Latest news with #commoners
The Independent
3 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Hair found in Inca device could change what's known about medieval civilisation
A hair strand uncovered from an Incan astronomical device suggests record-keeping in the empire was prevalent not only among elite individuals but also practiced by commoners. The finding, published in the journal Science Advances, changes what's known about numerical literacy among people in the medieval civilisation. Incas used knotted-string devices called khipus to maintain records, especially numerical information. These devices consisted of a main cord with numerous pendant cords attached, encoding information via the use of knots, their positions, and the colours. Sometimes human hair is found wound on a khipu as a 'signature' to indicate its creator. 'Hair in the ancient Andes was a ritually powerful substance that represented the individual from whom it came,' researchers explained. Until now, Spanish colonial-era documents have hinted that only male elites made khipus. It was thought that 'khipu literacy' was not widespread outside of bureaucrats charged with keeping records. 'On the basis of primarily Spanish-language colonial chronicles, it is thought that khipus were created exclusively by male bureaucratic elites,' researchers wrote. Much later in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the production of khipus was documented even among Andean labourers, peasant farmers, and female peasants. However, the latest analysis of human hair woven into a late 15th century khipu by its creator suggests that even then low-ranking Inkas made and used khipus. This particular khipu was found at a German auction with little documentation and later dated to 1498 AD. It's main cord was made of human hair about 104 centimetrers long, folded and twisted, representing about eight years of growth, researchers say. Scientists utilised advances in chemical analysis to make simultaneous measurements of levels of different elements, including carbon, nitrogen, and sulphur, from the hair sample. They found that the person who made the device ate a commoner's diet of tubers and greens, rather than a bureaucrat's diet of meat and maize. Further analysis, measuring oxygen and hydrogen values, determined that this low-ranking commoner likely lived in present-day southern Peru or northern Chile. 'Contrary to previous assumptions, commoners in the Inka Empire apparently created Inka-style khipus as well,' scientists wrote. The study results also corroborate other recent findings that women also made these recording systems, together challenging the idea that khipu literacy was the sole domain of male elites. 'Khipu literacy in the Inka Empire may have been more inclusive and widespread than hitherto thought,' researchers concluded.
Daily Mail
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The close-knit community demanding 'national minority status' to protect their ancient practices
More than 700 'commoners' with ancient grazing rights in a national park are seeking to be recognised by the government as a 'national minority'. Commoners in Hampshire's New Forest have existed for more than a thousand years and want to be considered a people in their own right - like the Scots, Welsh and Cornish. They say the proposal to grant them 'national minority status' would give them a stronger voice in local government and help preserve cultural practices vital to the ecosystem of the Forest. Among the unique traditions associated with the historic group are the roaming of pigs during 'pannage' season, the round up of the area's famous ponies and the point-to-point race on Boxing Day. The ancient tradition of commoning dates back from before the days when William the Conqueror made the area his private hunting reserve and imposed strict laws on the locals. In return, they were given the rights to graze their animals on the 'common' – the land now known as the New Forest. The rights of Commoners are protected and regulated by the ancient Verderers' Court, which dates back to the third century and meets once a month to discuss ongoing issues in the New Forest. They want the government to officially declare them a minority to ensure their influence continues. The move has been sparked by concerns over the impact of an impending local government reorganisation that could see the New Forest District Council abolished and residents instead served by an 'urban-dominated' authority which also looks after Southampton and Eastleigh. Andrew Parry-Norton, chair of the Commoners' Defence Association, explained there are 720 people with the unique grazing rights but most are in their 70s. He said: 'What it gives us is that for any decision that will be made about the Forest we have to get a say. If we get this we have protection. 'The Commoners are a small minority group but we have a huge impact on the forest and everything that comes with it. 'We are facing uncertain times with funding, with local government reorganisation, I think now is the right time to try. 'All the way through history you have had commoners in the New Forest, we are a very close knit community.' National minority status gives certain populations a greater say in public decision making and a right to freely express their culture with a corresponding obligation by the government to preserve that culture. The rights and responsibilities are defined by the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, a treaty the United Kingdom signed in 1995. However, Mr Parry-Norton was clear that the group do not have aspirations of New Forest independence, unlike the other national minorities of Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland. 'We are still part of everybody, the Forest is here for everybody,' he said. 'We know that but what we want to do is preserve the community and traditions that everyone comes to look at. 'Without the Commoners you don't have a forest.' The process was kickstarted by Brice Stratford, a writer and historian who sits on the board of the New Forest National Park Authority. He is not a Commoner but became passionate about them after studying folklore around the world and seeing connections between his home and other groups such as the Maasai tribe in Kenya. Mr Stratford said: 'It was only when I left the New Forest I came to understand how rare it is. 'The preservation of the New Forest Commoners is not just important from a heritage perspective, the New Forest is an internationally important ecologically. 