Stonehenge: history and legend. Where is Stonehenge? History and mystery of ancient stones Stonehenge appeared

Stonehenge is visited by 1 million tourists every year, but it remains a mystery. Scientists attribute its construction to Neolithic times, but for some reason the first mention of this “wonder of the world” is found only in the 11th century AD.

Who built it?

Version No. 1. Celts
For a long time, scientists believed that Stonehenge was built by the Celts. However, today this version has been refuted. The dates don't match. The first Celtic archaeological culture (Hallstatt) appeared in the 9th century BC. Whereas the officially accepted dating of the construction of Stonehenge today comes down to the fact that the last stage of its construction falls on the 11th century BC.

Version No. 2. Ancient Britons
If not the Celts, then who? Professor Michael Pearson (University of Sheffield), director of the ten-year research Stonehenge Riverside Project and author of Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Mystery of the Stone Age, argues that the megalithic complex was built by the ancient Britons, representatives of tribes living in the British Isles at the end of the Bronze Age, during the Neolithic . Today this is the most “working” version.

Version No. 3. Merlin
In the Middle Ages, a popular legend was set out in the History of the Britons by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It lies in the fact that the megalithic complex was transported from Ireland by the wizard Merlin. The legendary magician thus fulfilled the will of Aurelius Ambrosi (King Arthur's uncle) to immortalize 460 British leaders treacherously killed by the Saxons during negotiations. Since then, the Britons called this complex “Dance of the Giants.”

Version No. 4. Hoaxers

There is also a version that Stonehenge is a hoax, “performed” in the 20th century. In 2013, an article went viral on the Internet proving that the famous Bronze Age monolith was built between 1954 and 1958.

As evidence, the author of the material cites a lot of “sensational” photographic materials where some people are installing megaliths into the ground using cranes. A theoretical “base” is also provided: supposedly the British Ministry of Defense bought land in the Stonehenge area and conducted military exercises there until the Second World War.

During the war, the territories of nearby villages were evicted and are supposedly still under the control of military structures. The author writes: “On the territory protected by the British military department, this “center of ancient civilization”, “legacy of great ancestors”, “monument of humanity” was consciously and purposefully erected, which became the most important religious center of no less purposefully instilled “spirituality”.

The version is “hot”, but baseless. What it presents as the construction of Stonehenge is just its restoration. We'll tell you more about it later.

Why were they built?

Version No. 1. Observatory
Today, the generally accepted version is that Stonehenge is an ancient observatory. The authorship of this version belongs to Boston University astronomy professor Gerald Hawkins. In the late 1950s, he entered the plate coordinates and other parameters of Stonehenge into the computer, as well as a model of the movement of the Sun and Moon.

In 1965, the scientist wrote the book “Stonehenge Deciphered”, where he provided evidence that Stonehenge made it possible to predict astronomical phenomena, while being an observatory, a computing center and a calendar.

Another famous astronomer, Fred Hoyle, also studied the Stonehenge problem and found that the builders of the megalithic complex knew the exact orbital period of the Moon and the length of the solar year.

Version No. 2. Galaxy model
In 1998, astronomers recreated a computer model of the original appearance of Stonehenge and came to the conclusion that the stone observatory is also a cross-sectional model of the Solar System. According to the ideas of the ancients, the solar system consists of twelve planets, two of which are located beyond the orbit of Pluto, and another between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Version No. 3. Ritual complex
A four-year study conducted by the Austrian Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Survey and Virtual Archeology has established that Stonehenge is not a solitary megalith, but part of a huge ritual complex of 18 parts located in an area of 12 square kilometers from Stonehenge.
The surveys were carried out using remote sensing and other advanced geophysical methods.

Version No. 3. "Disco"
Perhaps the most original version of the purpose of Stonehenge (if you do not take into account the alien base for humanoids) is the version that Stonehenge is an ancient “disco”.
Professor Rupert Till, an expert in acoustics and music technology from the University of Hudersfield, conducted research and came to the conclusion that the gigantic stones of the complex are ideal sound reflectors. If installed in a certain order, they can produce interesting acoustic effects.

Of course, Rupert Till did his experiments (after computer modeling) not in England, but in the state of Washington, where there is an exact copy of the megalithic complex. This version, although it seems strange, does not exclude the previous one - ritual dances could have been held at the temple to the accompaniment of musical instruments.

