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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 20/08/2026

"A curse on your county!!!" - well, most counties anyway - untamed.earth?l=51,-1.7&z=... #folklore #curse #angrymonks

A map of southern UK with a lightning cloud icon marking the location of some folklore curses!

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 04/08/2026

One of many late Minoan beehive tombs on Crete (~3000 years old)

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 16/07/2026

Photo that looks like a painting

Photo of an ancient tree at the UNESCO site on Madeira. It's almost always foggy there, giving the photo a washed out look with simple greens yellows and browns.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 06/06/2026

Replica of the striking brass memorial of Ralph Hamsterley on display at St. Peter at Hungate, Norwich. Being a replica, brass-rubbing is allowed. #mementomori

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 25/04/2026

Checking the scratch-dial at St Margaret's - Hales. Still accurate to within a quarter of a scratch! #scratchdial #churchcrawling

A circle of pock marks in one of the stones near the church door. A stick ("gnomon") in a central hole casts a shadow onto the outer circle.

The round tower and thatched roof of St Margaret's church under a blue sky

The doorway of the church- a plain door under a very decorative doorway with multiple layers and styles of decorated arches supported by stone pillars.

Crosses in various styles scratched into the stonework of the door frame.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 16/03/2026

Details from one of the main stretches of wall.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 16/03/2026

Added "follies" as a category to the untamed.earth map - so it only seemed right to go and visit The Plantation Gardens multitude of folly features.

The grand Medieval-Gothic staircase at the very end of the garden.

Closeup of an inset in one of the walls - showing various tiles and a dog (or possibly bear) looking out of the recess.

Emerging from the undergrowth, what appears to be the carved stone apex of a roof.

A large section of wall showing eclectic tiling, motifs and stonework.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 01/01/2026

A mortsafe at Aylsham, Norfolk. Protecting Thomas Stoneham and Ann Balls. The safes were generally moved from grave to grave and, as far as I know, this is the only intact one in Norfolk. The burials are at the end of the ‘grave-robbing era’ which may explain why this mortsafe came to rest here.

A side aspect of the grave of Thomas Stoneham and Ann Balls. A semi-circular metal grill runs from headstone to footstone. The footstone echos the initials and burial dates “T - S 1840 A - B 1838”

The headstone of Thomas Stoneham and Ann Balls. Beyond the date of the burials (1840 and 1838) no other details are given.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 14/10/2025

What's in your back yard?

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 14/09/2025

Basalt columns are a striking geological feature, caused by large lava flows slowly cooling; so wherever they're found - it's a sure sign of volcanic activity in the past.

A basalt costal cliff in Iceland. The columns start at the beach and rise in rough steps to form a hillside.

Looking up at columns from the mouth of a small sea-cave. Both the long faces of the outer columns are visible as well as the tightly packed faces of the other layers of columns.

Looking down at the flat top of a single column. The inner two edges (where they meet the next column are very neat with just a few millimeters gap) - the outer edges are rougher, as they are being weathered away.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 24/08/2025

Who isn't tempted by a big cave entrance - this one the outskirts of Rèkyavik is a collapsed lava tunnel!

Stone steps lead down to the level of an old lava tunnel. The roof is partially collapsed but part of the tunnel remains at one end.

The curved top of the lava tunnel seen from today's ground level.

An intrepid explorer stands at ground level but we can see the open mouth of the tunnel beneath.

At ground level looking down through a hole of moss and rocks into the lava tunnel below. A face peers out of the gloom.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 15/06/2025

"The Twelve Apostles" is the first stone circle I've visited in a long while. Also made sure to see some of the many cup-and-ring marked boulders while up on Ilkley Moor. 📷 my own and CC0

The 12 knee high stones that make up the circle; under a blue sky streaked with clouds.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 29/05/2025

These were all carved at least 6000 years ago. Found in a settlement on the banks of the Danube at Lepenski Vir, Serbia.

A simplified stone head with a sombre expression

Head and neck with recognisable eyes nose and mouth

Very simple bun unmistakable face carved in a boulder

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 26/05/2025

I'll see your brass momento mori, and raise you one grave slab from 1799 (In the yard of a monastery. Sremski Karlovci, Serbia)

A simply decorated grave slab with a rounded cross before the inscription and a skull and crossbones after it.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 18/05/2025

Fancy staying somewhere extra exciting - well with permission from and thanks to www.facebook.com/UKHauntedHot... , the map now shows hundreds of haunted locations in the UK 👻

A black-and-white map of the main body of England, covered with the locations of hundreds of haunted hotels, inns and guesthouses.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 16/05/2025

Over 10,000 ancient trees have been added to the UK on untamed.earth - thanks to the Woodland Trust's open data. Where the trees are clustered, we get a hint of ancient forests 🍃🌳🌲🍃

Closeup of a map with some scattered trees and a big mass of tree locations in the center.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 13/05/2025

Based on a gratefully received suggestion from a friend - memento-mori locations are slowly being added the map. Skull and crossbones ☠️, hourglasses and coffins are all included.

Map of the UK showing locations of the first few locations where menento-mori can be found. The icon is a skull on a gravestone.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 01/05/2025

And where's that camelopard heading? For a frappe of course...

