Stonehenge
Stonehenge, a circular stone monument in Amesbury England, has successfully guarded many secrets over the ages, and even today a variety of scientists and archaeologists, are still trying to solve them.
Finding the origin has always been difficult, but archaeologists can now get accurately close. Despite the many mysteries that lurk in Stonehenge, archaeological excavation has shown that the construction of Stonehenge started around 3100 C.E. and that Stonehenge was completed around 1600 C.E. Since Stonehenge was such a massive project, it took many phases to complete the entire Stonehenge, although some of the phases had nothing to do with the overall construction of the stones.
While Stonehenge appears to be made of one type of stone, actually it is comprised of many. Stonehenge is made up of a variety of stones, consisting of an outer ring of sarsen stones about 13 feet tall, and an inner horseshoe circle of sarsens 20-24 feet tall. Small bluestones about 6.6 feet (2m) tall were placed on the inside of the outer circle of sarsen stones and on the inside of the horseshoe circle of sarsens as well. This is what Stonehenge could have looked like when it was completed (above).Stonehenge was a large and elaborate construction, and it all began with a main bank. The first phase of construction on Stonehenge was a circular bank and ditch, an enclosure of Late Cretaceous Chalk, made of white limestone that is seen often in southeastern England. There were two openings constructed, a main entrance to the northeast, and a smaller one to the south. The chalk that was dug from the ditch piled up and was used to form a bank, and at the bottom of the ditch, the remains and bones of oxen and deer were placed along with even a few old flint tools, although the ditch was picked by deer antlers which were a good deal older than the bones of the animals.
Surrounding the entire fortress are what archaeologists call the Aubrey Holes. The Aubrey Holes are names after John Aubrey, a famous archaeologist who was known to chart and record the location of stone formations. They are about 56 pits, no more than a meter in diameter long, possibly used for timber poles, although recent excavations have shown that they may have been used as a bluestone circle originally. At 2600 B.C.E., it was decided among the builders that they would take out the timber and replace it with stone, so they dug holes in two concentric arrays. The holes then held eighty bluestones, although only 43 of them can be traced currently.
Although there are over 900 stone circles in the British Isles, Stonehenge is by far the most popular. This is possibly because the bluestones were brought to the site from over 200 miles away from the Preseli Mountains. Mystery clouds as to how the stones were brought to Stonehenge, as the stones weighed about five tons each. Possibly the stones were rolled across wooden posts, around the inlet of water. However archaeologists are not certain entirely. Another small possibility is that the stones were moved closer to Stonehenge by the Irish Sea Glacier.
While the use of the stones is in the dark, their location of origin is not disputed. The sarsen stones were brought over to Stonehenge from a place called Marlborough Downs, about 20 miles away from Stonehenge. Although the distance is small in comparison to where the bluestones came from, the stones weighed from 25 to 50 tons.
While the origin of the stones themselves remains a mystery, the intended use of the bluestone is also controversial. Local beliefs suggest healing power came from the bluestones, and some scientists think that is why the stones are from over 200 miles away, and that Stonehenge served as a healing place. Bluestones, even today are still believed to carry healing powers. A bluestone healing crystal is believed by some, to have many helpful properties. Believers say that keeping a stone close to them is helpful, like keeping the stone on a chain or in your pocket. The stone is supposed to give you willpower, courage and strength. It also may act as a protection stone, an energy enhancer and possibly help you receive messages. Also it is believed that keeping a stone under your pillow at night is to help with self control.
Not only is the purpose of the stones in question, but also the arrangement of all the stones. Stonehenge itself is aligned on the midsummer sunrise, the midwinter sunset, and the very southerly rising and northerly setting of the moon. Recently, archeologists have discovered that under two miles north of Stonehenge is a woodhenge known as Durrington Walls. After more excavation at Durrington Walls, it was discovered that there was a pathway leads from the henge to the River Avon, just like Stonehenge had a winding path to the same river. This would suggest that both henges had similar purposes.
Stonehenge is believed by some archaeologists, to represent the dead. Once the Durrington Walls timber posts were discovered, it seemed that Durrington Walls represented the living, and that Stonehenge represented the dead. There is evidence in Durrington Walls that people occasionally came to Durrington and feasted, possibly on the midwinter and midsummer solstice. On the sunrise of the midwinter solstice, the Durrington timber posts would be facing towards the rising sun, while Stonehenge framed the setting sun. On the summer solstice, Stonehenge was aligned with rising sun, and Durrington was aligned with the sunset.
Not everyone is convinced of Stonehenge’s purpose. Some people believe that Stonehenge served as a burial place, or even a healing place, due to the beliefs that bluestones have healing powers. Many other archaeologists think that Stonehenge was a solar calendar, that predicted that the sunrise, sunset, eclipse, moon rise and moonset, yet it is argued that Stonehenge was a worship place as well, the remains of many animals and humans were discovered by and at Stonehenge.
While there are many old monuments, it still amazing how much we can learn and discover from them. Although Stonehenge’s purpose and creation remain a mystery to us, it is certain that it is an amazing monument with far more secrets to be revealed.