How were they built?

Scientists have been able to shed light on how Stonehenge was built by studying the materials from which it is composed. The complex is made up of three types of stones:

1) Dolerite (“blue” stone, more precisely, gray sandstone with a bluish tint)
2) Rhyolite
3) Volcanic tuff.

Stones of these rocks are found only in the mountains of Wales (210 km from Stonehenge, and taking into account the terrain - 380 km).

According to Stonehenge researcher Richard Atkinson, the stones were carried on wooden sleds along logs. Experiments have shown that 24 people can move a one-ton load in this way at a speed of one and a half kilometers per day.

Most of the journey was by water. The speed of movement was also facilitated by the fact that the stones were processed even before they were moved into place, using both stone tools and heat treatment.

According to Gerald Hawkins, to install the blocks, a hole was first dug to size, with three sides being vertical and one at a 45-degree angle, used as a receiving ramp.

Before placing the stone, the walls of the pit were lined with wooden stakes. Thanks to them, the stone slid down without falling off the ground. The lower parts of the blocks, hammered in the shape of a blunt cone, could be rotated along their axis even after the earth was compacted.

What's left of Stonehenge?

If you look at John Consable's painting from life on the grounds of Stonehenge in 1835, we see piles of heaped stones. This is exactly what the legendary megalithic complex looked like until the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, as we know, he has changed. Not everyone knows about it, but Stonehenge underwent a serious and long restoration.

Its first stage took place back in 1901. Reconstruction continued until 1964, and information about the work was carefully hidden. When it became known to the general public, it gave rise to numerous attacks from the public and the press. There was reason to be indignant. In fact, the complex was rebuilt from scratch. Restorers used cranes to install megaliths and lintels, strengthen the stones, and concrete their bases.

In general, Stonehenge is “not the same anymore,” but it is not customary to mention this in booklets. Otherwise, this most famous (but far from unique) megalithic complex would not have provided an influx of 1 million thousand tourists a year.

Photo source: id.wikipedia.org

Here is the well-known Stonehenge ( Stonehenge). As many people know, this is the oldest monument and artifact of past civilizations and beliefs. However, maybe I will surprise someone, we can consider in almost every detail the process of construction of this ancient monument. First, let's remember the official history of the monument.

Stonehenge, according to accepted dating methods, is slightly younger than the famous Egyptian pyramids. But it was not included in the number of the ancient seven wonders of the world - neither Greek nor Roman authors write anything about it. Probably, the Romans were not impressed by these stones, because they saw the ancient Egyptian pyramids, and they themselves built majestic temples. Today it is no longer possible to establish who was the first biographer of Stonehenge. By the 12th century, all information about its origin had disappeared into myths and no one remembered the true purpose of the monument. Who built it? The ancient British called Stonehenge "The Dance of the Giants". Rumor attributed its authorship to the great magician Merlin.

Other legends spoke of giants who once lived before the first Flood - they allegedly built Stonehenge. King James I, having visited it, was amazed by what he saw and ordered the architect Inigo Jones to sketch a plan of the structure and establish for certain who and when it was created. In 1655, John Webb's book, The Most Remarkable Antiquity of Great Britain, Colloquially Called Stone-Heng, Restored, was published - the first publication dedicated to Stonehenge. And the research was put to an end in the 60s of the 20th century by astronomer Gerald Hawkins, who proved that Stonehenge was an ancient observatory that made it possible to carry out astronomical observations with high accuracy. Stonehenge was built between 1900 and 1600 BC. e., and its construction took almost centuries. The population of Britain was small in those distant centuries. Starting around 3000 BC. e. Farmers from the continent began to settle again on the islands - the so-called Windmill Hill people - named after the hill of Stonehenge.

