World Heritage Sites To Go Online (2009-11-30) by Matt CardyGetty Images
Stonehenge is one of the most famous prehistoric structures in the world. Built between 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC, it lies in the middle of Salisbury Plain, in the southwest of England. Despite being a symbol of ancient Britain and an incredibly popular tourist destination, very little is known about Stonehenge and the people who built it.
Onbekende man te midden van Stonehenge (1864 - 1898) by Frith, FrancisRijksmuseum
To find out more about this mysterious monument and its architects, join us as we dive in for an immersive tour of one of the world’s oldest attractions.
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Why was it built?
Even though it’s been there for around 5,000 years, we still don’t really know why Stonehenge was built. What we do know is that the whole monument is aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice and the sunset on the winter solstice. This has led many to believe that Stonehenge was a ceremonial site where people gathered to worship, socialize or make sacrifices on these important occasions.
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In the 1960s, astronomer Gerald Hawkins theorized that the stones may have acted as some sort of ancient calendar. Having the main structure aligned with the solstices would have anchored the calendar while the large and small stones would have told those using the site when important dates or festivals should be celebrated.
Stonehenge
How was it built?
Again, no one really knows how Stonehenge was built. The largest stones at the site are 30 ft (9 meters) tall and weigh an incredible 25 tons. Experts believe that, to erect the stones, the engineers in charge of the site would have dug a large hole with a sloping side. The back of the hole would have been lined with wooden stakes and then the stone slowly rolled into place.
It’s recently been discovered that the largest of the stones, known as sarsens, came from an area called Marlborough, around 15 miles north of the monument. The smaller ‘blue stones’ however come from much further afield, with most thought to have been mined in the Preseli Hills of southwest Wales, an incredible 140 miles from Stonehenge.
Euro(Bri-E) Wiltshire Stonehenge (Photos Only)LIFE Photo Collection
Who built it?
It’s thought that the ancestors of the people who built Stonehenge came from the Eastern Mediterranean via the Iberian Peninsula. These migrants had a strong tradition of farming and may well have been the ones who introduced the tradition of building large, megalithic monuments to the UK.
Euro(Bri-E) Wiltshire Stonehenge (Photos Only)LIFE Photo Collection
However, numerous later groups also left their mark on Stonehenge, notably the Bell Beaker people who migrated to the UK from mainland Europe around 2,500 BC. People in the local area seem to have had established trade links with Europe. It’s thought that the wealth derived from this trade allowed them to fund the later construction phases at Stonehenge.
Euro(Bri-E) Wiltshire Stonehenge (Photos Only)LIFE Photo Collection
Learn more about Stonehenge here.
