Stonehenge history. Where is Stonehenge? History and mystery of ancient stones. Origin of the word Stonehenge
In the photo: the architectural monument Stonehenge in England. Photo from dailymail.co.uk
History of Stonehenge
Scientists believe that one of the most mysterious sights of England - the famous Stonehenge - was founded from above. 5000 years ago. Since then, the mysterious cromlech continues to attract people from all over the world.
It is estimated that the construction of Stonehenge took over three hundred years. Over the centuries it has been rebuilt and modified many times. The true purpose of the building is still not known, but there is evidence archaeological finds suggestions that it was once used as a giant observatory or ritual structure associated with the cult of the dead in early paganism.
Pictured: a mysterious pagan ceremony at ancient Stonehenge in England. Source: bbc.co.uk
The first circular building on the site of the modern stone cromlech was erected around 3100 BC and consisted of an embankment with a diameter of about 110 meters and a ditch in which the bones of deer and bulls were laid. Moreover, archaeologists believe that these bones were much older than the tools used to dig the ditch.
There were 56 holes dug inside, named Aubrey's Holes after one of Stonehenge's early explorers. According to modern scientists, they were used for astronomical purposes; perhaps, with the help of stones or tree trunks installed in the holes, the ancient inhabitants of England predicted eclipses or monitored movements celestial bodies. And in 2013, a team of researchers discovered the cremated remains of at least 63 people - men, women and even a few children - buried in Aubrey's holes. In total, about 50,000 bones were found at Stonehenge. Later burials were also discovered on the territory of the monument, as well as evidence of a large number of people visiting the monument.
It is assumed that the first stone buildings on the site of Stonehenge appeared around 2600 BC. There are 80 standing stones from that time, some of which were brought from a distance of 240-250 kilometers. Other stones were taken from a quarry located 80 kilometers from Stonehenge. Moreover, the largest stones reached a height of two meters and weighed about 2 tons. Later, even larger stones were added, some of which have survived to this day. The heaviest cromlech stones weigh over 50 tons, and the height of the largest stone is a mind-boggling 7 meters.
Researchers are still wondering how exactly these blocks were delivered and installed. It is not surprising that people believed that giants participated in the construction or explained the emergence of Stonehenge by magic. One thing is certain - its construction required enormous efforts of a large number of people and lasted several centuries. But this is what exactly prompted the ancient inhabitants of modern England to build such grandiose building, we can only guess.
Illustration from a mid-14th century manuscript. Participation of the wizard Merlin and the giants in the construction of Stonehenge. Source: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk
In terms of scale and historical age, Stonehenge is quite capable of competing with the Egyptian pyramids. And it definitely surpasses them in its mystery.
Stonehenge in modern times
Unfortunately, only a small part of the once majestic building has survived to this day. But, nevertheless, its scale is amazing to this day. Now we can only see an impressive altar stone, several vertical stones with lintels, a heel stone, the remains of a ditch and part of the preserved holes. Standing next to giant stones three times tall, it is impossible to believe that they were erected by people, especially long before the advent of construction equipment.
Plan of modern Stonehenge. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org
A slight disappointment for tourists may be that Stonehenge is always full of visitors, and you cannot get too close to the stones, let alone touch them with your hands. That is, the expected “unity with space,” which many expect from a visit to Stonehenge, most likely will not happen.
But, even taking into account the constant crowds of tourists, Stonehenge makes an indelible impression and it is not for nothing that it remains one of the most visited attractions in the UK. And besides looking at stones, there is something to do on the territory of the museum complex. For example, you can try to move a stone similar in size and weight to the blocks in the monument, see Neolithic huts and imagine how people lived during the construction of Stonehenge, buy unusual souvenirs and admire the herbs blooming around.
How to get to Stonehenge
In the photo: a queue of tourists to Stonehenge. Photo from telegraph.org.uk
If you want to see the mysterious creation of ancient masters with your own eyes, the easiest way is to go to Stonehenge by car. It is located just 130 km from London in Wiltshire near the town of Amesbury at Amesbury, Salisbury SP4 7DE, UK.
Trains run every hour from Waterloo station to Salisbury, located 9.5 miles from the place of interest to us. The train journey will take about an hour and a half, plus you will have to take a bus or taxi, or walk about 15 kilometers through the picturesque area. Ubiquitous signs will prevent you from getting lost.