It was thanks to them that Salisbury Plain became a center of crafts and cattle breeding. After 2000 BC e. beakers appeared here. Their arrival coincided with the beginning of the Bronze Age. And three hundred years later, the Wessexes came here, lovers of long journeys - in their graves, objects from all corners of the then ecumene are especially often found - faience from Egypt, amber from the Baltic, arrow straighteners from Mycenae, pins of the Germans... Nothing remained from all these peoples that could shed light on their involvement in megalithic buildings. We can only guess - which one is it? Hawkins believes that all three nations had a hand in the construction of Stonehenge. The stones that make up Stonehenge are different. The main building material of monoliths is dolerite, but there is also volcanic lava (rhyolite), volcanic tuff, sandstone, and limestone. Three species - dolerite, rhyolite and volcanic tuff - are found only in one place - in Wales, in the Preselli Mountains, near the coast of Bristol Bay. “There is now no doubt,” writes Stonehenge researcher R. Atkinson, “that the blue stones were taken to Stonehenge from this very limited area.” The straight line distance is 210 kilometers - three hours by bus. But they were transported on rollers and by water, and this distance is 380 kilometers. Eighty stones weigh a total of up to four hundred tons. Who else in ancient Europe carried out such an extraordinary raid?

Perhaps no one. Scientists traced the possible route of the builders and found that most of it passed through water. Some large stones were collected along the way. The stones were carried on wooden sleds along logs. An experiment conducted by scientists helped to find out that twenty-four people are able to drag a load weighing one ton in this way at a speed of a kilometer and a half a day. On the water, things were simpler: several wooden canoes connected by planks could withstand enormous weights and were easily controlled. And the heaviest stones are sarsens? Their deposit was discovered much closer to Stonehenge, only thirty kilometers away. The weight of the largest “gray rams” (as these blocks are called) reaches fifty tons. It is estimated that a thousand people brought them to the site of construction in seven years. Ancient craftsmen skillfully processed the blocks even before transporting them to the construction site of the complex, using the technique of impact and processing with fire and cold. After a crack was marked on the stone, a fire was laid on it, and then cold water was poured and beaten with stone hammers. And after rough processing and delivery of the block to the site, more delicate work followed. The stones were polished very cleanly, just like jewelry. However, unfortunately, it is impossible to evaluate the technology today - water and wind have done their job over the centuries.

Scientists had to figure out how the giants were installed. It turned out that first they dug holes, the length of which was equal to the length of the part of the stone that was supposed to be buried. The length and width of the hole was ninety centimeters greater than the stone. Three walls of the hole were made vertical, writes J. Hawkins, and the fourth was given a slope of 45 degrees - this was the receiving ramp. Before placing the stone, the walls of the hole were lined with thick wooden stakes. The stone slid along it without shedding the ground. Then the colossus was placed vertically with the help of ropes and cords. Quickly, quickly - while those who held it had enough strength - they filled up the free space around it, just so that the stone would not fall down. After compacting it, they left it alone for several months until the soil subsided and was compacted. An important detail: the lower ends of the vertical stones were beaten into a blunt cone - so that after they were lowered into the hole, the stones could be turned and installed more accurately.

How did the multi-ton beams end up at the top? They weren't lifted there by helicopters. Maybe along earthen embankments? It was precisely this method that was proposed as a hypothesis back in 1730 by one of the very first Stonehenge researchers, S. Wallis. But the construction and dismantling of such an embankment for all thirty-five crossbars would require enormous labor - more than the work spent on the entire complex. In addition, the remains of earthen embankments were not found, and this version was abandoned. What if they used the throwing method using stacks of logs? Approximately like this: a stone crossbar was laid on the ground at the foot of its future supports, and then a layer of logs was laid perpendicular to it, it was transferred onto the logs, and in the place where it lay before, a double layer of logs was laid, but parallel and perpendicular : back and forth, back and forth... And now the stone roof is already at the very top. The last task was to transfer it to the prepared place - so that all its nests would rest on the spikes of the support.

It is estimated that such a tower of longitudinal and transverse layers of wood would require fifteen cubic kilometers of logs with pre-cut grooves. And they also calculated: it took three hundred years of work and thousands of workers to build Stonehenge, and a total of one and a half million man-days of physical labor were spent. In the name of what is all this? Why was Stonehenge built? ...On the day of the summer solstice, crowds of people come to Stonehenge to watch the sun rise over the Heel Stone. The spectacle is truly impressive. Through the lilac fog that usually swirls in the valley at this early hour, a bright ray suddenly breaks through - just above the top of the Heel Stone! Precisely fixed rays of sight, according to astronomers, forced the observer to look at strictly defined areas of the sky and set the directions where the expected phenomena occurred.