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 19/04/2025

Hard at work researching "rock-cut tombs"

Exploring a tomb with slab covered graves in Petra, Jordan.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 28/03/2025

The amphitheatre of Rome may be the largest, but there are plenty more - like the impressive Pula amphitheatre in Croatia. In fact, you may be much closer than you think to one of these theatres in the round - even in the centre of London! See whats near you - untamed.earth?l=44,17&z=5&... 🏺

Looking up at the arches and three levels of Pula amphitheatre

https://untamed.earth showing amphitheatre sites showing almost 200 sites where at least some remains can be seen.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 20/03/2025

Bit of an exciting day today - Started adding some content to the map that links through to our own folklore literature server. So now, if you want to read more about Tom Bourke and the Fairies (for example) the link on the map points right into the book where the story came from! 🎯 #folklore

Map with an info bubble for one of the pins open. Clicking on the 'more info' takes you to the book where the story is told.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 14/03/2025

Went out to visit a 3000+ year old cemetery. The particular barrow below was in a very serene setting of a woodland opening. Can't describe quite how peaceful it was there. 📷 my own & CC0 🏺

A grassy mound, surrounded by fir trees under a blue sky ✌️

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 11/03/2025

Had map success at the weekend! We went for a seaside walk and I opened the map to see if there was anything around - and lo, we were right by the cursed glacial erratic called simply "The Stone" - If moved, the village will have a poor fishing catch? Must have been there abouts since the ice age!

A glacial erratic boulder, as big as the base of an armchair - sat at the edge of a village sideroad.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 11/03/2025

Here's a proof-of-concept animation for images that will compliment some #folklore writings! #animation #sideproject

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 09/03/2025

Working on some art for a side project - Looks bad up close, but further away it should look better! #art #witchsky

An abstract 'witch on a broomstick' drawn from 77 grayscale triangles!

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 03/03/2025

We have a few in the UK :) untamed.earth?l=53.66417,-...

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 24/02/2025

A massive thank-you to sundialsoc.org.uk for allowing me to use their mass-dial / scratch-dial data on the map - there's well over 1500 churches and other buildings sporting one of these earliest timekeepers!

A map of mainland UK, covered with pins marking the location of over 1500 buildings that have a visible mass-dial on one of their walls.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 15/02/2025

Sanctuary stones are really interesting. Most church buildings offered temporary sanctuary so wrongful accusations could be righted - but some special places, like Torphichen Preceptory extended refuge a mile or more into their surroundings - the boundary of which... you guessed it 🏺 #skystorians

A map showing Torphichen (18 miles West of Edinborough) - Along with a stone that sits in the grounds of the Preceptory, the location of 4 stones are marked - which stand on ancient routes towards the site.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 04/02/2025

What's that you ask? A 'Mass Dial' - like an early sundial that you may see near the South-facing entrance to old churches. Like witch-marks, they're a great thing to look out for if you're in the habit of looking round churches. I snapped this one thinking it was a witch-mark - now I know better!

Close up of a stone with a roughly carved and weathered circle with a number of segments at the bottom. There's a hole in the middle of a circle where a stick would be placed to cast a shadow.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 02/02/2025

With many thanks to yokai.com, #japan now has a fair covering of #folklore

Map of mainland Japan with a covering of points of folklorist interest (giants, sea-monsters, dragons and more)

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 27/01/2025

The 'Sizewell C Hoard' is a bundled of over 300 silver coins, wrapped in a sheet of lead and hidden on the boundary between two fields... what a find! Read more here - oxfordcotswoldarchaeology.org.uk/news/the-siz... 🏺

Map of the east of the UK with an icon marking the location of the Sizewell C Hoard and an open info box with details of the hoard.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 19/01/2025

If you’re looking for ghosts - an ancient battlefield is an obvious place to start. But be sure to dive into the history - the reason for the battle may be more haunting than it's spectres. #ghosts vs #history @ untamed.earth?battle

World map showing battle-fields up to 1900

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 14/01/2025

I've read of an ancient route: 'Seahenge' to Stonehenge - which seems to be traced out by ancient burial sites. But there also appears to be a route heading south-east from Stonehenge.... to where? (alternatively, the isle is simply packed with sites yet to be mapped and I'm mis-joining the dots😀)

Map of South-East England. A descernable (or perhaps imaginary) line of ancient grave sites runs from Stonehenge to the site of 'Seahenge' in Norfolk. But a slightly broader tract of burials runs south-east from Stonehenge ... to where?

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 14/01/2025

Looking at the wider area - is it possible that closer to the coast was favoured, or is it simply that 'urban sprawl' has hidden more widespread locations? untamed.earth?l=50.87109,-...

Barrows on the south coast of England - mainly contained in a tight band of land that is more rural than the surrounding ground.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 08/01/2025

Introduced ruined-churches to the map off the back of a mention that Norfolk, UK has more than its share. In the sample of data that I got.. yes,.. yes it does. Because there's so many, they're not displayed by default (like barrows) - so turn on in settings if they're of interest.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 05/01/2025

I knew taking a picture of this would come in handy...

Text explaining that alewives uses broomsticks, kept cats to catch mice that wanted the grain.. And of course had cauldrons!

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 05/01/2025

Having just done some research on sunken villages, it seemed fitting to visit Nether Hambleton which is now under Rutland Water. St. Matthew's church only (just) survived due to a public outcry.

A church, partially submerged and forming a tiny artificial island on Rutland Water.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 21/12/2024

Information on #mermaid sightings (compared say - to 'lil-green-men) seems very hard to source. Drawing a line under untamed.earth/?merfolk for now - but please send any good sightings this way 🧜 🙏

Ye Olde book - open at a page with a description and picture of mermaids.

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Untamed Earth @untamed.earth · 11/12/2024

When The Madonna appears as a ghost it's termed a "Marian Apparition." Each appearance is given a unique name - what a ledge! #diva

World map showing 30+ sites of "Marian Apparitions"

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