You can also get to Stonehenge by bus from Heathrow Airport or from Victoria Coach Station. In this case, the trip will take about two hours. The bus will take those eager to learn about the mysteries of antiquity to Amesbury, where they will have to change to another bus, take a taxi, or walk about 2 miles.
You can also choose from a huge number of options bus tours and visit only Stonehenge or several attractions at once. The first option will cost £40-50 per person, a round trip from London will take about 5 hours.
Stonehenge is open to the public every day, except Christmas weekend, from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets cost £16.30 for adults, £9.80 for children aged 5 to 15, £14.70 for pensioners and students. A family ticket for 2 adults and 3 children costs £42.40 when booked online. Tickets on the door will cost around £1-2 more. If you need an audio guide, it costs £3 to hire.
So is it worth going that far? Undoubtedly, if you want to feel the incomparable energy of this mysterious place, it is worth seeing with your own eyes the stones that stood in the same place long before the birth of Christ, as well as before the arrival of the Romans, the construction of Hadrian’s Wall, the reign of the legendary King Arthur and many other historical events.
Well, if for you stones are just stones, and you do not see any esoteric background in this structure, then in England, undoubtedly, there are many others, no less interesting places, which are much easier to get to.
One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, Stonehenge consists of earthworks surrounding ring-shaped and horseshoe-shaped structures of large menhirs. It is at the center of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England. The monument itself and its surroundings were included in the list World Heritage UNESCO in 1986 with Avebury. Stonehenge is handed over to English Heritage by the British Crown, while the immediate surroundings belong to the National Trust.
Description of Stonehenge
Stand out on the plan
1 - Altar Stone, a six-ton monolith of green mica sandstone from Wales
2-3 - mounds without graves
4 - fallen stone 4.9 meters long (Slaughter Stone - scaffold)
5 - Heel Stone
6 - two of the originally four vertical stones (on the plan of the early 19th century their position is indicated differently)
7 - ditch (ditch)
8 - internal shaft
9 - external shaft
10 - Avenue, that is, a parallel pair of ditches and ramparts leading 3 km to the River Avon (en: River Avon, Hampshire); now these shafts are barely visible (see virtual tour)
11 - ring of 30 pits, so-called. Y wells; in the 1930s the holes were marked with round posts, which have now been removed
12 - ring of 30 pits, so-called. Z holes
13 - circle of 56 holes, known as Aubrey holes
14 - small southern entrance
The stones concentrated in the center of Stonehenge are indicated on the plan by color: gray for sandstone boulders (sarsen) and blue for stones imported from afar, mainly bluestones. These stone blocks were probably brought to the Stonehenge site from a distance of 380 km, approximately eastern Wales, as this is the nearest stone quarry.
The location of the stones was reconstructed by William Stukeley at the beginning of the 19th century; further research made minor adjustments to it. (See also circular panoramas).
30 sarsen stones form a circle with a diameter of 33 m. These stones reach a height of 4.1 m, a width of 2.1 m and a weight of about 25 tons. On top of them are placed lintel stones about 3.2 m long, 1 m wide and 0.8 m thick, so that the tops of the lintels are 4.9 m above ground level. The stones were secured using a “mortise and tenon” system. The arc of the outer ring of 13 stones has been preserved along with the ceilings. The lintels are not indicated on the plan.
Within this circle stood five sarsen trilithons, forming a horseshoe open towards the avenue. Their huge stones weigh up to 50 tons each. The trilithons are arranged symmetrically: the smallest pair of trilithons was 6 m high, the next pair was slightly higher, and the largest was the single central trilithon, 7.3 m high. 19th century Only two trilithons from the southeast and one strongly bent support of the central trilithl have survived. In the first half of the 20th century, one trilith from the north-west was restored and the support of the central trilith was straightened, which completely changed the appearance of the complex from the north-west.
The shape of the ring and horseshoe is repeated by a ring without overlap and a horseshoe made of blue stones.
Dating of Stonehenge
The first researchers associated the construction of Stonehenge with the Druids. Excavations, however, have pushed back the creation of Stonehenge to the New Stone and Bronze Ages. Modern dating of Stonehenge elements is based on the radiocarbon method. Currently, the following phases are distinguished:
Phase 1 – construction of the main ditch and ramparts (Windmill Hill culture). A significant number of deer antlers with signs of “wear” were found in the ditch. Since no mud was found below these antlers, it was suggested that the ditch was dug shortly after the deer were killed. The last event was radiocarbon dated to 3020-2910 BC. e.
