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      8 Characterization criteria

    The four criteria for assessing class importance apply to cursus as
    follows:

        * /Period (currency): /Long-lived. The tradition of building
          cursus appears to span much of the middle part of the third
          millennium RCYBC. Cursus remained visible features of the
          landscape even after they ceased to be built, and some may
          have served as ritual foci down through the first half of the
          second millennium RCYBC.

        * /Rarity:/ Very rare. Cursus are among the least numerous
          classes of later prehistoric monuments; less than 50 are
          currently known in England. Although they are widely
          scattered, the main concentration lies in central and eastern
          England.

        * /Diversity (form): /Low. The main features of cursus are
          fairly uniform throughout the class, and although there is
          considerable variation in size the distribution seems to be a
          continuum rather than a stepped gradation. Only two types can
          at present be discerned on the basis of ground-plans, and even
          this division places great emphasis on the form of the terminals.

        * /Period (representativity): /Very high. Cursus represent one
          of a relatively restricted range of monuments known to
          represent the third millennium RCYBC. Little is known about
          the function of cursus, although it is generally accepted that
          there may be some overlap in purpose with other classes of
          ritual/ceremonial monument.

    Assigning scores to these criteria following the system set out in
    the Monument Evaluation Manual, cursus yield a Class Importance
    Value of 49. This lies over two-thirds of the way up the range of
    possible values (max.= 64), reflecting the rarity and antiquity of
    these monuments. In selecting examples of national importance due
    consideration must be given to finding sites which reflect the range
    of sizes known, the variety of different landscape types in which
    cursus occur, and the geographical spread of the recorded distribution.