A white horse on the hillside, 300 ft by 300 ft. Romantic explanations for the phenomenon have been batted around over the centuries – tribal symbols, religious images, icons, gods…
The modern explanation for these chalk cuttings is simple; the genuine, bronze age, white horse is an advertisement to passing travellers, pointing the way to farriers. In an ironic twist of fate, these white landmarks were covered up millennia later to prevent them advertising navigation points to Luftwaffe bombers. It seems they did their job rather too well.
From apparently very pragmatic beginnings, these advertisements have become symbolic landmarks and art. I wonder how many adverts today will stand the test of time in the same way?
The modern explanation for these chalk cuttings is simple; the genuine, bronze age, white horse is an advertisement to passing travellers, pointing the way to farriers. In an ironic twist of fate, these white landmarks were covered up millennia later to prevent them advertising navigation points to Luftwaffe bombers. It seems they did their job rather too well.
From apparently very pragmatic beginnings, these advertisements have become symbolic landmarks and art. I wonder how many adverts today will stand the test of time in the same way?
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