Phase 2 - secondary filling of the ditch, timber structures and Aubrey holes.
Phase 3 - burial cut into the top of the secondary ditch fill, construction of sandstone and bluestone rings, avenues and holes Y and Z (Wessex culture). Material for dating the sarsen boulders, available in very limited quantities, points to 2440-2100 BC. e.
Purpose of Stonehenge
Legends connected the construction of Stonehenge with the name of Merlin. In the middle of the 17th century, the English architect Inigo Jones put forward the version that Stonehenge was built by the ancient Romans. Some scholars of the Middle Ages believed that Stonehenge was built by the Swiss or Germans. At the beginning of the 19th century, the version of Stonehenge as a Druid sanctuary was established. Some believed that this was the tomb of Boadicea, a pagan queen.
"" Even the authors of the 18th century noticed that the position of the stones can be linked to astronomical phenomena. The most famous modern attempt to interpret Stonehenge as a grand observatory from the Stone Age is due to J. Hawkins and J. White. It has no scientific confirmation.
It is also often claimed that Stonehenge was used for burials. Indeed, burials were found on the territory of the monument, but they were made much later than the construction of Stonehenge. For example, the skeleton of a young man was found in a ditch, dated using the radiocarbon method to 780-410 BC. e.
Reportedly news agencies, Professor of Archeology at the University of Sheffield Mike Parker Person, who directs the Stonehenge Riverside Archaeological Project, noted that in his opinion Stonehenge from its very beginning until its heyday in the third millennium BC was considered by the inhabitants of England as a territory for the burial of the dead.
Huge stones, mounds, ditches, pits and ramparts - for many centuries Stonehenge has been of interest to historians, astronomers, and astrologers, who put forward various theories about the reasons for its origin and purpose.
Many people wonder how old this structure is and what is the history of Stonehenge. He is not much younger in age Egyptian pyramids– according to the latest data, it was built almost four thousand years ago. The ancient inhabitants called it “The Dance (or Round Dance) of the Giants,” and just by looking at it, it immediately becomes clear why.
It has long been known where Stonehenge is located and what it looks like. The building is located in Wiltshire in the UK. According to the latest data, its construction began around 1900 BC. e. (at the end of the Stone Age), and ended after three centuries (at the same time it was rebuilt three times).
First, the builders dug a ditch in the shape of a circle, then installed blocks and pillars of wood, dug and placed 56 holes in a circle. The central element of the building was the Heel Stone, seven meters high, right above which the Sun still rises on the day of the summer solstice. This is exactly what the ancient building looked like.
UK structures are extremely resistant to seismic activity. Studies have shown that builders achieved this thanks to special platforms designed to soften or even dampen tremors. Another feature is that they do not cause so-called “soil shrinkage”.
The structure itself has the following description:
- 82 stone blocks (megaliths). According to recent research, the blue or greenish-gray volcanic stones of Stonehenge weighing 5 tons were most likely brought here from Carn Goedog, which is very far from Stonehenge - a distance of 250 km. Scientists still put forward different theories about how the ancient British dragged a large number of five-ton blocks over such a distance.
- 30 stone blocks. The ancient builders placed blocks of stone weighing 25 tons each, four meters high, about two wide, in the shape of a circle, the diameter of which was 33 m. They were connected to each other using a “mortise and tenon” method, with transverse stones placed on top. Each such stone is a little more than three meters in length. The distance between the top of these jumpers and the ground turned out to be about five meters. In our time, an arch consisting of thirteen blocks with crossbars has been preserved.
- 5 trilithons. The weight of each trilith is 50 tons. They were located inside this circle and formed a horseshoe. They were installed symmetrically - the height of one pair was six meters, the next one was higher, and the height of the central trilith reached 7.3 m. By the nineteenth century, only two south-eastern trilithons remained, as well as one curved support of the main stone. At the beginning of the twentieth, experts restored one northwestern trilith and straightened the support of the central one, thereby bringing its appearance closer to the original one.
Construction versions
Many people wonder who built Stonehenge, how Stonehenge was built and how old it is. Stonehenge took several centuries to build, and people worked on its construction. great amount people (it should be borne in mind that very few people lived in Great Britain at that time). Therefore, many scientists believe that all the peoples living in this area at that time were involved in the construction.
To build such a structure, the ancient British used dolerite, volcanic lava, volcanic tuff, sandstone and limestone.
