The Mysterious Stonehenge: A Window Into the Past
Stonehenge has stood majestically on grassy deserted plains of England for millennia. Legends associate its massive stones with human sacrifice; modern pagan enthusiasts gather there each equinox; Ley-line enthusiasts track its alignments.
Monument to Calendar Design? Trilithon Horseshoe provides an amazingly modern 365-day calendar design featuring 30 sarsen lintels, five structures within Trilithon Horseshoe and four “station stones” designed to mark leap years.
Building Mysterious Stonehenge
Stonehenge stands as a monument of human ingenuity. An intricate maze of upright stones, some capped with lintels, it lies within a circular enclosure and no one knows its original purpose or how it came into being; nonetheless scholars and scientists continue to research its secrets in hopes of solving some of its riddles.
At its construction (around 2500 B.C), this incredible feat of engineering was an unprecedented achievement for its time. Metals had not yet been invented, so hundreds of workers would have had to transport, shape and erect each stone by hand using tree trunk sledges or rollers made out of wood; floating them on rafts was another option available to builders.
Researchers have uncovered evidence proving Stonehenge was once a center for ritual and ceremony, including hundreds of cremated human remains found nearby. This suggests it might have served more than simply as a cemetery; perhaps it also commemorated significant life events, like births or deaths.
Some experts theorize that Stonehenge stones were deliberately placed to mark certain astronomical events. On winter and summer solstices, for instance, the sun would rise directly behind two of the outer circle’s sarsen stones at midwinter and midsummer solstices respectively, and midwinter/midsummer midwinter would frame its position exactly. But whether or not this was intentional is unclear since its composition changed throughout time.
The Druids – The Mysterious Stonehenge:
Julius Caesar described druids as religious and political leaders of ancient Celtic pagans. These individuals possessed an extraordinary knowledge of magic that enabled them to perform healing miracles, predict the future, and mediate disputes among tribes. Furthermore, they could enchant stones with protective and amulet amulets for good luck and protection.
Roman authorities falsely reported that Druids performed human sacrifice, though this shocking claim likely meant to dissuade Roman troops from trying to invade Britain.
One of the great mysteries surrounding Stonehenge is its purpose. Astronomer Gerald Hawkins proposed in the 1960s that this massive mass of stones might serve as a sort of calendar, with different points within its circle corresponding to different astrological events like solstices and equinoxes. While his theory wasn’t popular at first, it has since gained more support.
Bournemouth University recently conducted a groundbreaking study that gave new credence to the notion that Stonehenge served as a solar calendar. The arrangement of its sarsen stones is thought to mark important dates in the year, such as midsummer and winter solstices; furthermore, sunrise at these solstices may have been visible through its structure as seen from nearby locations such as Shrewsbury Abbey or Avebury henge.
Druids have long been an object of fascination and speculation. Held up as the wise and collective ancestors of English, Irish, Scots and Welsh peoples – this may have been due to Britain not sharing a history until 18th century when England and Scotland joined together under a single historical memory system.
Astronomical Significance – The Mysterious Stonehenge:
One intriguing theory suggests that Stonehenge served as a form of calendar to track the sun and moon movements. Its avenues aligned with sunrise on summer solstice; holes at monument were possibly used to predict lunar eclipses; it is even believed people buried sacrificed children at this site; fifty-two cremations have been discovered at early Aubrey holes alone!
But what was the real purpose of the monument? For centuries, scholars have debated its purpose; Geoffrey of Monmouth recorded in his history book that Merlin brought stones from Ireland for assembly in this monument which has also been described as a solar temple, sacrificial altar, and even court room.
Alexander Thom conducted extensive analysis of Stonehenge in search of any astronomical significance during the 1960s, finding significant findings but no conclusive proof. Gerald Hawkins of Smithsonian-Harvard Computer Sciences published in 1963 his analysis of 165 features at Stonehenge monument. He identified numerous correlations with rising and setting points for sun, moon, and star rise/set in 1500 BCE.
Hawkins’ conclusions were astounding. He suggested that Stonehenge is actually an intricate combination of an almanac, an astronomical observatory, and an early Neolithic computer for predicting eclipses – making sense of why no monolith stands at its centre – with Hawkins suggesting its central area serving as a birth canal where earth and sky come together.
Other scholars have provided additional theories for how the Sarsen stones were transported to Stonehenge. Some have proposed that builders used tree-trunk sledges or rollers with roller bearings to transport these massive rocks; other theories include floating them down River Avon then up Salisbury Plain; while more recent theories indicate Stonehenge builders employed supersized wicker baskets or long grooved planks for transporting.
Exploring Stonehenge – The Mysterious Stonehenge:
Stonehenge offers an excellent visitor center where you can gain valuable knowledge about both its site and the Neolithic people who once resided there. Outside this center are reconstructed Neolithic homes you can tour to experience first-hand how life would have been at that time.
One of the most intriguing parts of Stonehenge is trying to understand how its stones were brought here and placed. Each bluestone weighs two tons while some larger sarsens weigh almost double this. How did Neolithic people transport these rocks across country from Stonehenge site on Salisbury Plain to this particular spot on Salisbury Plain? English Heritage thinks they used ropes and wooden A-frames – though there may have been other methods used as well – though other theories exist as to their positioning of these rocks!
Stonehenge’s astronomical significance is another attractive aspect. The stones were aligned to follow the movement of the sun, moon, and stars; therefore the monument has long been considered a kind of ancient observatory according to Live Science. Furthermore, recent research has given new life to an idea that Stonehenge served as a solar calendar, with each stone representing one day within each month.
Other discoveries at Stonehenge indicate its healing powers; many bones unearthed there belong to individuals who had been sickened or injured, and experts recently observed a path there aligned perfectly with sunrise on both summer solstice and winter solstice – further testament to this place’s spiritual importance.
At Stonehenge, there are multiple approaches for exploring its mysteries. But to truly experience them fully and appreciate its power and beauty, gaining some knowledge about our Neolithic ancestors who built and worshiped here is key. If done so successfully, Stonehenge becomes an extraordinary source of power and beauty that should not be neglected!
Theories about Stonehenge
Stonehenge has long been debated for its purpose and significance, with scholars suggesting various theories about its original functions and meaning. Some suggest it was used for worshipping, gathering people to commune with ancestors or using it as a calendar to mark special dates such as solstices or equinoxes; it has even been speculated upon being used as an observatory where observers could witness eclipses or other celestial phenomena.
Another theory proposes that it was used as a healing site. Archaeologists believe people from far and wide came here in search of relief; many even speculate that bluestones themselves might possess healing powers.
How did the builders of Stonehenge transport and erect such massive rocks? One longstanding theory holds that they used tree trunk sledges and rollers as transport systems, transporting the stones from Preseli Hills to Stonehenge site. Others suggest floating them along coast on rafts or using combination of wicker baskets and long grooved planks for upriver transport towards Salisbury Plain.
Stonehenge has long been associated with stories about giants, the devil, and Merlin the wizard, among many other explanations for its origins. One popular legend states that Merlin brought stones from Ireland – this story first appearing in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae written around 1210 CE but widely disproven; instead it is more likely they came from Wales where they were used as grave markers around 3,000 BCE.