Against the background of a clear border, where the endless depth of the sky and the richness of the spacious Salisbury Plain meet, Stonehenge, covered with mystery, looms. These giants, radiating coolness, were just small cubes in the children's game of the great sorcerer Merlin or a structure erected by aliens who arrived on Earth to save the planet from terrible death. Or maybe the megalith was built by the same Merlin in honor of the king who defeated the Saxons?
Not only an incredible amount of unresolved secrets, but also the beauty of the stone structure today attracts both great scientists and ordinary travelers.
General information about Stonehenge
A complex of stone structures was built in the III millennium BC. e. in the south of Great Britain. Nearby is the no less mystical county of Devonshire, just 2 hours from the English city of London. Having understood where the building is located, it is not difficult to recognize it, because a cultural monument of the Bronze Age and Neolithic has characteristic features:
- 82 megaliths formed by crystallization of magma. According to the latest research work of specialists from the National Museum of Wales, their deposit became known. More than half of the "blue stones" were mined 240 km from the ancient structure, on the Karn Menin hill. Unfortunately, it is still unknown how the material was extracted and how long it took to reach the final point;
- 30 blocks, presented in the form of boulders, weighing 25 tons. Unknown creators built four-meter stones in pairs in a diametrical pattern with transverse overlap. Not the entire radial structure has survived to our time, but only an arc of 13 blocks connected by transverse blocks from above;
- The 5 architectural elements, depicting something in the shape of a horseshoe, consist of three giant stones with a total weight of 50 tons. Triliths are installed absolutely symmetrically with a gradual increase from 6 m to 7.3 m towards the main triad of stones. Time is merciless to this kind of buildings, so the experts had to restore the trilith, located in the northwest of Stonehenge, and level the support, recreating the original appearance of the central structure.
For a more detailed study of the monument, you should refer to the picture depicting a diagram of Stonehenge with a description of significant objects.
Why the Round Dance of the Giants was built
Local residents, and just passing by, often sin with vandalism, chipping off a small piece from an old building to use it as a talisman protecting from dark forces. The English historian and writer Tom Brooks believed that the megalith was the navigation system of antiquity.
And most lovers of natural mysteries call the monument a giant cemetery. And this is not surprising, because many burials were found on the territory of the complex, and the earliest coincides with the period of the construction of the first phase of the megalith.
However, the main versions of the construction of Stonehenge are simpler than assumptions. It is believed that the Round Dance of the Giants was a kind of calendar for determining the exact days of the solstice, eclipse and equinox. And many scientists believe that with the help of the structure it was possible to calculate the exact orbital period of the moon. In short, Stonehenge is a stone observatory of ancient times.
How Stonehenge Was Built
Many people of all peoples who lived in this area worked on the construction of such a grandiose structure for those centuries. And as materials were taken:
- volcanic lava;
- volcanic tuff;
- sandstone;
- limestone;
- dolerite.
Interesting: to prove how the stones were built and exactly how the stones were delivered from distant distances, scientists conducted an experiment. In one day, a group of 24 people was able to overcome a distance of 1 km, moving a monochromatic block with them. This showed that the construction of the complex took a huge amount of time.
To obtain the required type of megalith, the stones were processed in several stages:
- Multi-ton blocks were subjected to impacts, fire and water treatment.
- At the place where Stonehenge was installed, giant stones were polished.
For many years, scientists have tried to figure out what century Stonehenge was built, who built it and why. Thanks to modern methods of radioisotope dating to determine the age of the sample under study, carbon is released from burning the fragment. After that, the level of radioactivity is compared in relation to the isotopes, which indicate the necessary data. In this way, at the end of the 20th century, the temporary phases of the construction of the "dancing stones" were established.
- First phase... The first in the construction of the megalith, which laid the foundation for the entire Stonehenge, was a moat, in which, during excavations, deer antlers with signs of wear were found, which led to the assumption that the formation of the moat occurred after the death of artiodactyl mammals. Using the method of carbon splitting, an approximate time range was identified - 3020–2910. BC e.
- Second phase... During the 2nd phase of construction, another ditch and 56 holes were dug, filled with crushed chalk. Today these holes are called "Aubrey holes" after the British researcher of antiquities John Aubrey. In 2008, during an archaeological excavation of the seventh hole, the remains of 200 people were discovered. After conducting radiocarbon analysis, we determined the period of life of the buried people - 3100–2140. e.
- Third phase... During this phase, from 2440 to 2100 AD, stone rings of 30 blue sandstone stones were built.
Asking how exactly people of that time managed to collect huge slabs, just look at the photos, and doubts about their capabilities immediately disappear. Various rollers, levers and rafts were used, with the help of which such a construction no longer seems so impracticable.
Modern Stonehenge
If you get acquainted with the canvases of John Constable, then among his paintings you can find a picture painted in 1835 from the nature of a stone complex. The ancient heritage landscape is depicted as a heap of stones, and this is how it looked until the beginning of the 20th century. Few people know that the megalith has undergone a long and fruitful restoration. The photo shows a reproduction of the English romantic artist.
The first stage of the reconstruction of the former miracle took place in 1901, and ended only by the end of 1964. It is interesting that the construction work was mysteriously hidden from the public, which in the future gave rise to many conflicting opinions and statements.
Interesting facts about Stonehenge
Like any ancient structure with a unique history, the mysterious stones are overgrown with amazing facts, in addition to those described above.
- For a while, Stonehenge had a different purpose - the first crematorium in Europe.
- The famous Darwin studied earthworms for the second half of his life, and he chose invertebrates from this particular region as an object of observation. Thanks to his passion, he was able to make several archaeological discoveries on the territory of the stone complex.
- For 3 years, Stonehenge was the property of Cecil Chubb, who in 1915 presented the megalith as a gift to his wife, after which Chubb donated the monument to the state.
Information for tourists
To get acquainted with the famous landmark, you should start your journey from the capital of England, having looked at Big Ben before. You can visit the great historical monument both as part of an excursion or on your own, which will allow you to move freely around the territory and thoroughly study every corner of the megalith. The distance to the open-air museum is short, only 130 km. How to get from London, each traveler chooses independently:
- order a taxi;
- rent a car;
- use a regular bus with a change in the village of Salisbury;
- rail transport that departs from Waterloo Station with a stop in Salisbury. The ticket price is £ 33. The train departs every hour.
Choosing public transport, you should pay attention that at the final stop you can change to a bus that will take you to the natural monument in just 30 minutes.
The great Stonehenge attracts and attracts like a magnet with its beauty and history. The best time to visit is the summer solstice, when a pagan festival is celebrated by thousands of people who flock to the megalith to touch the symbol of ancient power.