Half of the monoliths were delivered from a site located more than two hundred kilometers from the building. According to some assumptions, they were delivered first by land, then by water; according to others, they themselves sailed here naturally.
Experiments were even carried out that showed that in a day twenty-four people are able to move a one-ton block just one kilometer. This means that it most likely took ancient people several years to deliver one heavy monolith.
The stones were processed in several stages to obtain the desired look and shape. First, even before moving, they were prepared for transportation by blows, fire and water, and after delivery they were already processed and polished, after which they acquired the desired appearance.
In order to install a block, they dug a hole, lined it with stakes, along which they rolled the monolith. After this, ropes were installed in a vertical position and fixed.
The crossbars were much more difficult to install. According to some assumptions, in order to place them on parallel stones, earthen elevations were made, along which the monoliths were pulled. According to others, they were raised using logs. First, they were placed at the same height, a block was dragged onto them, then a higher pile of logs was built nearby, the stone was lifted onto it, etc.
Purpose
Considering how many years and centuries were spent on the construction of Stonehenge, the number of people involved (according to some sources - at least a thousand) and efforts, the question arises why Stonehenge was built in Great Britain.
At first its construction was attributed to the Druids. In the Middle Ages, most people believed that Merlin erected it in one night after the British king's victory over the Saxons. During the Renaissance, historians decided that the Druids could not erect such a building, so it was most likely built by the Romans.
Now some scientists are convinced that this building is the burial place of Queen Boadicea. Moreover, the remains of ancient people were discovered here, according to scientists, who belonged to 240 representatives of the local elite. At the same time, most human bones dates back to 2570-2340. BC, and the oldest are another thousand years older.
Most researchers are inclined to think that buildings of this type were not only ritual, but also astronomical structures, since here they could intensively study other planets, stars, sunrises and sunsets.
Astronomical theory
Nowadays, few people doubt the fact that Stonehenge was a huge observatory from which the sky was observed. Here they determined on what day the summer and winter solstices would occur (at this time the Sun rises directly above the Heel Stone), and began to keep an annual countdown.
Also, during the research, scientists noticed that on the day of the winter solstice the Sun is perfectly visible through one trilith, and the sunsets of celestial bodies are visible through the other two. And two more were used to observe the Moon.
Some scientists have put forward the idea that the holes located inside the circle accurately imitate the trajectory of the celestial pole, which existed from 12 to 30 thousand years ago, as a result of which a version has emerged that Stonehenge may well be much older than it is now assume.
For example, University of Wales professor David Bowen conducted research that enabled him to claim that this structure is 140 thousand years old. The theory, of course, is unlikely, but it exists.
It is interesting that when scientists, using a special computer program, reconstructed the primary appearance of Stonehenge, he came to conclusions that surprised everyone: the ancient observatory was also an absolutely accurate model solar system, consisting of twelve planets. At the same time, two, unknown to us now, are hiding behind Pluto, another is located between Mars and Jupiter. The model surprisingly confirms the latest hypotheses of modern astronomy.
Eclipse predictor
Eclipses of heavenly bodies always caused an ambiguous reaction among our ancestors - they were simply afraid of them. Therefore, according to one hypothesis, Stonehenge in Great Britain was built precisely in order to warn in time about possible danger.
For example, Gerald Hopkins claims that during the construction of Stonehenge, eclipses occurred when the rising Moon was above the central block in winter. Autumn eclipses of the night light occurred when its rising completely coincided with one of the stones on the outer side of the circle.
It was in this place that the Moon appeared once every eighteen years. This means that three such cycles add up to fifty-six years - the number of holes installed in Stonehenge. Many years ago, when the ancients moved stones from one hole to another after a certain time, they determined when such an event that frightened them would occur, accurate to the time of year.
Stonehenge is a wonderful place that attracts and attracts others who are interested in its description and history. Stonehenge: Interesting Facts- the most requested question from tourists, to which the guides happily answer, revealing the secrets of the amazing construction of the ancient inhabitants.
About 130 kilometers from London there is a very strange place - a pile of huge stones neatly placed in a circle in the middle of an open field. Their age cannot be accurately estimated even by modern science - either three thousand years, or all five. Why did our ancestors, who had literally just climbed out of the trees, suddenly begin to cut huge boulders out of rocks and drag them hundreds of kilometers away? An ancient observatory, a Druid cult building, a landing site for aliens and even a portal to another dimension - all this is Stonehenge.
