Stonehenge is a megalithic ruin on the Salisbury Plain in England. It is located two mile from Amesbury in Wiltshire. Construction of Stonehenge is said to have started almost 5000 years ago in 2950 BCE. Its construction took place in different phases to span a time of over 1400 years. The most recognizable part of Stonehenge is the large sarsen, which is hard sandstone. This was not the first part to be constructed. Stonehenge was preceded by a wooden circular structure 200 meters from this site.
Stonehenge was constructed in three phases. The first phase was started in 2950 BCE. In this first phase a circular ditch was made. To the inside of the ditch a six-foot high bank was placed. A bank was also placed on the outside of the ditch. Inside of the ditch and banks were 56 Aubrey holes. In these holes it was said that wooden poles were placed. This phase is estimated to have taken 50 years.
The second phase lasted five hundred years from 2900 to 2400 BCE. Wooden posts were placed in the center of the circle but it is uncertain of the pattern of these posts. The Aubrey holes no longer held post at this stage. Cremation deposits were found in some of the Aubrey holes.
The third phase was from 2550 to 1600 BCE. The third phase is broken down into several subphases. It was during the first two subphases that most of the large sarsen were put into place. The Sarsen Circle was originally made with 30 standing sarsen. They were spaced about 3 to 4.5 feet apart and stand about 13 feet above the ground. On top of these stones were sarsen lintels that formed a complete circle. Inside of the Sarsen Circle are the Trilithons. The Trilithons are ten upright sarsen in a horseshoe pattern. The ten sarsen are in pairs with one lintel per pair. Of all these stones only 17 Sarsen Circle stones are standing and only 7 of the Trilithons stones.
The Bluestones were added in the next phase but most likely removed and added on again later. A Bluestone Oval and a Bluestone Circle were added inside the Sarsen Circle. The Bluestone Oval is an oval shaped ring of stones inside of the Trilithon Horseshoe. The Bluestone Circle is between the Trilithon Horseshoe and the Sarsen Circle. In the final part of the third phase two more circles were added around the Sarsen Circle known as the Y and Z holes. The holes were for the placement of stones that never was completed.
The Station Stones were presumed to be completed during the third phase but not entirely certain. They are four sarsen stones placed just inside the ditch and bank. In phase three there is also stone holes D and E along with the Slaughter Stone. The Slaughter Stone is a sarsen with stained red caused by rain acting on iron. The Avenue is a pair of twin banks about forty 40 feet apart that extends to the Northeast. The Heel Stone is a twenty-foot sarsen in the center of the Avenue just out side of the ditch and bank circle. The Heel Stone lines with the Slaughter Stone straight to the open end of the Trilithon Horseshoe. Finally the Altar Stone is the last stone to mention. It is a large stone buried in front of the center Trilithon pair.
There are many myths and rumors as to the original use of Stonehenge. Some believe that it was an astronomical observatory or possible religious temple. During the winter equinox and summer solstice, the sun lines up directly with the gaps in the stones of Stonehenge. Others believe that Stonehenge was not built primarily as an astronomical observatory. They believe that it is a misconception that it was built for this purpose because the earths orbit was different when Stonehenge was constructed and would not have lined up 5000 years ago.
Sources:
“Stonehenge” Earth Mysteries (September 29, 1999) http://witcombe.sbc.edu/earthmysteries/EMStonehenge.html December 2, 2000
“STONEHENGE” The City of Salisbury at http://home.clara.net/stormbringer/salisbury/stonehenge.html - December 1,2000
“Stonehenge: Stone Circle, Henge and Standing Stone” Stone Pages (July 2,2000) http://www.stonepages.com/home.html November 29, 2000
Written by: Ron Griebel