One of the great things about the British summer is the many bizarre crop circles which mysteriously appear in farmers' fields.
This year we have already had crop circles depicting a dragonfly, a hummingbird and a phoenix rising out of the ashes.
Now we have a 350 foot crop circle of an ancient Mayan symbol which is meant to be a sign of impending apocalypse.
It has appeared near Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, a prehistoric, man-made chalk mound - the tallest man-made mound in Europe.
According to legend, this is the last resting place of King Sil, represented in a lifesize gold statue and sitting on a golden horse inside the mound.
A local legend noted in 1913 states that the Devil was carrying a bag of soil to drop on the citizens of Marlborough, but he was stopped by the priests of nearby Avebury - and Silbury Hill came into being.
Wiltshire, which is 1,346 sq mi, is the crop circle capital of the world.
In 2001, there were 184 crop formations recorded worldwide, of which 102 were in Britain.
What causes them - whether human or alien - is unknown, but the lavish designs suggest an intelligence is behind them.
Mayan 'apocalypse' crop circle appears at Silbury Hill
A 350ft crop circle of an ancient Mayan symbol, said to be a sign of an impending apocalypse, has appeared next to Silbury Hill in Wiltshire.
08 Jul 2009
The Telegraph
The Mayan-themed crop circle formation found at Silbury Hill, Wilts Photo: MYNEWSAGENCY
The giant pattern - thought to represent a traditional Mayan head-dress - appeared next to the tallest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe last week.
Members of the crop circle community believe the mystic symbol is a signal of the end of the 5,126-year Mayan 'Long Count' calendar on December 21, 2012.
A 150ft long dragonfly crop circle in a field of barley in Yatesbury, Wiltshire earlier this year
Picture: M + Y PORTSMOUTH
Karen Alexander, a crop circle enthusiast, said: "This is one of the most interesting crop circles I have ever seen. It is definitely a Mayan symbol and we are sure it is linked to the Mayan calendar, which ends in 2012.
"It appears to be a warning about the world coming to an end when the calendar does. For the ancient Maya, reaching the end of a cycle was a momentous event, so we are taking this crop circle very seriously as an indicator of a possibly huge event in 2012."
Last month a 400-foot crop circle depicting a phoenix rising from the flames appeared in a barley field in Yatesbury near Devizes, Wiltshire.
Crop circle theorists believe the patterns are created by UFOs during nocturnal visits, or caused by natural phenomena such as unusual forms of lightning striking the earth.
IT'S CROP CIRCLE SEASON IN BRITAIN, THE CROP CIRCLE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
HERE ARE SOME WHICH HAVE ALREADY APPEARED IN OUR FIELDS THIS YEAR.
Usually found in fields of corn or barley, crop circles have begun appearing in yellow rapeseed fields across Wiltshire
Clatford, Wiltshire, created 4th May 2009
Michael Glickman, an expert on the phenomena, said: "I've seen the odd one in rape fields previously, but I know of 11 giant yellow circles that have appeared this month alone"
Cannings, Wiltshire, created 6th May 2009
...But after 19 years of studying them, he can offer "no explanation" for how or why crop circles appear
Windmill Hill near Avebury, Wiltshire, created 25th May 2009
The term "crop circle" was coined by researcher Colin Andrews in the early 80s and it entered the Oxford Dictionary in 1997
Roundway, Wiltshire, created 29th April 2009
Another expert on the subject, Pat Delgado, died this month aged 90
Roundway Hill, Wiltshire, created 10th May 2009
Mr Delgado wrote the best-selling book Circular Evidence in 1989, but retired two years later when two men from Southampton claimed they made all the crop circles with a plank of wood and rope
Wroughton, Wiltshire, created 24th May 2009, barley
A 150ft long dragonfly crop circle in a field of barley in Yatesbury, Wiltshire
Picture: M + Y PORTSMOUTH
A 600-foot jellyfish crop circle created in a field of barley in Kingstone Coombes, Oxfordshire
Picture: M+Y PORTSMOUTH
A 400-foot phoenix crop circle discovered in a barley field in Yatesbury near Devizes
Picture: M & Y PORTSMOUTH
Usually found in fields of corn or barley, crop circles have begun appearing in yellow rapeseed fields across Wiltshire
Clatford, Wiltshire, created 4th May 2009
telegraph.co.uk
This year we have already had crop circles depicting a dragonfly, a hummingbird and a phoenix rising out of the ashes.
