DARTMOOR STONE ROWS – A GEOSPATIAL STUDY

Dartmoor distribution map showing stone rows, cairns, roundhouses, stone circle and reaves.

Despite the fragmentary character of the evidence, preliminary geospatial analysis has demonstrated the nature of the relationship between the stone rows and other broadly contemporary remains on Dartmoor. The identification of possible separate “territories” where similar forms of row are exclusively found, the resolution of the stone row complexes into this proposed territorial pattern confirms that the distribution is far from random and suggests that the rows formed part of a territorial land division scheme. The identification of areas with prehistoric archaeology but no stone rows suggests that either more rows remain to be identified or that some groups of people did not embrace stone rows within their culture. Evidence to support the second interpretation comes from the identification of areas where stone circles rather than stone rows were predominantly used.

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