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If you know of any other
cart-ruts...
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references.
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Cart-ruts:
(Form and function).
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Cart-ruts are a little-understood prehistoric landscape feature found in
several Mediterranean countries (plus a similar feature in Bolivia). Their
origin, form and function is still pretty much undetermined and an
international research incentive is currently in progress to determine their
nature... Watch this space!!.
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Scroll down for more...
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Cart-ruts: What were they for?
The earliest reference to cart-ruts was made by Gian
Francesco Abela in 1647 who suggested that they were used to transport
stones from quarries to the sea for exportation to Africa during the Arab
rule in Malta. Since then they have been found in many places around the
world, and their appearance is generally assumed to have been caused by the
continued use of a specific route by a vehicle (wheeled or otherwise).
However, this theory is countered by some stubborn facts. For example:
1). Examples of single
cart-ruts have been found (2).
2). Ruts have been found running at angles of up to 45 °
(2).
3). Cart-ruts have been found running deep underwater (2).
In addition to the arguments above, other contentions concerning their
function, their variety of shapes and sizes, and their tendency to meander
and divide has fuelled the debate over the origin and function of
all
cart-ruts. It is clear that there are differences between examples. The
Bolivian ruts (see below), are believed to have functioned as ritual
or ceremonial, an idea which is supported by the engravings alongside
them. The French ruts however (below), are known to have been produced
as a result of quarrying in Roman times, and therefore provide a qualified
example of
true cart-ruts, made
by the passing of laden vehicles.
While there is little doubt then, that some
ruts were produced by carts, this is not automatically true of all ruts.
There is also a distinction between the French ruts at Anse de St.
Croix, which were made on sand, and the several examples of cart-ruts
running in stone. The island of Malta in the Mediterranean is the best
known cart-rut location in the world, and it is here that one can see
the full range of features that have lent weight to the confusion over
their origins.
The presence of “stone roads” or "cart
ruts" in such countries as Malta, Greece, Italy, Sicily, Sardinia,
Switzerland, Spain, Cyrenaica, Portugal, Azerbaijan and France caused
scientists recently to pay more careful attention to the phenomenon.
Following a year long international study, scientists from these
countries came recently to conclusion that such parallel furrows in the
rock bed could not be made, as it was thought before, by wheels of carts
crossing rocky outcrops precisely along the same lines with absolute
accuracy. Besides which, the “roads” often run in close proximity to
ancient quarries. (see Spain-below)
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When were the first cart-ruts made?
The dating of cart-ruts is mainly based on the argument that some pairs
on Malta are cut by Punic tombs. For this reason it is suggested that at this
time the cart-ruts had already served their purpose. Owing to this fact,
which is valid for only a very small percentage of the total number of
cart-ruts found in the Maltese Islands, their dating was placed by David
Trump in the Later Bronze Age. He strengthens his arguments by saying
that in few sites, ruts clearly run up to the entrances of Bronze Age
villages. The
Portuguese cart-ruts
can also be traced at least back to the bronze age through carvings found alongside
the ruts in places.
The cart-ruts found running under-water are proving to be a blessing to
investigators as they both suggest an earlier origin date and at the
same time, offer an excellent means of dating (through their relative
depths underwater). Although at present, this technique is still in its
infancy, we would hope that at some time in the near future this
ambition may be realised. An example of the potential antiquity of the
ruts on Malta is offered by the following extract, supported by findings on
the island of Filfla:
Hancock makes reference to
'Father Emmanuel Magri, the first official excavator of the Hypogeum at Hal
Safleni', who 'recorded the presence, up until the end of the nineteenth
century of cart-ruts on the tiny uninhabited island of Filfla', a small
island about 5 km south of Mnajdra and Hagar Qim temples. He then adds that
in 1912, R. N. bradley commented on cart ruts near Hagar Qim - noting that
they ran "over the precipitous edge of the cliff towards Filfla" (2)...The
conclusion of this information is that cart-ruts once ran all the way from
Hagar Qim to Filfla across a land bridge, which has collapsed since humans
first came to the island.
