Cerne Abbas Giant Lino Print

The Cerne Abbas Giant is a huge hillside carving near the village of Cerne Abbas in Dorset. It measures 55 metres (180 ft) high, it depicts a nude male with a erection and holding a large club.

Like many other hill figures it is outlined by shallow trenches cut in the turf and backfilled with chalk rubble to highlight its presence .

The origin and age of the figure are unclear and there is archaeological evidence that parts of it have been lost, altered or added over time. Testing of the carving  has suggested an origin between the years 700 CE and 1110 CE.

Regardless of its age, the Cerne Abbas Giant has become an important part of local culture and folklore, which often associates it with fertility.