Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Amesbury and 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is the remains of a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. It is in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.

Archaeologists believe it was built anywhere from 3000 BC to 2000 BC. Radiocarbon dating in 2008 suggested that the first stones were raised between 2400 and 2200 BC, whilst another theory suggests that bluestones may have been raised at the site as early as 3000 BC.

The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. The site and its surroundings were added to the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 in a co-listing with Avebury Henge. It is a national legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. Stonehenge is owned by the Crown and managed by English Heritage, while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust.

Archaeological evidence found by the Stonehenge Riverside Project in 2008 indicates that Stonehenge could have been a burial ground from its earliest beginnings. The dating of cremated remains found on the site indicate that deposits contain human bone from as early as 3000 BC, when the ditch and bank were first dug. Such deposits continued at Stonehenge for at least another 500 years. The site is a place of religious significance and pilgrimage in Neo-Druidry.

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Some facts about Stonehenge:

• The heaviest stones weigh 50 tons; it would have taken 600 men to move just one.
• Stonehenge took an epic 1,600 years to build.
• There are at least 20 different rock types at Stonehenge including Bluestone, Sarson and Welsh Sandstone.
• The 4-ton Bluestones come from 250km away in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It’s still not understood how early man was able to transport such heavy loads over such vast distances.
• Nearly a million people visit Stonehenge every year.
• Stonehenge is an official place of worship for Druid and Pagan religions and is closed to the public at the Solstice so that ancient religious practices can be carried out.
• Often missed on the tourist trail is nearby Avebury Circle. It forms part of the “Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites” World Heritage Site and is the largest stone circle in Europe – so large in fact, the village of Avebury spills right through the middle.
• Archaeologists have believed that the iconic stone monument was erected around 2500 BC.
• When Stonehenge was first opened to the public it was possible to walk amongst and even climb on the stones, but the stones were roped off in 1977 as a result of serious erosion.

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Reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge

http://www.travelsnitch.org

Posted in: United Kingdom