【BBC英国史】Beginnings英国起源(4)

英语自学网

Beginnings 起源（3100 B.C.——1000 A.D.）
Necessities? Well, at the centre, a hearth, around which they warmed themselves and cooked their food. A stone tank in which to keep live fish bait. And since we know that some of these houses had drains underneath them, they must also, believe it or not, have had indoor toilets. Luxuries? Well, the orthopaedically correct stone bed may not seem particularly luxurious, but the addition of layers of heather and straw would certainly have softened the sleeping surface and would actually have made this bed seem rather snug. At the centre of it all, though, was this spectacular dresser on which our house-proud neolithic villagers would have set out all of their most precious stuff. Fine bone and ivory necklaces, beautifully rolled and carved stone objects, everything designed to make a grand interior statement. Given the rudimentary nature of their tools, it would have taken the villagers countless man-hours to build not just these domestic dwellings, but also the great circles of stone where they would have gathered to worship.何为必需品呢？比如说中央的炉床，用来取暖和做饭，用来保存活鱼饵的石质水槽。我们知道有些房屋已然拥有了地下排水沟，那么无论你相信与否，它们也有了室内卫生间。奢饰品又为何物呢？一张中规中矩的石床，或许算不得极尽奢华，但在上面铺上这石楠丛与稻草，却能使床面变得柔软舒适，让普通的石床摇身变为精致典雅的卧榻。放置在一切陈设中心的，是美轮美奂的梳妆台。讲究的新石器时期屋主，将所有家珍在此悉数摆出。精美的骨头和象牙项链，与精雕细琢的石器，无不衬托着室内的奢华与气魄。以当时落后原始的工具，定花费了数不尽的人力与时间。不仅建造了这些民宅，还有那些他们围起来的，供以祭祀膜拜的巨石圈。