MEDIEVAL graffiti that people once carved to try and ‘ward off evil spirits’ has been discovered by archaeologists.
Two stones from the remains of a church in Buckinghamshire in the UK had the spooky lines etched into them.
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Experts think they are 12th Century “witches’ marks”.
These marks look a bit like a circular web filled with lines and drilled holes.
Historians think medieval people wanted to trap evil spirits within the web or maze they had drawn.
However, some people also interpret the carvings as sundials.
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The graffiti was discovered during preparation for the HS2 railway.
The new rail line will go over where the 12th Century church stands.
Medieval St Mary’s Church was abandoned in 1866.
Its remains are currently being taken down and bodies will be removed from the graveyard and reburied.
The £98billion railway project has received a lot of backlash and a lot of people are worried about the amount of trees needed to be cut down for the project.
The aim is to enhance rail capacity and create a better connection between major UK cities.
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Here are some of the most exciting discoveries that have happened in Britain…
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- Why there were 39 decapited skulls at the London Wall: Skulls discovered within the boundaries of ancient London back in 1988 are now believed to have belonged to gladiators who were beheaded for amusement purposes thanks to a recent reassessment of the remains
- Queen Emma’s remains: The lost bones belonging to an 11th-century English queen called Queen Emma are believed to have been found in a chest in Winchester Cathedral
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In other archaeology news, a huge ancient cat carving has been unearthed on an arid hillside in southern Peru.
A Viking temple dedicated to Old Norse gods like Thor has been unearthed by archaeologists.
And, a sunken ship has been found in almost perfect condition despite spending 400 years underwater.
What are your thoughts on this medieval graffiti? Let us know in the comments…
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
