History of Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a basically unique structure, with nothing quite like it found anywhere else in the world. It has stood for over 5,000 years and has drawn travellers to experience its unique and mysterious atmosphere.

The stones did not appear overnight or even over a few years, it is believed that the structure ‘grew’ over a period of 1500 years, between 3,000BC and 1,500BC. It is easily the most complex stone circle structure in the world, which only serves to enhance its mystique (note: other extensive prehistoric formations in northern Europe include those found in the Morbihan department of Brittany in France.)

The site as we see it now is only about half of its original size, many of the blocks were either broken up or hauled away to be used in the construction of buildings. At one time, it was considered normal practice to bring your own hammer and chip off a block of stone as a souvenir of your visit.

There is a ditch that surrounds the monument, which was dug using animal bones and antlers; it is not known why the ancient people dug this ditch around the site. During the 1700’s a large number of holes were uncovered, it is believed that these holes once contained wooden posts, and that the first attempt at building Stonehenge was fashioned from timber. The structure would have been a mathematically precise circle, surrounded by a water filled ditch.

Around 2,500 before Christ, the wooden structure was replaced using stones. There are smaller stones known as bluestones, which certainly travelled from the Prescelli Mountains in Wales. They were possibly dragged to the sea, and then floated on rafts to the River Avon, then again dragged to the site. This must have needed a huge amount of will and dedication as each one weighs in at around five tons.

Then work again stopped for 200 years. When work commenced again, huge blocks of sandstone were transported from Marlborough Downs, to create the now familiar structure

How the blocks were lifted upright and the lintel stone placed on top is unknown, each weighs up to 45 tons, beyond the limit of many modern cranes. There are numerous theories as to how this was done from the technical to the truly outrageous.

It has been estimated that construction would have required in excess of thirty million man hours to move the stones and create the circle. There are many theories for the original use of the circle that include everything from astronomy to human sacrifice to please the gods, to alien landing site.

Stonehenge was declared to be a World Heritage Site in 1986; the name may have derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for hanging, ‘henge’. thus, ‘hanging stones’, Stonehenge. When the circle was originally constructed the area was a dense forest, it is now open grasslands.

Article kindly contributed by england this way, and copyright to that site.