Finding the origin has always been difficult, but archaeologists can now get accurately close. Despite the many mysteries that lurk in Stonehenge, archaeological excavation has shown that the construction of Stonehenge started around 3100 C.E. and that Stonehenge was completed around 1600 C.E. Since Stonehenge was such a massive project, it took many phases to complete the entire Stonehenge, although some of the phases had nothing to do with the overall construction of the stones.
While Stonehenge appears to be made of one type of stone, actually it is comprised of many. Stonehenge is made up of a variety of stones, consisting of an outer ring of sarsen stones about 13 feet tall, and an inner horseshoe circle of sarsens 20-24 feet tall. Small bluestones about 6.6 feet (2m) tall were placed on the inside of the outer circle of sarsen stones and on the inside of the horseshoe circle of sarsens as well. This is what Stonehenge could have looked like when it was completed (above).Stonehenge was a large and elaborate construction, and it all began with a main bank. The first phase of construction on Stonehenge was a circular bank and ditch, an enclosure of Late Cretaceous Chalk, made of white limestone that is seen often in southeastern England. There were two openings constructed, a main entrance to the northeast, and a smaller one to the south. The chalk that was dug from the ditch piled up and was used to form a bank, and at the bottom of the ditch, the remains and bones of oxen and deer were placed along with even a few old flint tools, although the ditch was picked by deer antlers which were a good deal older than the bones of the animals.
Surrounding the entire fortress are what archaeologists call the Aubrey Holes. The Aubrey Holes are names after John Aubrey, a famous archaeologist who was known to chart and record the location of stone formations. They are about 56 pits, no more than a meter in diameter long, possibly used for timber poles, although recent excavations have shown that they may have been used as a bluestone circle originally. At 2600 B.C.E., it was decided among the builders that they would take out the timber and replace it with stone, so they dug holes in two concentric arrays. The holes then held eighty bluestones, although only 43 of them can be traced currently.
Although there are over 900 stone circles in the British Isles, Stonehenge is by far the most popular. This is possibly because the bluestones were brought to the site from over 200 miles away from the Preseli Mountains. Mystery clouds as to how the stones were brought to Stonehenge, as the stones weighed about five tons each. Possibly the stones were rolled across wooden posts, around the inlet of water. However archaeologists are not certain entirely. Another small possibility is that the stones were moved closer to Stonehenge by the Irish Sea Glacier.
While the use of the stones is in the dark, their location of origin is not disputed. The sarsen stones were brought over to Stonehenge from a place called Marlborough Downs, about 20 miles away from Stonehenge. Although the distance is small in comparison to where the bluestones came from, the stones weighed from 25 to 50 tons.
While the origin of the stones themselves remains a mystery, the intended use of the bluestone is also controversial. Local beliefs suggest healing power came from the bluestones, and some scientists think that is why the stones are from over 200 miles away, and that Stonehenge served as a healing place. Bluestones, even today are still believed to carry healing powers. A bluestone healing crystal is believed by some, to have many helpful properties. Believers say that keeping a stone close to them is helpful, like keeping the stone on a chain or in your pocket. The stone is supposed to give you willpower, courage and strength. It also may act as a protection stone, an energy enhancer and possibly help you receive messages. Also it is believed that keeping a stone under your pillow at night is to help with self control.
Not only is the purpose of the stones in question, but also the arrangement of all the stones. Stonehenge itself is aligned on the midsummer sunrise, the midwinter sunset, and the very southerly rising and northerly setting of the moon. Recently, archeologists have discovered that under two miles north of Stonehenge is a woodhenge known as Durrington Walls. After more excavation at Durrington Walls, it was discovered that there was a pathway leads from the henge to the River Avon, just like Stonehenge had a winding path to the same river. This would suggest that both henges had similar purposes.
Stonehenge is believed by some archaeologists, to represent the dead. Once the Durrington Walls timber posts were discovered, it seemed that Durrington Walls represented the living, and that Stonehenge represented the dead. There is evidence in Durrington Walls that people occasionally came to Durrington and feasted, possibly on the midwinter and midsummer solstice. On the sunrise of the midwinter solstice, the Durrington timber posts would be facing towards the rising sun, while Stonehenge framed the setting sun. On the summer solstice, Stonehenge was aligned with rising sun, and Durrington was aligned with the sunset.
Not everyone is convinced of Stonehenge’s purpose. Some people believe that Stonehenge served as a burial place, or even a healing place, due to the beliefs that bluestones have healing powers. Many other archaeologists think that Stonehenge was a solar calendar, that predicted that the sunrise, sunset, eclipse, moon rise and moonset, yet it is argued that Stonehenge was a worship place as well, the remains of many animals and humans were discovered by and at Stonehenge.
While there are many old monuments, it still amazing how much we can learn and discover from them. Although Stonehenge’s purpose and creation remain a mystery to us, it is certain that it is an amazing monument with far more secrets to be revealed.