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MYSTERIOUS

PLACES

Prof. Iacov Hermina

Stonehenge

Description:An ancient arrangement of huge stones

Location :Sais!ur" Pain# $ %m &est of the to&n of Ames!ur"#

'itshire# in southern Engan(

Mystery : 'ho !uit Stonehenge) Ho& &as it constructe()

*

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'hat &as its +ur+ose)

Stonehenge is not the on" ancient site that has arge ,stan(ingstones-. Such stones have !een foun( a over the &or( These stones are

cae( megaliths, a com!ination of the /ree% &or(s mega# meaning arge

an( litho&hich means stone.

Over *0000 "ears ago# aroun( 1000 2.C. the an( of &hich

Stonehenge no& rests &as a fat +ain. A massive a"er of soi( cha%

!e(roc% e3ten(s a++ro3imate" 450 feet !eo& the surface of the groun(.

The first evi(ence of human activit" near the site (ates !ac% to some time

!et&een 1000 2.C. an( 6000 2.C. &hen at east three +its &ere (ug intothe groun( a!out 750 feet a&a" from Stonehenge site. It is !eieve( that

the +its once he( a ro& of u+right +ine +osts !ut &oo(8 uni%e stone 9

roots a&a"# so the +osts are ong gone. E3cavate( in *:77# these +its are

ocate( un(er the area# &hich is current" Stonehenge +ar%ing ot.

Scientists have (etermine( that Stonehenge &as constructe( in three

stages !et&een $*00 2.C. an( **00 2.C. This (oes not mean that the

construction ;o! aste( 4000 "ears !ecause the site

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a techni?ue for (ating organic matter such as !ones or &oo(.

The earth&or%s em!an%ment# cae( a bank, &asorigina" a!out 4

meters high# !ut erosion has re(uce( it to to(a"

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to !e trans+orte( from over $17#> %iometers a&a". The reason for &hich

the !ui(ers of Stonehenge seecte( the Presei !uestone is that Presei

Mountains an( their stones &ere consi(ere( sacre(.

It is !eieve( that the stones &ere carrie( on the &ater on &oo(en

se(ges an( rafts.

After !eing (eivere( to the site# the !uestones &ere raise( to form

t&o +artia circes &ithin the center of the earth&or%. Scientists !eieve

that ro+es an( &oo(en evers &ere use(# as &e as the strength of over

*00 +eo+e cae( 2ea%er Fo%# after the (iscover" of !ea%ers an( other

+otter" that (ate !ac% to the construction of Stonehenge II.

Most archeoogists agree that the !uestones a++ear to have !een

aigne( to antici+ate the sunrise of the summer sostice# &hich occurs

aroun( Gune 4*. Scientists have aso suggeste( that the stones ma" have!een use( to antici+ate soar eci+ses# unar eci+ses# an( meteor sho&ers.

Some researchers maintain that the stones aignment &ith the stones must

have !een (ei!erate" arrange( for astronomica +ur+oses.

Stonehenge III 4000 2.C.8 **00 2.C.

An estimate( 400 stones &ere trans+orte( to the site from the area

%no&n to(a" as Mar!orough =o&ns in orth 'itshire# a!out $4 %mnorth of Stonehenge. These stones are cae( thesarsen stones,the argest

of &hich &eigh u+ to 50 tons. Scientists !eieve that each stone &as

trans+orte( to Stonehenge !" a +ue( se(ge. Accor(ing to one estimate#

moving each sarsen stone &ou( have re?uire( a!out 700 +eo+e.

At the site# the sarsen stone &ere arrange( to form an outer circe of

u+rights aroun( the +artia circes of !uestones. This outer circe &as

to++e( !" a continuous D ring D of sarsen intes. Scientists !eieve that the

u+rights &ere +artia" raise( !efore the intes &ere ifte( an( set into+osition# an( then the u+rights &ere move( to the stan(ing +osition.

T&o arge sarsen stones &ere +ace( outsi(e the !an%s northeast

entrance. To(a"# on" one stone remains. L"ing fat on the groun(# it is

7#$0 meters ong an( features re((ish stains. It is name( Slaughter Stone

!ecause +eo+e thought it might have !een use( as a ta!e for sacrifices.

That certain" &asnt the stones origina +ur+ose# since it +revious" ha(

stoo( u+right an( &as 7 meters ta.

Stonehenge and the Druids

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Man" +eo+e sti maintain that ancient =rui(s !uit Stonehenge# !ut

Cetic civiiBation (i(nt !egin unti hun(re(s of "ears after Stonehenges

construction# !ut it is +ossi!e that the ancient =rui(s use( the area("8

e3isting Stonehenge as a sacre( site.

How did Stonehenge get its name?

The eariest %no&n &ritten reference to Stonehenge is from A.=.

**$0# &hen the me(ieva historian Henr" of Huntington referre( to the site

as DStanengesD.The &or( Stanenges a++ears to !e a com!ination of the

Mi((e Engish &or( stanstone an( hengenhanging or sus+en(e(.

Eventua"# the &or( Stanhenges !ecame Stonehenge.

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