yet. And these ‘finds’ seem to come from everywhere. To be sure, some are found by the nighthawks, who search at night with metal detectors. But not all.”
Aubrey looked at the busy scene. “I will just feel better if you are around and can help keep a fresh eye on this. I don’t want anything we might find here to turn up missing.”
Germaine nodded, trying to conceal her apprehension. She knew all about illicit treasure seekers who searched under cover of darkness. Now, she was project director and chief spy for Aubrey, or at least security guard. Her job description grew longer by the minute.
He seemed to read her mind. “Don’t worry, Germaine. Trust me. Now, let’s go see what’s up there.” He cast an appraising look at the heavy clouds and grabbed an umbrella from the back seat.
A new sound, a strange eerie chant, floated over the noise of the crowd as they started toward the gate. Aubrey pointed to a small group of people dressed in white robes, on the far side of the car park.
“They’re the Neo-Druids,” he said. “The earth and everything on it is alive to them, sacred, full of spirits. Some even claim to be descendents of the original Celts who lived here.”
One tall Druid beat a small drum that looked like an Irish bodhran. He kept up a steady beat under the chanting. Conan Ryan came and stood with Germaine and Aubrey.
“That sounds a little like some Native American chanting I’ve heard,” she said.
“Well, it’s not. It’s just the damn Druids,” Ryan said, in a disgusted voice. He looked angry. “I don’t know how they found out about this so fast. We can’t do anything without some bloody group of pagans interfering. They think it’s all theirs.” He waved his arm around in a sweeping gesture.
“It’s always ‘a long time ago’ it was their land, their ancestors. But those people died thousands of years ago, and there’s nothing here. Just a hole and some fool, who got hurt playing around with explosives.”
Just then, another Brigantia Ltd. truck entered the car park. “Oh, have to go.” He raced off toward the truck.
Germaine stood still, feeling calmed by the Druid’s chanting. A cool breeze brushed her face and she closed her eyes for a moment, listening. “Well, I like it. Why are they here?”
“At first, we thought the explosion was caused by kids playing around with explosives,” Aubrey said. “It wasn’t. It was the Druids. I talked to them a moment ago. They’re here because they were up there last night, and one lad was almost killed in the blast. They’re quite upset. Their old Druid leader just died, and they were trying to dig a hole to bury him. They said the burial needed to take place in a sacred place. And that’s where it gets complicated.”
Germaine turned and looked at the misty hill behind them. Yes, she thought , their sacred land was probably up there, somewhere. It looked like a place ancient people might think of as close to their gods. Sacred, or not, Mai Dun had been occupied for over six thousand years by many peoples. Now, the Druids wanted to claim it as their own special place, for their dead.
And one place none may touch. The unbidden thought just popped into her mind, but made no sense. What place?
“What do you think, Aubrey? It’s hard for me to be too critical of people wanting a burial in sacred ground. They think it’s part of their history.”
“I agree,” he said. “In a way, I can understand. They consider this their land. The one I talked to said he was a descendent of Druids who lived here a long time ago.”
A long time ago. To her mind, that always sounded like the beginning of a fairy tale. Mildly critical, she wished for an actual date or time period in their comments. Archaeologists always liked numbers.
“That’s what Conan just said. And who were those Druids who lived ‘a long time ago?’ It is impossible to link modern-day Druids to anyone who lived here two or four or six thousand
Aubrey looked at the busy scene. “I will just feel better if you are around and can help keep a fresh eye on this. I don’t want anything we might find here to turn up missing.”
Germaine nodded, trying to conceal her apprehension. She knew all about illicit treasure seekers who searched under cover of darkness. Now, she was project director and chief spy for Aubrey, or at least security guard. Her job description grew longer by the minute.
He seemed to read her mind. “Don’t worry, Germaine. Trust me. Now, let’s go see what’s up there.” He cast an appraising look at the heavy clouds and grabbed an umbrella from the back seat.
A new sound, a strange eerie chant, floated over the noise of the crowd as they started toward the gate. Aubrey pointed to a small group of people dressed in white robes, on the far side of the car park.
“They’re the Neo-Druids,” he said. “The earth and everything on it is alive to them, sacred, full of spirits. Some even claim to be descendents of the original Celts who lived here.”
One tall Druid beat a small drum that looked like an Irish bodhran. He kept up a steady beat under the chanting. Conan Ryan came and stood with Germaine and Aubrey.
“That sounds a little like some Native American chanting I’ve heard,” she said.
“Well, it’s not. It’s just the damn Druids,” Ryan said, in a disgusted voice. He looked angry. “I don’t know how they found out about this so fast. We can’t do anything without some bloody group of pagans interfering. They think it’s all theirs.” He waved his arm around in a sweeping gesture.
“It’s always ‘a long time ago’ it was their land, their ancestors. But those people died thousands of years ago, and there’s nothing here. Just a hole and some fool, who got hurt playing around with explosives.”
Just then, another Brigantia Ltd. truck entered the car park. “Oh, have to go.” He raced off toward the truck.
Germaine stood still, feeling calmed by the Druid’s chanting. A cool breeze brushed her face and she closed her eyes for a moment, listening. “Well, I like it. Why are they here?”
“At first, we thought the explosion was caused by kids playing around with explosives,” Aubrey said. “It wasn’t. It was the Druids. I talked to them a moment ago. They’re here because they were up there last night, and one lad was almost killed in the blast. They’re quite upset. Their old Druid leader just died, and they were trying to dig a hole to bury him. They said the burial needed to take place in a sacred place. And that’s where it gets complicated.”
Germaine turned and looked at the misty hill behind them. Yes, she thought , their sacred land was probably up there, somewhere. It looked like a place ancient people might think of as close to their gods. Sacred, or not, Mai Dun had been occupied for over six thousand years by many peoples. Now, the Druids wanted to claim it as their own special place, for their dead.
And one place none may touch. The unbidden thought just popped into her mind, but made no sense. What place?
“What do you think, Aubrey? It’s hard for me to be too critical of people wanting a burial in sacred ground. They think it’s part of their history.”
“I agree,” he said. “In a way, I can understand. They consider this their land. The one I talked to said he was a descendent of Druids who lived here a long time ago.”
A long time ago. To her mind, that always sounded like the beginning of a fairy tale. Mildly critical, she wished for an actual date or time period in their comments. Archaeologists always liked numbers.
“That’s what Conan just said. And who were those Druids who lived ‘a long time ago?’ It is impossible to link modern-day Druids to anyone who lived here two or four or six thousand
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