Great Britain, Wiltshire, 13 kilometers from the town of Salisbury. Here, in the middle of an ordinary English plain, is Stonehenge - one of the most famous buildings in the world. It contains 82 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks of 25 tons each, and 5 giant trilithons, whose weight reaches 50 tons.
What is Stonehenge?
The word “Stonehenge” itself is very ancient. There are several versions regarding its origin. It could be formed from the Old English "stan" (stone, that is, stone) and "hencg" (rod - since the upper stones were fixed on rods) or "hencen" (gallows, torture instrument). The latter can be explained by the fact that medieval gallows were built in the shape of the letter “P” and resembled the trilithons of Stonehenge.
Megalith (from the Greek “megas” - large, and “litos” - stone) - a large hewn piece rock, used in the construction of ancient religious buildings. As a rule, such structures were erected without the use of mortar - the stone blocks were held under their own weight or on hewn stone “castles”.
Trilith (or “trilithon”, from the Greek “tri” - three and “litos” - stone) is a building structure of two vertical blocks supporting a third, horizontal one.
How was Stonehenge built?
The construction of Stonehenge took place in several stages, taking a total of over 2000 years. However, archaeologists have discovered evidence of much older buildings at this site. For example, three shallow “shafts” were recently found next to a tourist parking lot near Stonehenge, into which wooden supports were dug (they, of course, were not preserved). The position of the pillars shows that they supported a very large wooden monument, which is estimated to be approximately 8,000 years old.
Around 2600 BC, the wooden buildings were demolished and replaced by magnificent stone structures. First, the builders dug two rows of large crescent-shaped holes (one horseshoe inside the other), facing northeast. 385 kilometers away, from the rocks of Carn Menin in the Preseli Hills (Wales), 80 so-called “blue stones” were delivered. Each stone was about 2 meters high, approximately 1.5 meters wide and 0.8 meters thick. They weighed 4-5 tons.
In the very heart of Stonehenge, a six-ton monolith made of green mica sandstone was erected - the so-called “Altar”. In addition, the northeast entrance was moved slightly to the side and widened so that it looked directly at the sunrise on the summer solstice.
Apparently, the construction of Stonehenge remained unfinished during this phase. The “blue stones” were soon removed, and the holes under them were filled up.
At the same time, three free-standing large “blue stones” appeared here. Two survived - the so-called “Heel” (meaning “last”) stone at the north-eastern entrance outside the ramparts and the “Scaffold Stone” near the same entrance inside the ramparts (it later collapsed to the side). Despite the name, the “Stone-block” is not associated with bloody sacrifices. Due to weathering, red spots began to appear on its side - iron oxides, which gave rise to such gloomy associations. In addition, on the inside of the northern and southern ramparts, small mounds (without burials) topped with “blue stones” were poured for unknown purposes.
At the end of the 3rd millennium BC, Stonehenge underwent a new, most large-scale reconstruction, thanks to which it has become so popular today. From the hills of southern England (40 kilometers away from Stonehenge), 30 huge stone blocks - “sarsen”, each weighing 25 tons - were brought here.
Stonehenge. How it was.
The earliest of the surviving religious buildings on the territory of Stonehenge looks very primitive and does not in any way resemble later stone buildings. Stonehenge No. 1 was built no earlier than 3100 BC and consisted of two round earthen ramparts, between which there was a moat. The diameter of the entire object is about 115 meters. A large entrance was built on the northeastern side, and a small one on the southern side.
Presumably, the ditch between the ramparts was dug using tools made from deer antlers. The work was carried out not in one step, but in sections. Research has shown that the bottom of the ditch was covered with animal bones (deer, bulls). Judging by their condition, these bones were carefully looked after - they probably had considerable cult significance for the people who visited the temple.
Directly behind the inner rampart, 56 depressions were dug inside the complex, arranged in a circle. They were called "Aubrey's holes" - after the antiquarian who discovered them in 1666. The purpose of the holes is unclear. According to the chemical analysis of the soil, no wooden supports were placed in them. The most common version is that lunar eclipses were calculated using holes, however, the accuracy leaves much to be desired.
Stonehenge - prehistoric crematorium
Later buildings date back to 2900-2500 BC and can be judged theoretically - time has left us only a group of depressions in the ground where wooden supports for certain structures were placed. The latter could well have been covered sheds, because these holes (now filled with earth and hardly distinguishable from the rest of the landscape) run in two parallel rows from the northern and southern entrances to the center of the entire structure. The diameter of the depressions is significantly smaller than the Aubrey holes, only 0.4 meters, and they are more distant from each other.