Now we have a 350 foot crop circle of an ancient Mayan symbol which is meant to be a sign of impending apocalypse.
It has appeared near Silbury Hill in Wiltshire, a prehistoric, man-made chalk mound - the tallest man-made mound in Europe.
According to legend, this is the last resting place of King Sil, represented in a lifesize gold statue and sitting on a golden horse inside the mound.
A local legend noted in 1913 states that the Devil was carrying a bag of soil to drop on the citizens of Marlborough, but he was stopped by the priests of nearby Avebury - and Silbury Hill came into being.
Wiltshire, which is 1,346 sq mi, is the crop circle capital of the world.
In 2001, there were 184 crop formations recorded worldwide, of which 102 were in Britain.
What causes them - whether human or alien - is unknown, but the lavish designs suggest an intelligence is behind them.
Mayan 'apocalypse' crop circle appears at Silbury Hill
A 350ft crop circle of an ancient Mayan symbol, said to be a sign of an impending apocalypse, has appeared next to Silbury Hill in Wiltshire.
08 Jul 2009
The Telegraph
The Mayan-themed crop circle formation found at Silbury Hill, Wilts Photo: MYNEWSAGENCY
The giant pattern - thought to represent a traditional Mayan head-dress - appeared next to the tallest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe last week.
Members of the crop circle community believe the mystic symbol is a signal of the end of the 5,126-year Mayan 'Long Count' calendar on December 21, 2012.
A 150ft long dragonfly crop circle in a field of barley in Yatesbury, Wiltshire earlier this year
Picture: M + Y PORTSMOUTH
Karen Alexander, a crop circle enthusiast, said: "This is one of the most interesting crop circles I have ever seen. It is definitely a Mayan symbol and we are sure it is linked to the Mayan calendar, which ends in 2012.
"It appears to be a warning about the world coming to an end when the calendar does. For the ancient Maya, reaching the end of a cycle was a momentous event, so we are taking this crop circle very seriously as an indicator of a possibly huge event in 2012."
Last month a 400-foot crop circle depicting a phoenix rising from the flames appeared in a barley field in Yatesbury near Devizes, Wiltshire.
Crop circle theorists believe the patterns are created by UFOs during nocturnal visits, or caused by natural phenomena such as unusual forms of lightning striking the earth.
IT'S CROP CIRCLE SEASON IN BRITAIN, THE CROP CIRCLE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
HERE ARE SOME WHICH HAVE ALREADY APPEARED IN OUR FIELDS THIS YEAR.
Usually found in fields of corn or barley, crop circles have begun appearing in yellow rapeseed fields across Wiltshire
Clatford, Wiltshire, created 4th May 2009
Michael Glickman, an expert on the phenomena, said: "I've seen the odd one in rape fields previously, but I know of 11 giant yellow circles that have appeared this month alone"
Cannings, Wiltshire, created 6th May 2009
...But after 19 years of studying them, he can offer "no explanation" for how or why crop circles appear
Windmill Hill near Avebury, Wiltshire, created 25th May 2009
The term "crop circle" was coined by researcher Colin Andrews in the early 80s and it entered the Oxford Dictionary in 1997
Roundway, Wiltshire, created 29th April 2009
Another expert on the subject, Pat Delgado, died this month aged 90
Roundway Hill, Wiltshire, created 10th May 2009
Mr Delgado wrote the best-selling book Circular Evidence in 1989, but retired two years later when two men from Southampton claimed they made all the crop circles with a plank of wood and rope
Wroughton, Wiltshire, created 24th May 2009, barley
A 150ft long dragonfly crop circle in a field of barley in Yatesbury, Wiltshire
Picture: M + Y PORTSMOUTH
Picture: M+Y PORTSMOUTH
Picture: M & Y PORTSMOUTH
Clatford, Wiltshire, created 4th May 2009
telegraph.co.uk