Maltese researchers have more recently dated their “roads” to circa
4,000 – 5,000 BC. (4)
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How were the cart-ruts made?
There are several theories that attempt to explain the formation of
cart-ruts.
 They
were made by the passing of numerous vehicles -
This is the traditional view of the formation of cart-ruts. It is not
likely to remain so for long though, as evidence suggests otherwise in
certain cases. At
present, for example, in Malta, the global capital of cart-ruts, with a
reasonably constant gauge across the islands, there is no evidence
whatsoever of any contemporary vehicles, and examples of single ruts
have been found..
They were cut by hand -
This theory is the current outside favourite, although the idea is
incredible when viewed as a pan-European feature, it is plausible that many
ruts may have been started at least by human hand. The variety of
shapes and sizes of internal dimensions of the ruts lends weight to this
theory, although their frequency at certain locations (i.e. Clapham
junction, Malta). stretches the imagination.
They were made by the passing of a single vehicle -
Evidence of this can be seen at Anse de St. Croix, along the seashore.
The fact that single sets of ruts run for long distances suggests that
they were not used for regular transport of goods, as without regular
'passing points', the routes would have had to have been one-way only.
The visual appearance of many 'junctions' of ruts certainly favours this
theory, an
idea which is supported in the article by Dmitry Bekh-Ivanov, a russian
geologist at the following link:
(www.cartruts.ru).
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Why were the cart ruts made?
 Quarrying -
Having pointed out that there is no evidence of carts in Malta, that by
no means precludes the idea that there might have once been carts on the
island. The drawings (right) are of prehistoric wheeled vehicles in
India, proving (for the pedantic) that the wheel at least existed in
prehistory.
The general consensus is that most cart-ruts were produced as a result of transporting stone from
a quarry to
the shore such as
the ruts at Anse de St. Croix, France. The same is suggested from ruts in Azerbaijan, and
from Malta. However, while this may be true of some ruts, it is clearly
not so for all, as many ruts have no association with quarrying
whatsoever.
The examples above however, confirm such an association exists and
research on the Maltese ruts concludes a similar association at some
locations. However, Trump mentions that quarrying at certain sites is
secondary and occurs as a result of the ruts providing a good
source of easily extractable stone (1). It has also been noticed that on
Malta, some ruts run for many kilometres, more than is necessary to obtain a
good source of stone. It seems that while some ruts have an
association with quarrying, the fact remains that many do not.
The idea that they were used for
transporting goods seems immediately rational, except that the ruts have
no 'passing points' suggesting that they were for one-way only.
Ceremonial paths - It has been suggested that the ruts
may have been 'carved' and that in certain cases, such as the Bolivian
ruts, it is certainly reasonable to
assume that they, at least, were created for ceremonial purposes as they
also have carved symbols running beside them along their entire length. This
theory is clearly not true or all ruts however, and it seems very
unlikely that so many ruts were created purely for ceremonial practices.
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Examples of Cart-ruts.
Examples of cart-ruts from around the world.
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Malta
- The island of Malta is home to the highest concentration of Cart-rut's
in the world. They are dated to at least the latter
centuries BC
(1).
On Malta, the
Cart-ruts are traditionally associated with quarrying, although there are
several objections to this theory as an absolute.
The
Maltese cart-ruts can be seen to run into the sea in places and have
also been found underwater around the islands, where they have been
observed to run as single lines (rather than in pairs). It is also
suggested that some ruts once ran to the small island of Filfla across a
land bridge, which has collapsed since humans first arrived on the island.
(2)
Personal observation (see photo right) - 'After
adjusting to the presence of the ruts, small inconsistencies begin to
appear, such as their varying depth, shape or course, until the
possibility occurred that each rut may have been made by a single passage
of a vehicle at a time when the substrate was softer'. This idea is
supported in the article by Dmitry
Bekh-Ivanov, a russian geologist at the
following link:
(www.cartruts.ru)
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France -
'The date and purpose of the ruts at Anse de St. Croix is known. They were
worn by wagons carrying building stone from the quarries to the waters edge.