During the second phase of the construction of Stonehenge, the earthen ramparts were partially demolished - their height decreased, and the ditch between them was almost half filled. During the same period, the function of the Aubrey holes changed - they began to be used for the burial of cremated remains. Similar burials began to take place in the ditch - and only in its eastern part.
Whatever Stonehenge was built for, a few hundred years later it was used as an enclosed cemetery for cremated remains - the first known in Europe.
Interesting facts about Stonehenge
The most common finds by archaeologists in the ground under Stonehenge are Roman coins and Saxon remains. They date back to the 7th century BC.
There are also more exotic theories about Aubrey's holes. For example, the ancients may have used them to plan pregnancy (based on the 28-day menstrual cycle in women).
Blue stones are dolerite, the closest relative of coarse-grained basalt. Dolerite got its “colored” nickname because it turns blue when wet with water. A fresh chip of the stone also has a blue tint. Heel stone - so named because of the legend according to which Satan threw it at a monk and hit him in the heel. The origin of the word “sarsen” is unclear. Perhaps it came from the later term “Saracen” (Saracenic, that is, pagan stones). Sarsens were used to build not only Stonehenge, but also other megalithic monuments in England. The inside of the sarsens was processed much better than the outside. This suggests that perhaps the room was closed, and some important rituals were performed inside it, the participants of which did not leave the stone “circle.” Calculations show that the construction of Stonehenge (with the tools available at that time) required about 2 million people. hours of work, and processing the stones would take 10 times longer. The reason why people worked on this monument for almost 20 centuries was probably very good. The UFO landing site theory arose partly due to the fact that there is a military airfield near Stonehenge (near the city of Warminster).
What was Stonehenge for?
As soon as people didn’t rack their brains, why did the ancients need Stonehenge? The very first mentions that have reached us connect it with the legend of King Arthur - supposedly this monument was built by the wizard Merlin himself (according to another version, he moved it with his spell from Mount Killaraus in Ireland).
Other stories blamed the construction of Stonehenge on the devil himself. In 1615, architect Inigo Jones claimed that the stone monoliths were built by the Romans - allegedly it was a temple to a pagan deity named Cnelus. In the 18th century, researchers discovered the “astronomical” function of Stonehenge (its orientation to the solstice) - this is how a version emerged according to which this building belonged to the Druids. Nowadays, some experts claim that using Stonehenge it is possible to predict solar eclipses or even carry out complex mathematical calculations. The “planetarium” and “calculator” theories are very controversial - the evidence is usually refuted either by the simplest astronomical facts or by history itself (Stonehenge was rebuilt several times, changed its structure and probably served different purposes).
Outer ring of sarsens
The assumption that the second, “cemetery” stage of the construction of Stonehenge appears to be very interesting was associated with the successful conquests of local tribes. Analysis of remains found in burial grounds adjacent to Stonehenge showed that some of the people buried there were from Wales. This may also explain the subsequent delivery of "blue stones", symbolizing the unification of the two lands. Experts also admit that most Throughout its history, Stonehenge served as a place for cremation of remains. This version is not without its right to exist, because the Neolithic cultures of Europe associated wood with life, and stone with death.
Late 19th century
One way or another, Stonehenge should not be called an observatory or associated with the Druids. In the first case, we are simply applying 21st century concepts to events that took place almost 5,000 years ago. In the second, we sacrifice facts to a beautiful legend. Druids are a purely Celtic phenomenon. The Celts came to Britain no earlier than 500 BC - Stonehenge was already built.
Science fiction writers about Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a structure so ancient and incomprehensible that even science fiction writers are not too sure what to do with it. The ideas they propose in their works are often not much different from the versions of some scientists.
For example, Harry Harrison wrote the novel Stonehenge (1972) with Leon Stover. According to this book, the ancient monoliths were erected by the surviving inhabitants of Atlantis. A little earlier, Keith Laumer created the book “Trace of Memory” (1968), where he developed an “alien” idea: next to Stonehenge there is an underground communications center, from where you can call the descent module of a huge alien ship drifting near the Earth - and this module landed directly on Stonehenge .
New Stonehenge
: modern astronomers have revived the knowledge of their ancestors
On February 12, 2005, the “New Stonehenge” opened in the New Zealand town of Wairarapa, very similar to its famous British “relative”. But why did modern astronomers need to build a copy of the ancient structure?
