Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the county of Wiltshire, about 130 km west of London, England.
Stonehenge consists of a ring of giant stones that reach 9 meters high, 2 meters wide and weigh around 25 tons.
The construction of Stonehenge is believed to have started in the Neolithic period, around 3000 years before Christ, and that the monument has undergone several changes over the thousand years since followed.
The monument is composed of two types of stones: the sarsen, which form the outer circle of the monument, and the blue stones (bluestones), which form the inner circle.
Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and is considered an icon of British culture. In 1986 the monument was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and today it is one of the most famous tourist spots in the world.
What is the story of Stonehenge?
Stonehenge's history is shrouded in mystery and it is not clear what its purpose was or even who built it. It was long believed that the monument was built by Celtic priests known as druids. However, carbon dating procedures revealed that Stonehenge existed long before the Celtic people inhabited the region.
Theories indicate that the area where Stonehenge is located already had one or two sarsen stones, and was used for ceremonies and rituals long before the monument was built.
It was only around 3000 years before Christ that Stonehenge began to be built. How the stones were transported to the site remains a mystery and is the result of several theories. That's because the bluestones, which make up the inner circle and weigh about 4 tons, only exist in the Preseli Hills region, about 200 miles away.
Considering the technology of the time, it is not known how the Neolithic people managed to move the rocks to the monument site. Numerous theories seek to explain the feat. Some involve the use of ramps, tree trunks and rafts. However, many scientists believe that the rocks were actually moved by glaciers during the Ice Age.
What was Stonehenge for?
The purpose of Stonehenge is also the subject of much speculation. Several archaeological evidence shows that the site was used as a cemetery for part of its history, but many scholars believe that the monument also had other functions.
One of the most accepted theories about the purpose of Stonehenge is that it was a kind of calendar in which each point on the stone circle corresponded to an astronomical event such as solstices or eclipses. This theory is reinforced by the fact that on the summer and winter solstices the sun sets exactly on certain stones in the monument.
Some scientists consider Stonehenge to have served as a place of healing. This theory is based on the fact that, for a long time, it was believed that bluestones (blue stones), which form the inner circle of the monument, had healing properties. In addition, it was found that much of the human material found at the site had evidence of disease or bone fractures. Thus, Stonehenge may have been used as a place of healing, which would justify the flow of people to the region throughout history.
Today Stonehenge is used in some neopagan rituals.
Stonehenge Fun Facts
Stonehenge has always been surrounded by various curiosities. Among the main ones are:
- The site was already visited by Charles Darwin;
- Its construction has already been attributed to the wizard Merlin;
- A popular legend in England holds that the monument was built by Satan;
- Stonehenge has already undergone several restorations over the years, but those responsible ensure that the original formation of the stones was respected;
- Stonehenge is not the only monument formed by a ring of stones, but it is the best designed. The stone circles at Avebury and Brodgar Circle are similar and larger monuments than Stonehenge, but do not contain polished or strategically placed stones.
See too: Paganism.