'It is maintained according to the traditions of the Commoners, if we lose their way of life we lose the New Forest. '1016 is the first hard evidence of the Commoners' way of life existing, there is an unbroken lineage right through to today, the idea we might lose this is terrifying to me.' So far the Commoners' Defence Association, working with Mr Stratford, have got a letter of recognition from New Forest District Council and confirmation from the Commoners themselves that they self-identify with that term. The group are now gathering more evidence in order to persuade the government to back their claim. Announcing a small survey earlier this month which had the aim of understanding just how many people identify as Commoners in the New Forest, Mr Parry Norton said: 'Commoning is a way of life deeply tied to the landscape, with roots going back hundreds of years. But unless we're counted we are at risk of being overlooked.' On Monday CDA announced this year's pannage season will run from September 15 to November 28. The practice sees commoners urning out domestic pigs into the woodland to forage for fallen acorns, beech mast, chestnut and other nuts and plays a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance of the forest. The forest's famous ponies have roamed its 219 square miles for 2,000 years. There are currently around 5,000 in the forest. While wild in the sense they can roam freely, they are owned by the Commoners. The Hampshire forest was designated a National Park in 2005 in order to protect the landscape and preserve it for the nation to enjoy for generations to come. In 2022 Ulster Scots became the most recent recognised national minority within the UK, following the Cornish in 2014 and before that Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
The Guardian
23-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
‘They had a feast': New Forest donkeys spark backlash after raiding new food waste bins
In the US, residents have to contend with bears and racoons rummaging through the trash. In the UK, we have donkeys. A decision to introduce food waste bins in the New Forest national park in Hampshire has provoked a backlash – after the tenacious equines were caught breaking into them. In the last few months plastic caddies to recycle food leftovers – common in much of the country – have been distributed to residents in the area for the first time. This has led to warnings that their introduction could spread disease as livestock that has historically roamed free in the area, including ponies, donkeys and pigs, would find them irresistible when left out for collection. Within weeks of their introduction, donkeys have been spotted in several locations eating food out of the bins in various locations. Photos taken in Brockenhurst, a large village in the national park, show several of the animals gathered around a toppled over bin eating food scraps that have spread across the road. Posting the photos on Facebook, New Forest resident Gail Whitcher asked others to keep their food waste bins inside their gates and described the scene as chaos. She said: 'The donkeys have knocked over the waste bins into the road and have had a feast all the way down the road on the food waste bins which I witnessed them opening. It's chaos.' There are 200 free-roaming donkeys in the national park, all cared for by the commoners – locals who have the right to graze animals – and are said to be vital to the area's ecosystem. The commoners said they were worried that the roaming animals could contract foot-and-mouth disease or African swine fever from the food waste, which would be 'extremely dangerous'. Authorities in Hampshire's New Forest first approved a divisive wheelie bin scheme in 2022. Under the £5.6m programme, food waste caddies are being delivered to residents in Brockenhurst, New Milton, Lymington, and surrounding areas between April and June. Andrew Parry-Norton, the Commoners Defence Association chair, said they want the New Forest district council to change its advice to leave the bins outside property gates and instead to keep them inside. They have also suggested more secure locks should be put on the bins. 'This is exactly what we thought would happen and I think it is only going to get worse,' Parry-Norton said. 'If the donkeys start working out how to get into these bins then they will keep doing it and the diseases will continue to spread, which is just not fair on the animals.' Households in the national park have been given a 23-litre brown outdoor food waste recycling caddy, and a five-litre grey indoor food waste recycling caddy. New Forest district council has been contacted for comment.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Warning as frisky New Forest stallions released
Urging drivers heed warnings, campaign group New Forest Roads Awareness said: "The stallions are going out to hundreds of ladies that haven't seen a gent in are only thinking about one thing. "The ponies will be running, there are foals as well so please drive with care and attention." The approved stallions are turned out each year to different areas across the forest to maintain the New Forest pony as a breed. When they are not turned out into the forest the registered stallions live out on one large pasture together. They are owned by commoners who live in properties with ancient rights attached, dating back to the 11th Century, allowing them to graze livestock on the open forest.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- BBC News
Stallion warning as New Forest breeding season starts
Drivers and visitors to the New Forest are being warned to keep their distance as stallions have been released in the New Forest to the behaviour of the 21 stallions could be erratic, verderers who regulate the livestock on the forest have urged visitors not to walk through the pony herds and to keep dogs under close are being urged to be on their guard, plan their route and expect large herds of ponies that are likely to be "flighty and defensive".The stallions were turned out on Monday and will be brought in on 23 June. Urging drivers heed warnings, campaign group New Forest Roads Awareness said: "The stallions are going out to hundreds of ladies that haven't seen a gent in are only thinking about one thing."The ponies will be running, there are foals as well so please drive with care and attention."The approved stallions are turned out each year to different areas across the forest to maintain the New Forest pony as a they are not turned out into the forest the registered stallions live out on one large pasture are owned by commoners who live in properties with ancient rights attached, dating back to the 11th Century, allowing them to graze livestock on the open forest. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