The modern stone observatory is called Stonehenge Aotearoa, and it was built by the New Zealand Phoenix Astronomical Society.
Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand. And it was taken for a reason.
But first it must be said that the new Stonehenge is not at all an exact copy of the stone monster from Salisbury Plain (Stonehenge), although their basic dimensions are practically the same.
And this is not a simple tourist attraction. Stonehenge Aotearoa is a full-scale adaptation of its ancestor to work properly on the other side of the planet. What kind of work is this? Of course - an indication of astronomical events.
Just 130 km from the capital of Great Britain there is an ancient structure, the reason for its construction cannot yet be named. Stonehenge is still shrouded in secrets and mystical mysteries, attracting not only curious tourists, but also paleontologists, historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and many other scientists.
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Giant stone giants have stood guard over Stonehenge for more than 5 millennia, strictly keeping it secret the real reason creation of this unique monument of antiquity. Located in the middle of the Salisbury chalk plateau, the structure made of huge stone blocks covers an area of 107 square meters. km and is located in the middle of marshland near the Devonshire hills. The unsolved mysteries of ancient Stonehenge give reason to call it the eighth wonder of the world. No wonder Stonehenge is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Origin of the word Stonehenge
Like the structure itself, the word "Stonehenge" has ancient origin. It is believed to come from a combination of the Old English words "stan" and "hencg", which translates to stone rod. In reality, the upper stones are fixed on huge blocks of stone in the form of rods. There is an assumption that the word “Stonehenge” has in its structure the Old English “hencen”, which means “gallows”, since the stone structures of two vertical blocks and the horizontal slab lying on them resemble medieval gallows.
These sculptures, reminiscent of medieval execution instruments, were called trilithas, which translated from Greek means three stones. There are five such trilithes, weighing 50 tons each. In addition to the huge triliths, 30 stone blocks weighing 25 tons each and 82 five-ton megaliths - large fragments of rocks that in ancient times were used to build structures with a religious purpose - were used in the creation of Stonehenge.
Grandiose building
The stone monoliths of Stonehenge are laid out around the perimeter of a large circle. On top of these blocks are huge stone slabs. Inside the circle there are stone blocks of more than large sizes and overlapped more large slabs, which are arranged in the shape of a horseshoe. In the inner part of this peculiar horseshoe there are blue stones, forming the semblance of a smaller horseshoe.
Averubi and Silbury Hill
During the study of Stonehenge, even more ancient structures were discovered nearby - a huge circle laid out using vertical stone slabs - Averubi and Silbury Hill - a man-made cone-shaped mound reaching a height of 45 m. When studying these structures, we came to the interesting conclusion that they are all connected themselves, forming a single whole. Scientists made this conclusion based on the fact that the distance between Stonehenge, Averubi and Silbury Hill is 20 km, and they themselves are located so that they are in the corners of an equilateral triangle.
Mysteries of Stonehenge
None of the scientists can definitely say for what purpose and how exactly this stone structure was erected. It remains a mystery how, several centuries before the victory over Troy, multi-ton blocks were delivered to the site of Stonehenge, if the distance to the nearest rocks is 350 km. Even using modern construction equipment, it is not at all easy to deliver a block of stone weighing 25 tons over such a distance, and it is impossible to understand how this was achieved in the 2nd millennium BC.
Trying to somehow explain the reason for the appearance of stone monoliths on the swampy plain, people composed legends and tales. According to one of them, the powerful sorcerer Merlin brought legendary giants here by air to heal their wounds. The British call Stonehenge “the dance of the giants.” Indeed, stones placed in a circle are associated with a round dance of giants holding hands.
Another mystery of Stonehenge concerns the construction of a megalith over the intersection points of underground rivers. Under Stonehenge there are huge reserves of groundwater. Their presence can be explained by the location of the stone structure in a swampy area, but how to explain how the ancient people managed to accurately position the megalith remains a mystery.
The construction of Stonehenge took about 2000 years. Recently, archaeologists have found evidence of ancient wooden monumental buildings on the territory of this stone structure that were erected here 8,000 years ago.
Cult place
Later, on the territory of Stonehenge, two earthen ramparts were formed in the shape of a circle with a diameter of about 115 meters, separated by a deep ditch dug by deer antlers. During excavations in certain areas of the ditch, bones of large animals were discovered, and in some places the remains of burnt corpses. Based on the research, we came to the conclusion that this place was a cult place and sacrifices were made here. Many hundreds of years after Stonehenge was finally built, it was used as a cemetery for cremated remains.