Thus, Stonehenge can be considered an ancient observatory, which was used to predict the start time of field work and, as J. Hawkins suggested, to predict eclipses. Hawkins drew attention to the fifty-six so-called “Aubrey holes” included in the ancient complex. “I noticed,” Hawkins wrote, “that these holes are located along a regular circle at an equal distance from each other. Holes about one and a half meters deep are dug in shallow soil and then filled again with crushed chalk. The priests could predict the year of the eclipse of, say, the winter moon, by moving pebbles from hole to hole in a circle, one hole per year.” They also had other devices for such forecasts. ...

Five of the seven wonders of the world - the Egyptian pyramids, the statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, the mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Lighthouse of Alexandria on the island of Pharos - were made of stone. But nowhere, perhaps, was stone used so skillfully for the intellectual search of the ancients as here in South-West England, on Salisbury Plain.

There is a question, how was Stonehenge built? And again, unfortunately, there is no exact answer. It is only known that each stone block was delivered almost 350 km. According to one Spanish engineer, Harry Lavin, these blocks were delivered using special baskets that were not carried, but simply rolled along the ground.

Lavin also claims that the builders used beams to cover the stone blocks, and also braided them with elastic branches. Special cocoons were obtained, which were dragged from one place to another. Domestic animals such as horses and oxen were used to transport the blocks. The engineer decided to test his hypothesis in practice. First, he braided and then rolled a stone block, the diameter of which was less than one meter. After this, Lavin invited several of his friends, and with their help he managed to roll a stone block, the mass of which was one ton, in the same way.

In his plans, the engineer is going to experiment with stone blocks that will be similar to the Stonehenge block. He also wants to move them to a distance of 350 km. He plans to shorten part of this journey using water. After all, it is known that a stone block braided with tree branches will definitely float. You just need to calculate everything correctly.

This is what Stonehenge looked like in 1575, according to this engraving:

And this is how the artist John Constable captured this “antiquity” in 1835, as they say, from life:

The first restoration work took place in 1901, when, allegedly, only one stone was raised:

This photograph of workers at the restoration site in 1901 accidentally made it into the press and caused outrage at the time, but this far from legendary story is rarely mentioned in official Stonehenge guidebooks.

The pages of the Times newspaper were full of messages with complaints and demands to stop this vandalism, but the first stage of the “restoration” of the monument continued, no matter what. And some venerable journalists, such as John Ruskin, declared with pathos that “the restoration of a historical monument is a lie.”

Photo from 1911.

But the reconstructors themselves made excuses that they were only trying to put in place one monolith that allegedly fell during a storm. Allegedly, we are talking about only one stone, and not about the systematic movement of almost all the stones. And yet, despite public resistance, the makeover of Stonehenge, being a closely guarded secret, was only gaining momentum. And even more work was carried out in 1919 - 1920

Photography from the early 20th century.

And here is a series of photos from the supposed restoration of 1958-64, when, according to “scientists,” several more stones were lifted “into place.” But for some reason in the photo you can see chalk markings of the places where the stones should be. And this marking looks as if there were no stones there before:

Completely untouched virgin soil. The top layer was carefully removed exactly along the contour of the megalith installation. Digging for the foundation has begun. Is it a joke? The heaviest stones they need a foundation.

And now the turf has been carefully removed and holes for the stones have been dug, and the soil from the holes is in a pile nearby:

They are unloading the “pebble”, but for some reason it is plastered...

For some reason they roll a barrel under the megaliths...

But this “pebble” seems to have been leveled with a trowel:

In this way, “ancient” inscriptions were made on stones:

50 years have passed and... both are here! The plaster fell away, and the “antique” concrete blocks appeared at the base:

The scale of the restoration undertaken in 1901-1965 became the subject of harsh criticism and even journalistic investigations at the beginning of the 21st century. However, Christopher Chappindale, curator of the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, admitted that "almost all the stones have been moved in one way or another and are now set in concrete."

