What was the Stonehenge used for?

There is strong archaeological evidence that Stonehenge was used as a burial site, at least for part of its long history, but most scholars believe it served other functions as well—either as a ceremonial site, a religious pilgrimage destination, a final resting place for royalty or a memorial erected to honor and …

What is the story behind Stonehenge?

According to folklore, Stonehenge was created by Merlin, the wizard of Arthurian legend, who magically transported the massive stones from Ireland, where giants had assembled them. Another legend says invading Danes put the stones up, and another theory says they were the ruins of a Roman temple.

What Stonehenge means?

The name of the monument probably derives from the Saxon stan-hengen, meaning “stone hanging” or “gallows.” Along with more than 350 nearby monuments and henges (ancient earthworks consisting of a circular bank and ditch), including the kindred temple complex at Avebury, Stonehenge was designated a UNESCO World …

What was Stonehenge used for astronomy?

In the 1960s, a new theory surfaced that claimed Stonehenge was the work of ancient astronomers, and that its giant stone pillars were used to predict eclipses of the moon and sun.

Where did Stonehenge originate?

Research in the last decade has confirmed that the igneous bluestones were brought to Stonehenge from the Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire, over 200km to the west. The sandstones have been tracked to eastern Wales although the exact outcrops have yet to be found.

Why is Stonehenge sacred?

Stones were often aligned with the rising or setting of the sun or moon at certain times of the year, indicating concepts of fertility and the cycle of life. The appearance of burnt human bone at almost every known site suggests ancestor worship and reverence for death.

Does Stonehenge represent the solar system?

The Stonehenge planetarium, Mr Saunders calculates, represents the solar system on a scale of 1 in 10,000 million. The Bluestone Circle represents the orbit of Venus and the Sarsen Circle that of the Earth. The Y and Z holes represent the minimum and maximum distances of Mars from the Sun.

How Was Stonehenge used to observe the moon?

Its completeness was broken (as of about 2400 BC) by a single gap directed in the approximate direction of an outlying marker called the Heel Stone. In this gap, excavation has uncovered a grid of post holes: the remains, it seems, of an effort to mark the northernmost excursion of the moon.

What is Stonehenge mystery?

The origin of the giant sarsen stones at Stonehenge has finally been discovered with the help of a missing piece of the site which was returned after 60 years. A test of the metre-long core was matched with a geochemical study of the standing megaliths.

Why is Stonehenge sinking?

Charles Darwin discovered why the stones were sinking In the 1880s, after carrying out some of the first scientifically recorded excavations at the site, Charles Darwin concluded that earthworms were largely to blame for the Stonehenge stones sinking through the soil.