Stonehenge stones
Inside the moat are blue stones that were laid much later, around 1800 BC. e. Experts have established that these huge blocks were brought here from deposits located in different places and were moved from one place to another several times. It is difficult to imagine how this was possible without modern technology. Outside the circle is a huge monolith called the heel of the fleeing monk. On the opposite side of the shafts, opposite the “Heel” stone, there is a “Stone-block” inside.
Despite its name, the stone has nothing to do with sacrifices. Being exposed to external influences natural factors, weathering products appeared on the stone - iron oxides, which have a blood-red color. These “bloody” stains gave the stone its name.
In the center of Stonehenge there is a block of green sandstone weighing about 6 tons, which served as an altar.
The largest reconstruction of Stonehenge took place at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. Huge stone blocks were delivered to the construction area from the southern hills, located 40 km from the construction site. Even such an insignificant distance by today's standards is difficult to overcome in modern conditions to transport 30 huge stone blocks. What can we say about the delivery of stone blocks at the end of the 3rd millennium BC? The results of that ancient reconstruction have survived to this day almost unchanged.
Purpose
Scientists from all countries are at a loss about the purpose of Stonehenge. There are a number of assumptions and versions about this. Some consider the gigantic structure to be an ancient observatory, others argue that the Druids performed their religious rites here. There is an opinion that Stonehenge was built as a landing site for alien ships, and adherents of the existence of parallel dimensions are confident that a portal to other worlds opens here.
On separate rock paintings 5 thousand years old, discovered 14 km from Addis Ababa, allegedly there are images similar to the stone blocks of Stonehenge. In one of these ancient drawings, above the center of the stone sculpture, the image resembles a spaceship taking off.
Paranormal activity
Paranormal investigators claim that amazing things are happening near the complex. Once, during a tour of Stonehenge, a boy accidentally touched one of the stones with a piece of bent wire and fell unconscious. After this incident, the child could not come to his senses for a long time and lost the ability to move his arms and legs for a whole six months.
While photographing Stonehenge in 1958, the photographer observed rising columns of light above the huge blocks of stone. And in 1968, one of the eyewitnesses said that he saw a ring of fire emanating from the stones of Stonehenge, in which there was a bright luminous object. In 1977, eyewitnesses managed to film a UFO squadron over the megalith, and this video was shown on all British television channels. Interestingly, while observing unidentified objects, eyewitnesses' compass broke and their portable TV failed.
In the Stonehenge area, scientists have repeatedly heard clicking sounds and strange buzzing sounds of unknown origin. Many scientists argue that the reason for such phenomena lies in the strong magnetic field spreading around Stonehenge. Surprisingly, the compass needle, which should point south, always turns towards the center of the megalith, regardless of which side of the structure you stop on. Another strange phenomenon is difficult to explain. If you knock on one of the stones in a certain way, the sound will spread to all the stones, although they are not connected to each other.
Versions of scientists
The 17th century English architect Inigo Jones, studying the structure, came to the conclusion that the structure of Stonehenge resembles the architecture of ancient times and suggested that these are the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. Another version indicates that the pagan queen Boadicea, who fought against the Romans, was buried on the territory of Stonehenge. In this regard, there is an opinion that the leaders of ancient tribes were also buried in Stonehenge.
Later, scientists suggested that Stonehenge was erected in order to accurately predict the time of the lunar and solar eclipses, as well as the start dates of field work. Proof of this is the fact that on the day of the summer solstice during sunrise, its ray passes exactly through the middle of this stone structure. However, this version was rejected by skeptics, who argued that it was hardly justified to invest so much effort and money to verify the existence of an ordinary calendar and the change of seasons.
According to many scientists, Stonehenge was a place of pilgrimage and healing. Analysis of human bones found at burial sites in the area stone structures, showed that the people buried here suffered from serious illnesses. Warriors wounded in battle, the crippled and the hopelessly ill flocked to the blue stones of Stonehenge, hoping to receive healing here. Many, without waiting for recovery, died and were buried here.
A lot of unsolved mysteries contains the ancient Stonehenge. None of the stones have an inscription, drawing or any marking. Scientists find it difficult to cling to anything. We have to build versions and put forward hypotheses and assumptions. It is worth noting that similar structures made of stone blocks can be found throughout Europe and on individual islands, although in scale they are clearly inferior to Stonehenge.