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More
Mysteries Discovered at Stonehenge
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The
megaliths of Stonehenge |
Almost
a year has passed since the discovery of the grave of the Amesbury Archer in Amesbury, Wiltshire,
near Stonehenge. And now another fascinating discovery has been made. The remains of six people,
four adults and two children, which date back almost 4,500 years have been found. The six people
were found sharing a single grave just 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles) from that of the archer.
The
archer, who has been dubbed by the media as the King of Stonehenge, was found just three miles from
the mysterious ring of ancient monoliths known as
Stonehenge
. His grave contained almost 100 objects including gold hair tresses that are the earliest gold to
have been found in
Britain
. Archaeologists believe the archer to have been born in the
Alps
region and to possibly have been involved in the construction of the monolithic structure. It is
further believed by archaeologists that he may have been a king since his grave is the richest
Bronze Age burial ever found in Britain.
The
six people that have been recently discovered lived around the same period as the archer,
approximately 2,300 BC Archaeologists say it is quite unusual to find such a large number of people
buried together like this in the same grave in southern
England
for this period. Four pots in the Beaker style, characteristic of the Bronze Age, were found in the
grave together with one flint arrowhead, some flint tools and a bone toggle for fastening clothing.
Radiocarbon tests will be done to precisely date the time of their burial.
“The
grave is fascinating because we are seeing the moment when
Britain
was moving from the Stone Age into the Bronze Age, around 2,300 BC The large number of bodies
placed in this grave is something more commonly found in the Stone Age, but the Beaker style pottery
is found in Bronze Age burials,” said Andrew Fitzpatrick of Wessex Archaeology.
The
grave was discovered by accident during the digging of a pipe trench. While the grave appears to
date from the same period as the last phase of Stonehenge ’s construction, the exact
relationship between its occupants and the builders of Stonehenge
is unknown.
The
Construction of Stonehenge
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An
aerial view shows the succession of structures. |
Although
thought by many to consist of only the well known colossal stone structures known as the
Sarsen Circle and the Trilithon Horseshoe, Stonehenge , in fact, consists of a succession of
earth and wood structures in addition to the stone structures mentioned above. Another little known
fact is that the megalithic ruin was modified and remodeled over a period of more than 1400 years.
Stonehenge
is found in Salisbury Plain, two miles west of Amesbury, Wiltshire, in southern England
. Richard Atkinson suggested in the 1940s and 1950s that the construction of Stonehenge took
place in three phases.
The
initial phase took place between 2950 and 2900 BCE It consists of a circular bank, ditch, and an
earth bank with a diameter of 100 meters (328 feet). Along the inner bank lie 56 holes known as
Aubrey Holes, named after their discoverer John Aubrey, which each held a wooden post.
The
second phase took place during the following 500 years between 2900 and 2400 BCE, during which post
holes for timber settings were created in the center and also at the north-eastern entrance. During
this period the Aubrey Holes were partially filled and no longer carried posts.
The
third phase, which involved the most complicated series of events, took place between 2500 and 1600
BCE. This phase is subdivided in several sub-phases. During the first sub-phase a series of
bluestones were set in what are known as the Q and R Holes. These were subsequently dismantled and
the Sarsen circle and the horseshoe-shaped arrangement of Trilithons were erected.
The
Sarsen Circle
was originally composed of 30 sandstone blocks, each with an average height of 4 (13 feet) meters
and a width of 2 (6.6 feet) meters. Sarsen lintels were arranged on top of these blocks to form a
continuous circle around the top. Tongue and groove joints were used between the lintels and they
were kept in place on top of the standing sarsens using mortice and tenon joints. Only 17 of the
original sarsen blocks are still standing. These stones are thought to have been transported to the
site from the Marlborough Downs, about 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) to the north of
Stonehenge
.
Within
the
Sarsen Circle
stands the Trilithon Horseshoe. This is composed of ten upright stones arranged into five pairs,
each pair carrying a single horizontal lintel. They are arranged in the form of a horseshoe with its
opening facing the main entrance of the monument which lies to the north-east. Three of the
Trilithons remain standing while the other two have one stone standing with the second stone and
lintel lying on the ground.
Inside
the Trilithon Horseshoe, a bluestone oval was then added, from which the arc was later removed to
form a bluestone horseshoe.
A Bluestone Circle
was also added outside the Horseshoe but inside the
Sarsen Circle
. The bluestones are thought to have been transported from the outcrops in the Preseli Hills in
Pembrokeshire in
Wales
. Just how they were transported to
Stonehenge
is a mystery.
Two
circles of holes known as the Y and Z Holes were then dug for the erection of stones; however these
holes were never filled. Four stones known as Station Stones are thought to have been erected during
this period. They lie just inside the Bank more or less along the same line as the Aubrey Holes.
These stones form a rectangle that stands in a precise relationship with the centre of the monument
and with the Heel Stone. Only two of these stones still exist, and only one of them still stands
while the other has fallen.
At
the main entrance of the monument lies a sarsen stone known as the Slaughter Stone.An
earthwork known as the Avenue, which extends north-east from the break in the bank-and-ditch, was
also laid out during this period. A stone known as the Heel Stone was erected on this Avenue and it
is thought that it may have been paired with another now missing stone.
Within
the Trilithon Horseshoe and in front of the middle and largest pair of Trilithons lies a large block
of sandstone, embedded in the ground. This stone is the only one of its kind at
Stonehenge
and is believed to be Cosheston Beds Sandstone from south Wales.
The
Mysteries Behind its Construction
It
is not known who was behind the construction of
Stonehenge
; however some of the theories include that it was built by the Druids, Greeks, Phoenicians, and
Atlanteans. The reason behind its construction is also a mystery. However during the eighteenth
century a British antiquarian named William Stukeley noticed that the Trilithon Horseshoe and the
Bluestone Horseshoe both opened up in the direction of the midsummer sunrise. It was also noticed
that on midsummer’s morning, the sun rises directly over the Heel Stone and shines its first rays
into the center of the horseshoe arrangement. It was this discovery that lead to the contemplation
that
Stonehenge
was used as a temple for sun worship.
In
more recent times, astronomer Gerald Hawkins suggested that the monument was also used as an
astronomical calendar. He found that the 56 Aubrey Holes are arranged at precisely regular intervals
around a circle that is 86.9 meters (285 feet) in diameter. Each one of the Aubrey Holes serves as a
fixed reference point along the circle, and by moving a marker between the holes, different
calculation and predictions can be made. For example, by moving a marker by two holes each day, the
cycle of the moon, which takes 27.3 days, can be tracked as the circuit will be completed in 28
days. It is also argued that by using a much longer method of calculation using the Aubrey Holes,
astronomers at
Stonehenge
could predict both lunar and solar eclipses.
Whatever
the motive was behind the construction of this megalithic monument, it will continue to draw
tourists from around the world, each with his own presumptions on why it was built and by whom. It
is a mystery that will remain just that.
Sources:
Aisha
El-Awady has a bachelor’s degree in medicine from Cairo University and
is currently preparing her MA and working as instructor of Parasitology in the
Faculty of Medicine. She may be contacted at: aawady@islam-online.net.
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