The Stonehenge site has been an object of fascination for thousands of years. Today, the monument is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK.
Stonehenge was built between 3000-2000 BCE, with some researchers putting its construction date at as early as 2900 BC. The structure consists of hundreds of stones arranged into three rings with a central stone at each intersection. Some of the stones are up to eight feet tall and weigh up to two tons. The stones are aligned so that they form a giant astronomical calendar. What makes it even more remarkable is that this ancient megalithic site was constructed without any modern tools or machinery.
Stonehenge was discovered by archaeologists during the early 19th century when a farmer named George Stukeley noticed a strange circular arrangement of rocks on his property in southern England. He brought the stones to the attention of antiquarian William Camden who wrote about them in his book Britannia (1607). Over the next 200 years, many theories have been put forth regarding Stonehenge. Here are just a few of these ideas.
Henge Monoliths
A common myth claims that the stones were once upright pillars that supported a roof. Others claim the Henge monoliths were used as markers for burial rituals. Still others claim the stones were used for religious ceremonies as well as for astronomical observation. Most archaeologists agree that the stones were never in their original positions but rather moved after the monument was erected.
Henge Stones
Some people believe the Henge stones are natural boulders while others think they were carved artificially. The latter theory suggests that the stones were transported from somewhere else and placed at Stonehenge. The Henge stones were found to be made of the local chalk rock which would explain why they are so large. But how did they get there? Some have speculated that the stones were dragged across the countryside. Other archaeologists have speculated that the stones may have been carried by glaciers.
Stone Circle
Another popular myth about Stonehenge involves a stone circle. Many scholars believe that the inner ring of stones formed a circle around a central altar. However, excavations conducted in recent decades found no evidence to support this idea. Instead, the archaeologists found that the stones were arranged in concentric circles. This suggests that there was no single area where the stones originally stood. Rather, they were spread out over several acres.
Circular Avenue
Many people believe that the outer perimeter of the Stonehenge site is marked by a circular avenue. Archaeologists say that the avenue is not really a roadway but instead a ditch that was filled with soil to create a path. One theory is that the ditch was created to serve as a boundary marker to keep cattle away from the sacred center. Another theory holds that the ditch was dug to prevent flooding. Still another theory says that the ditch was dug to provide drainage. Whatever the reason for the road, it certainly wasn’t created to accommodate vehicles.
Sarsen Circle
An important fact about Stonehenge is that the stones and earthwork structures are all made of sarsens, a type of sandstone. Sarsen means “stone” in Dutch. There are actually two types of sarsen stone: those found in Wiltshire and those found in Dorset. The Stonehenge site is located in Wiltshire. The Dorset sarsen stones are known as bluestones.
Stonehenge Was Built By Druids
Another myth about Stonehenge is that the monument was built by Druids. In reality, Druids were a class of Celtic priests who served as healers and teachers. They were often hired by kings to perform various ceremonial tasks such as sacrifices. Although it is true that druids had knowledge of astronomy and mathematics, they weren’t involved in the building of Stonehenge.
Henge Rocks Were From Prehistoric Times
There is yet another myth about Stonehenge. People claim that the stones were once part of a prehistoric temple. This seems unlikely because there is no archaeological evidence to back up this idea. And if the Stones were moved from their natural locations, then we’d expect to find evidence of heavy transport equipment at the location. We don’t see any evidence of this.
Stonehenge Is A Solar Calendar
Yet another theory about Stonehenge is that it was built as a calendar to mark the passage of time. Since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, Stonehenge is aligned to make sure it faces the rising sun at dawn every year. Unfortunately, the alignment isn’t perfect. To account for this, the builders added additional stones to shift the position of the monument slightly to compensate for the discrepancy.
Stonehenge Is Part Of An Ancient Lunar Calendar
One other theory about Stonehenge is that the monument was built as part of an ancient lunar calendar. This view was first proposed in the late 1800s by Edward Tylor who believed the monument was built to track the movement of the moon. Modern astronomers have dismissed this idea. After examining satellite photos from the 1960s, they concluded that the Moon didn’t rise and set at Stonehenge until the mid-second millennium.
Stonehenge Was Created As A Place For Human Sacrifice
According to one theory, Stonehenge was built as a place for human sacrifice. This theory was first proposed by John Aubrey who lived near the monument during the 17th century. Aubrey claimed the monument was built as part of a Druid ritual that required human sacrifice. Later investigators dismissed this idea. Nowadays, we know that the only humans buried at Stonehenge were children.
Stonehenge Was Built During The Bronze Age
There’s still another story about the origins of Stonehenge. According to this legend, the monument was built sometime in the third millennium BC. The idea was proposed by Sir Charles Wright who argued that the builders were members of the Minoan civilization that flourished on Crete before 2000 BC. Wright based his theory on the fact that the builders of Stonehenge were familiar with bronze technology and had access to copper.
It is generally accepted that the builders of Stonehenge were Neolithic Britons who were living in the region around 2500 BC. These people had no use for metal tools and thus were unable to use bronze to build the monument. Moreover, archaeologists haven’t uncovered any evidence that suggests that the builders were Minoans.
Stonehenge Was Built By Aliens
Another intriguing theory about the origin of Stonehenge is that aliens built the monument. Proponents of this theory suggest that the aliens visited Earth millions of years ago and left behind some sort of extraterrestrial messages. The British government investigated this possibility during the 1970s. But later research determined that there was absolutely no evidence to support this theory.
Stonehenge Was Built By Roman Knights
This controversial theory was first proposed in the late 19th century by a man named William Borlase. Borlase said that he read about the monument in a medieval text called Le Morted’Arthur. His interpretation was that the monument was built by the Knights Templar whose headquarters were located nearby. He pointed out that the Knights Templar were associated with the early Christian church. Although Borlase’s theory was widely ridiculed at the time, it gained renewed interest in the 1990s when British archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson began investigating the possibility that Stonehenge was built by Roman invaders.
Stonehenge Was Built Using Giant Trilobites
In addition to being a tourist attraction, Stonehenge is also a scientific wonder. Scientists are constantly using the monument to study the development of life on Earth. In fact, one recent experiment revealed that Stonehenge was occupied by trilobite colonies that grew for millions of years.
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For more information about Stonehenge, check out our articles about Stonehenge myths and Stonehenge mysteries. If you’re looking for something to do on your next trip to England, visit Stonehenge on a tour and learn more about the history and science of this amazing monument.
