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Images Charles R Mallett
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge)
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A formation @ Alton Barnes. Wiltshire. Reported 12/7/00
(Wheat)
The return of the basket makers.
What most people in the crop circle research community, and
a good many others have been waiting for was found this morning by vigilant circle researchers out on the morning
hunt. A very short distance from Alton Barnes and lying in the imposing
shadow of Adam's Grave is a style of circle construction not seen since the 1999 basket formation, which
was sadly cut down by the farmer very soon after it's arrival.
This latest addition to the 2000 circle season has very much, the flavor and style of what was lost under the
harvester last year.
What we have here is, at first glance from the road, a rather
simple & quite large circle with a scattering of grapeshot close
to the main circle. As we walked up the tramline towards the
formation we very soon became aware that this was no simple
circle. Once inside the main circular aspect of this design myself and Frances
were stunned by the floor lay under our feet. The entire area of the formation (102ft
diameter) is woven like a
basket, essentially a four directional lay Pattern creating a very
impressive weave effect indeed. This large area of woven crop appears to have been achieved by creating a grid
of laid pathways, up, down, and left, right, being close together these overlapping paths naturally create the basket weave
effect that gives the whole formation a unique and extra special quality.
As we examined this formation closely it became quickly apparent that there was a huge number of wheat stems that
had completely inexplicable forty five degree bends at the base, in most of the stems examined there was no sign of
splits or damage to the plant whatsoever. For us this is quite often the case within formations we visit. However to see
this amount of clean & seamless bending of the plants is quite unusual.
The nine grapeshot that accompany this formation are, for me, some of the best quality little circles of the season. the
way these additions are positioned on the lower side of the main formation leads me to think that their placing is not
purely random but rather a purposeful design feature of the overall formation. Each one had a pristine cleanliness about it
that is almost too much to word. All nine have chunky standing centres with the
wheat swept around and up the walls in a style that left us in awe.
On the whole this is a formation with a near unique quality of it's own. In this case words such as, impressed, I feel are a
major understatement.
Lets hope for elaborations on this theme throughout the remainder of the season.
To be updated with photos & diagrams
Charles R Mallett
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