From there it was shipped across the bay to build the walls of the Greek city of
Massalia, modern Marseilles in
Provence, within a few years of 600 BC' (1)
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Portugal - 'Strada's Real'
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The
Portuguese
Cart-ruts are also known as 'Strada's
Real' or 'Royal streets', and have been associated with pilgrimage in
tradition.
Some of the ruts are said to have been used until recent times, although
bronze-age markings appear alongside them, suggesting a continuous usage of
over 2000 years. (Ref:
Piodao
Museum, Portugal)
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Spain -
Spanish cart ruts recently fell in the spotlight following
a recent
Culture 2000 Project entitled:
"The Significance of Cart-Ruts in Ancient Landscapes"
The project involved the
National Museum of Archaeology in collaboration with the Restoration
Unit, Works Division, Ministry for Resources & Infrastructure, The Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Urbino, Italy and
APROTECO - Association for Economic Development of the Valley of
Lecrin, Granada, Spain.
The investigation involved two sites (only);
One in Malta, called 'Clapham junction' and the other in Spain, located in
the village of Padul near Granada, known as Il Camino des los Molinos.
The project commenced in October 2004 and was estimated
to take one year to complete.
(Ref:
http://www.mri.gov.mt/culture2000/index.htm)
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Switzerland -
(Vuiteboeuf, Canton Vaud) - It is said that the parallel
ruts in the region of Canton vaud were cut
into the rock, and usually on steep slopes. (It is believed that since
carts did not have brakes, the tracks were made to prevent them from
losing control). The tracks in this area are traditionally thought to be
Roman, although recent research indicates that some may have been built in
the 13th or 14th centuries. (ref: www.swissworld.com) |
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 Azerbaijan
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'Apsheron',
Cart ruts have been found on the Apsheron peninsula. Each of such “roads” consists of
2-3 (in some cases up to 5) furrows having depth from 5 to 50 cm. These
ancient tracks can be met on Apsheron peninsula at several places –
between Turkan and Hovsan villages and next to Surakhani, Gala and Dubendi
settlements. The “stone roads” existing on the Beyuk Zire (former Nargin)
island in the Baku bay were mentioned by the famous researcher of Baku
Sara Ashurbeily. Most of the “roads” were destroyed with time; extant
portions stretch up to 100 meters and most of them directed to the Caspian
Sea. (4)
The complete similarity of Apsheron’s
findings with Mediterranean’s was confirmed by specialists from Malta
moreover, it is quite probable that “furrows” from Apsheron may
appear of the same age as Mediterranean’s, but Maltese researchers dated
their “roads” by circa 4,000 – 5,000 BC. (4)
'Upon studying the cart ruts more
carefully, we noticed that they all led from stone quarries directly to
the sea. And they were
clearly hewn out of rock by
hand'.
Since then, we have learned that
similar cart ruts can be found throughout the Mediterranean, along the
seacoasts of Malta, Greece, Italy and southern France. Archaeologists
hypothesize that cart ruts may date back as far as the Neolithic Age
(10,000 8,000 BC) or at least from the Bronze Age (5,000 4,000 BC). It's
quite likely that they predate the invention of the wheel. Some scholars
suggest that the cart ruts themselves were lubricated, which would have
enabled sledges, laden with heavy limestone blocks, to have been dragged.
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Italy, Pompeii - The cart-ruts
in this road were clearly made by wheeled vehicles passing over a period
of time. The stones in the centre of the road are suggested to have been
placed there to to keep a walkway clear of mud. |
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 Samaipata, South America. -
The ruts in the photos (left and right) come from 'El Fuerte', a mountain in the Bolivian jungle. They are not of the same
class as the other, more correctly named 'cart-ruts' on this page as they ,
but it is possible there may be a relation in their . They run to the top of the
mountain, which has had numerous tanks and 'drainage basins', cut out of the
rock. The site is believed to have been used for 'ritual' purposes, but very
little is actually known about it. (3)
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