If you have ever ventured through the lands, you will likely have encountered a somewhat peculiar structure in the region of Woodhenge. Next to the central hill is a wooden structure that in shape and design reminds one of a cross Stonehenge and an amphitheater. But what is it really? And why was it built? And what, if anything, was it modeled on?
Who better to ask than its architect and creator: Julius Forwzy. Take it away, Julius!
Julius:
Thank you, Bugs.
The region of Woodhenge was created in the summer of 2008, partially as a place for the Druids of the Second Realm (an SL druid seed group to the RL Order of Ovates, Bards, and Druids, ed.) to hold rituals in. This was in a time before the number of visitors to Homestead regions were limited to 20 avatars at a time. At the time our rituals were being attended by up to 30 people. Once Linden Labs changed the rules for Homestead visitors in November 2008, the rituals needed to move over to Madrigal, which was – and is – a full region. However, Woodhenge still remains a place to hold small scale rituals such as the occasional healing ritual and one or two handfastings.
More important to myself, however, I regarded Woodhenge as a place to express myself in keeping with the main theme of The Faery Crossing but more slanted towards my own bias. I often refer to it as my folly. This use of the term “folly” is intended to be in keeping with the ideas of 18th century English and French landscapers, who constructed buildings in imitation of ancient installations such as temples, castles, abbeys, and so on. These were called follies, with a certain relation to the term “folly” for foolishness. I also wanted it to be a place where SL residents who were important to me could gift me trees, which I would set out in the sim as commemorations of my regard for them.
Hence we come to Woodhenge, the construction itself.
It is based on a real world historical site. The actual Woodhenge is in Wiltshire, England, just north of the town of Amesbury and very close to the more famous Stonehenge. It had been found, but not recognised for what it was, in the early 19th century. The site dates to earlier than 2400 BCE. It consisted of 168 identified wooden holes – most of which will have held a wooden pole, now rotted away, of course – surrounded by a ditch with a burial chamber in the centre. The analysis suggests that Woodhenge was aligned to the midsummer sunrise in the same way that Stonehenge is. Further suggestions indicate that Woodhenge was linked to Stonehenge in that whilst Stonehenge, being made of stone, was a place for the dead, Woodhenge, being made of wood, was a place for the living to feast in.
The SL construction is based largely on speculation as to what the real site looked like when it was in operation. There are artist’s impressions, but how much water they hold is open to debate. As to my reasons for constructing it, it was never intended for ritual or feasting purposes, although there is a not very well concealed burial chamber in the middle, containing space for the dead along with some grave goods. Rather, it was intended to keep me amused as a fairly large scale independent building project. The materials themselves consist of several very dull cylinders with an old wood texture – not exactly SL high tech. However, it caught my fancy as a mathematician as setting out the poles and cross beams required a little calculation for the whole thing to work – if memory serves it didn’t QUITE fit so I must have made a calculation error somewhere.
The construction has been described as belonging to a more primmy era. This is true; no PBR textures, no mesh objects or even any sculpties (which was the new thing in SL at the time) are involved. But I see it in the same way as I see any ancient artifact; limited technology, no fancy wood-cutting tools, no elaborate carvings, but a relic of an older time, just to give a picture of the way we were. I won’t be changing it; there it will remain, an old thing set in very basic wood.
One more thing about Woodhenge as a region – I have heard more than one SL resident describe it as having a presence. Such a fanciful statement, but I should like to think that if it does have a presence, that presence is an element of myself: an actual ghost in a digital landscape.
So now, dear reader, you know the origins of Woodhenge the region and Woodhenge the structure. It has been there for as long as I have been in Second Life, so I do not remember a time without it. It is, in fact, where I first met Julius when he was still building it – I will not admit to being responsible for the calculation error.
But there is more to Woodhenge than just that mysterious wooden circle of ages past. When walking around the mountain you will find yourself at the foot of an enormous waterfall cascading soothingly down the hillside. Not to mention the beautiful view from the top of Woodhenge Hill down to the small woodlands and its beautiful cove. What’s more, if you wander down into those woods, you will find the most peaceful little grove where once the druids of DoSR had their rituals, as Julius said.
But there are also more whimsical pursuits, like the rolling logs on the hilltop, or the hidden tar pit that might catapult you to realms unknown. Indeed, there are many hidden nooks and crannies for you to discover beneath the waves. And of course, there is the featherball stadium floating above it where every Sunday at noon SLT, you can watch or participate in a friendly game of utter chaos.
And as we draw this spotlight to a close, we go back to Julius’s final thoughts on Woodhenge.
Woodhenge is indeed not the kind of region that stands out. Indeed, sometimes it seems that every region in The Faery Crossing embodies its own aspect of Faerie: from the chaotic frivolity of Faerie Mere to the social hub of FC itself to the airy heights of Aetheria. And so indeed does Woodhenge. No festivities and crowds define this land, but its sturdy and unassuming presence highlights another aspect of The Faery Crossing and its people: the solid foundation of the Earth and the calm perseverance that has led us through these many eventful years.
