Nexus - 0606 - New Times Magazine-pages

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NEWS OF THE SwiRLeD! UK Crop Circles of 1999 SwiRLeD! News THE Circles Crop 1999 This season's round-up of crop circles continues to amaze, with unusual geometric shapes and variations on familiar themes. ach crop circle season in England, enthusiasts wonder how the phenomenon can possibly better what has gone before, yet 1999, like every year, sprang astonish- ing new surprises in addition to developments on familiar themes. The quality of the designs displayed a dynamism bordering on audacity. The pictogram which arrived on 3 April at Over Wallop, Hampshire, marked a record early appearance and was soon followed by a scattering of other designs over several counties. One emerging theme was a number of "eclipse" motifs, perhaps foreshadowing the forthcoming August event, most notably at nearby Middle Wallop on 3 May, each phase of a total solar eclipse depicted in a linear sequence. Of May's Wiltshire formations, a strange biological-looking symbol at Avebury Trusloe intrigued many, while religious symbolism impacted with the arrival of a clear Jewish Menorah, the sacred candelabrum, at Barbury Castle on 31 May. There has been much speculation as to its context as a crop formation. In June, circle "Mecca" Alton Barnes was hit with the longest pattern of the year: a chain of older pictogram shapes from the early 1990s, spanning over 1,000 feet! A "ser- pent" design lay nearby. The field had been watched by "croppies" until 2.30 am, yet the formation was found at first light—not much time for the alleged hoaxers (whom the media continually promote) in which to work. The most prominent of the now traditional summer debunkings was initiated by the Daily Mail newspaper, claiming a triangular emblem of 33 standing circles at Avebury as a hoax it commissioned. The lack of evidence and contradictory prose left many uncon- vinced, but even if the design was man-made it explained only one out of thousands which have appeared in far more mysterious circumstances. More positive media interest followed the announcement that Laurance Rockefeller is funding a number of crop circle research projects. Oblivious to this, the formations continued to amaze with a series of breathtaking glyphs, playing not just with circles but also hexagons, squares and representations of 3D- cubes, amongst other geometrical lessons. A record was broken on 16 July at Windmill Hill, Wiltshire, when a square containing 288 small circles appeared—the most ever found in one pattern. On 6 August, an amazing star of standing rings at Roundway, Wiltshire, was distinguished by a unique woven chequerboard lay—the first of its kind. It existed for just a few hours before being harvested. Around 130 English crop formations were reported during the summer. Curiously, from the total solar eclipse which touched the British Isles on 11 August, things quietened down, leaving some awaiting a grand finale to close the season at the time of writing. Even without one, those drawn to this most beautiful of mysteries, the source of which remains elusive, could hardly complain after such a season. — Andy Thomas, 24 August 1999 Introduction by Andy Thomas © 1999 Southern Circular Research 13 Downsview Cottages Cooksbridge, East Sussex BN8 4TA United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1273 474711 E-mail: 101476.1452@compuserve.com Introduction by Andy Thomas © 1999 Editor's Note: Andy Thomas is editor of the bimonthly crop circle journal, SC, a founding member of the Southern Circular Research team, and the author of three books exploring aspects of the circles: Fields of Mystery, Quest for Contact (with Paul Burra), and Vital Signs—which has been described by many as the definitive guide to the phenomenon. Andy regularly writes and lectures, and has made numerous TV and radio appearances. NEXUS -57 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 1999