school of thought proposes that the complex designs of crop circles are a result of extraterrestrial activity. Supporters of this theory point to eyewitness accounts of unusual lights or unidentified flying objects being seen in the vicinity of crop circle formations. They argue that these intricate patterns could be a form of communication or messages left by intelligent beings from other worlds. However, skeptics argue that there is a lack of concrete evidence to support this notion.
While the true origins of crop circles remain shrouded in mystery, their occurrence in certain hotspots around the globe has raised further questions. Countries like the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia have witnessed numerous crop circle formations, leading some to speculate on the significance of these specific regions. Scientists and enthusiasts continue to investigate these hotspots in the hopes of unraveling the secrets behind these perplexing formations.
Stunning Visual Patterns: Intricate Designs Across the Globe
The phenomenon of crop circles, often referred to as intricate designs or patterns that mysteriously appear in agricultural fields overnight, has fascinated people across the globe. These mesmerizing formations have been predominantly documented in countries like England, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Researchers from various fields have dedicated years of research to understand the origins and meaning of these intricate designs that captivate our imagination.
While the existence of crop circles remains a topic of debate among skeptics and believers, the patterns found in these formations are undeniably captivating. The intricate designs range from simple circles to complex geometric shapes that can span several meters in diameter. The precision and symmetry displayed in these formations has intrigued scientists and artists alike, sparking discussions about their possible extraterrestrial origins or elaborate human creations.
England, specifically the region of Wiltshire, has gained a reputation as the global hotspot for crop circles. The intricate formations that appear in the fields of Wiltshire have characteristics that set them apart from crop circles found in other parts of the world. They often possess a higher level of complexity, incorporating multiple concentric rings and intricate interlocking patterns. These formations have attracted countless researchers, tourists, and enthusiasts who visit Wiltshire in hopes of witnessing this awe-inspiring phenomenon.
Other countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia have also witnessed their fair share of crop circles. While not as prevalent as those in England, these countries have reported numerous incidents of stunning formations appearing in their crop fields. The designs found in these locations are often distinct in style, featuring unique patterns that reflect the diversity of cultural influences and geographical landscapes.
From Britain to Brazil: Exploring Global Hotspots of Crop Circles
Crop circles, mysterious patterns formed in crop fields overnight, have captured the attention of people around the world for decades. While their origins and meanings remain a topic of debate, they continue to appear in various regions across the globe. In this article, we will explore two prominent hotspots of crop circles: Britain and Brazil.