DISCOVERED ON 26 JUNE 2004 BY WILLIAM BETTS
Also featured on the website of Lucy Pringle
Geometric reconstruction on the website of Zef Damen ( 92 steps ! )
(Automatic translation generated by the author)
IN THE SKY
During the night of 25–26 June 2004, William Betts was in the “Mandolin” crop circle on the far side of the hill. Near dawn, he noticed unusual pink–orange clouds above the barrow of Adam’s Grave. Unbeknownst to him, he had already filmed them about an hour earlier with his Sony Handycam (DCR-DVD). He decided to take a look around the area.
At the foot of the Alton Barnes chalk White Horse, he then discovered one of the most complex crop circles ever made and immediately photographed it. On site, he realised he was alone and the first to enter the formation. He found no signs of human activity—no bloom damage, no mud on the stems, no footprints, no crushed plants. Inside the formation, some areas looked like breaking waves, as if opposing currents had rushed through corridors formed by upright walls of wheat. He also noticed pockets carved into the mat of laid stems — something he had never observed in other formations.
Today this formation is ranked among the most remarkable for the complexity of its construction: reproducing it on a computer requires 92 distinct steps. Such an interlacing of construction lines would be expected to leave significant trampling if done by hand. We do not believe it could have been produced by mechanical means; we invite you to examine the gallery images closely. It also seems the formation has not yet yielded all its secrets. We will gradually publish our latest observations and findings on this subject.
Perfect symmetry in crop circles — even the most mysterious — is a myth. The more a design appears perfectly symmetrical, the likelier it is to be the work of pranksters with planks. It is important to distinguish information-bearing asymmetry from slapdash workmanship: the former can contain valuable clues, the latter is often a hoax and adds little to serious analysis.
Contrary to appearances, the messages or information conveyed by crop circles have a very long lifespan. It is not unusual for this to take decades to grasp in full. Ephemeral in the fields, they become almost permanent in our digital world — and in books. In a sense, they are time’s messengers.
READ THE SECTIONS FROM WILLIAM’S BOOK RELATED TO THIS CROP CIRCLE
CLOUD PHENOMENA OBSERVED JUST BEFORE THE APPEARANCE OF THE CROP CIRCLE, DIRECTLY ABOVE THE FORMATION SITE
VIDEO EXCERPTS (GIF) – SKETCH AND DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTIONS
A triangular cloud around 3:30 a.m.
2004 — Video excerpt (with color correction) recorded by William. Tip pointing downward above the Milk Hill field.
Two clouds, tinged pink and red by the dawn, around 4:30 a.m.
2004 — Video excerpt (with color correction) recorded by William.
THE CLOUDS AT DAWN
2004 — – SKETCH RECONSTRUCTION – drawn by William from memory. Two red, cone-shaped clouds pointing downward.
THE CLOUDS AT DAWN
2025 — – DIGITAL RECONSTRUCTION – by Anne L., based on a video still — layer compositing, color enhancement, shape outlining, and adjustments to contrast, brightness, and vibrance.
WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE
PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN AT THE TIME OF DISCOVERY BY WILLIAM BETTS
Discovery of the crop circle early in the morning of June 26, 2004, after crossing the hills around Adam’s Grave.
Entering the formation for the first on-site observations.
View of the chalk White Horse from within the crop circle.
The stems are not flattened to the ground. No footprints or mud are visible.
The stems appear like waves.
Some stems near the tractor lines remained standing.
A carpet of laid stems and wheat heads, without any marks, and with the bloom (white coating) still intact.
This spike-like shape marks the transition between the head and body of the insect (bee or fly?).
Meeting of two opposing flows of stems.
The center of the largest circle (the tip of the insect’s abdomen).
Unusual cavities — a feature never observed before.
Another meeting of two opposing flows. It resembles the movement of water.
As if the two opposing flows met — at the same moment — at a chosen point.
The wings.
In the background: Woodborough Hill.
In the background: the village of Alton Barnes.
Inside a wing.
The center of the main circle (slightly upper left in the image). The stems near the tractor lines remained standing.
A fine line of standing stems — a true craftsman’s work.
The terrain is clearly uneven.
Another “spike” forming part of the insect’s abdomen.
Once again, a simultaneous meeting of two opposing flows.
Overview.
One of the circles “emitted” from the insect’s head.
Notice the edges of the crop circle.
On the left, a fine line of standing stems surrounded by a flow of laid ones.
Detail of the wings. The “flows” do not all move in the same direction. In the right background, Adam’s Grave.
No trace of passage in or around the field. No visible construction lines.
This photomontage brings together two key events: the crop circles Bee (2004) and Ariocarpus (2003). By overlaying these formations, the image offers a symbolic reading: the cactus flower attracts the bee — just as the mandolin attracts the musician (William). A metaphor for targeted communication, it lies at the heart of the story Millennium: First Signals, raising questions about the nature of the message and its recipients: who listens, who responds, and why.
2004 / 2025 – Credits
William Betts: Gallery photos and captions · Dawn video at East Field (2004)
Anne L.: Texts* · Creation of GIF visuals and hero image · Podcasts · Music · Related video documentaries · (automatic translation of William’s original texts generated by the author)
Note regarding the texts*: The use of we is a literary device and should not be interpreted as a personal reference.
From Simple Clues to Symbolic Dialogue
