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by wickedwillie on June 17th, 2005

wickedwillie

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Where is the legendary island of Avalon supposed to be, and what is it's significance?

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Answers. 6 helpful answers below.

  • by lynnenorth on December 5th, 2005

    lynnenorth

    wvwoman is right in that "Avalon" is generally supposed to be Glastonbury Tor; however, this is a hill in the middle of Somerset, England, which used to be an island simply because much of western and northern Somerset used to be underwater. What wasn't just shallow sea was deep swamp; land was first reclaimed from this when sea defences and drainage systems were put in under the Roman occupation, previous to 45 AD, but for centuries after that the area consisted of swamps and fens and a generally watery landscape until the huge engineering projects of the 18th and 19th centuries "reclaimed the Levels". The moors were enclosed by dykes and drainage ditches between 1770 and 1833; clay was spread over the fields and then controlled flooding used to deposit silt and further raise the level of the land.

    The Tor itself has some rather amazing geology, and it stands out distinctly from the Levels -- and it is not particularly surprising that it seems to have been a focal point for religion, myth and legend for many centuries. One of its main claims to fame, of course, is the link with the mythical King Arthur, as the area where the sword Excalibur was claimed and later lost and the island where Arthur was taken to his rest after being mortally wounded in battle with his son Mordred. During the Middle Ages, Glastonbury was also the site of an important abbey and of the famous flowering thorn of Joseph of Arimathaea -- the legend was that this thorn was Joseph's staff, planted on Wearyall Hill to show that he had travelled as far as he was going to go after the Crucifiction, and that he would take his rest there, and God made it bloom at Christmas as a sign of His blessing. You can find out more about the mythology which has accreted around this hill over the years at http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/.

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  • by wvwoman on June 22nd, 2005

    wvwoman

    The Isle of Avalon is now known as Glastonbury, England. Through-out time the tectonic plates have shifted causing this island to become part of the continent of England. For more information here is a particularly helpful website to visit:

    http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/arthur/avalon.html

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  • by philosopher-saint on October 12th, 2008

    philosopher-saint

    Where King arthur ate his apples, no?!
    ;-)

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  • by singwell-is off researching a lot on October 12th, 2008

    singwell-is off researching a lot

    The Arthurian legends draw on many sources.

    1)At least part of the Avalon myth may have some historical origin. One of the possibilities for "Arthur" is a 5th century Romano-British leader called Riothamus, who left England to defend Rome. He was killed in battle in France, near a city called "Avallon" in Burgundy.
    2) The ladies in the boat who accompanied ARthur to Avalon are almost certainly an influence from Anglo-Saxon/Germanic legends, being a very toned-down version of the Valkyries.
    3)The name may also derive from the Celtic word abal=apple, and this is why Avalon is called the "Apple Isle". This may refer to the "Islands of the Blessed" that are part of Celtic folk lore
    4) It certainly has some link with Glastonbury, which, in the past was almost an island, surrounded by a clear lake. Glastonbury's Celtic name was Ynys Witrin ("Isle of Glass") because of this lake.
    5) One of the Celtic gods associated with Ynys Witrin was AVallach. There may be a connection between this name and Avalon, as well.

    In any case, the island is supposed to be in the west (as Glastonbury is in West Britain), or perhaps, like the Blessed Isles, off the coast of Britain in the Atlantic. Certainly when the Irish monks came across North America, they described it in terms of the Blessed Isles.

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  • by Anonymous on October 12th, 2008

    Anonymous

    The Isle if Avalon has been moved to Faire for "safe keeping, and to heal King Auther Pendragon. Untill that time is upon us the isle shall remain hidden from everyone except those that have the magick gift that is need to enter.

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  • by researcher for God on May 9th, 2007

    researcher for God

    Avalon is a island off the coast of England...

    Acco5rding to wikipedia it has several legends...

    One legend deals with king author... the island is supposedly where he was buried

    Another legend tells of Jesus Christ visiting the island & later became the first place where the Christian church was birthed...

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