This is one of the dark pages in the history of archeology; they prefer not to talk about it. The Druids worked like this:

And what they used to lift huge megaliths, which modern technology is not capable of lifting, looks like this:

So, 111 years have passed since the restoration of Stonehenge began. The menhir, which had fallen from the hurricane, was straightened and put back in place, and even reinforced with concrete. This is in 1901. Six more stones in 1919 and 1920, three more stones in 1959 and four stones in 1964. In 1958, a stone altar was dug up from somewhere and the central trilithons were re-installed.

The first reaction of individual readers, who continued to say something about the “excavation”, “restoration”, “replacement” of “ancient megaliths”, convinced that it was still impossible to do without an explanation. In the photo, starting from the 1st one above, you see white circles indicating places for future “megaliths”. This is the “front of work” for builders. Marking an object from customer, made with lime in the holes, on a flat, untouched lawn. “Megaliths” are not pulled out like carrots, leaving not the slightest trace of this procedure.

Further, if you look at the pictures more closely, you will find the military, and barbed wire in the vicinity, and other details indicating that from a certain moment the future “Cyclopean building” of the ancient Druid-Atlanto-Asuro-Siryanto-Aryans was a protected security facility. You will see “customer representatives” who are not officials, builders, workers, or surrounding residents. You will find “initiates” with some bookmarks and equipment.

Stonehenge - “space portal”, “energy crystal”, etc., etc. played an important role in ideas associated with “apocalypticism,” “horses,” and so on; this was taken care of when laying it.

If you take a closer look at modern photographs of Stonehenge (and compare them with several old photographs of manipulations that have nothing to do with the construction business), you will easily find streaks of a red substance, ubiquitous in the “cyclopean” and “megalithic” castings (hence the numerous events with fire and electricity), and you will very easily see the modern purpose of the structure.

Stonehenge, of course, is a publicized place, which is why it is in the spotlight. But Avebury, which is 32 km north of Stonehenge, is less, but if a little history, it was built by Alexander Keiller, a millionaire and lover of antiquities, in 1930. He simply bought this place, and after a while a prehistoric monument appeared here too.

David Batchelor, chief archaeologist at English Heritage, says: “...ideas about the degree of restoration of the corresponding ancient monuments are changing. Some monuments have been more seriously restored. But we don't think that Stonehenge was reconstructed. I hope now the recovery will only go for the better, because there is nowhere else to go" But even here he is distorting, saying that Stonehenge has nothing to do with it, he is protecting his own.

English Heritage is preparing for changes to reflect the new mood. In particular, Henderson said: " There is a growing interest in how historical monuments have been restored. When we update the guide, we will try to include more material about how restorers interact with the monument».

Ben Bradshaw, UK Secretary of State for Culture and Sport, has announced the government is investing £10 million in developing a visitor center at Stonehenge. So what the hell is the story when that kind of money is at stake!

In general, conspiracy supporters say this:

Of course, the key photo is where the company’s label is highlighted in the photo. Premix.

In total, 72 duplicates of Stonehenge are known in the world. Based on the date of construction and territorial location, you can easily exclude the unnecessary, and check the rest with your common sense.

1. The first military exercises were held in the Stonehenge area in 1898.

2. From that time until World War II, the Department of Defense purchased large tracts of land in the area.
3. Currently, the Ministry of Defense owns 390 square kilometers (!) in the immediate vicinity of Stonehenge, some of which are permanently closed, and access to others is severely limited. (According to the map, the border of the nearest military base is one and a half kilometers from these stones to the north, and the military airstrip is 5 kilometers to the southeast).
4. In the past, a railway line and an airfield were built in the immediate vicinity of Stonehenge, both of which were later dismantled (there are other sources that a military airfield was much closer, at a distance of only one mile from Stonehenge).
5. In 1943, the village of Imber (15 kilometers from Stonehenge) and the village of Par Hinton were evicted. The article about Imber says that to this day the village is under the control of the military.
6. 2 kilometers north of Stonehenge is the Royal Artillery School, which conducts real shooting 340 (!) days a year.
7. 9 kilometers to the southeast, behind the military airfield, is the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory, whose work is mostly classified.
8. Another 17 kilometers to the west of Stonehenge there is a military air corps base and a helicopter airport for combat Apaches.
9. There is no agricultural activity in the Stonehenge area due to the danger of running into an unexploded shell, of which quite a few have accumulated over the century. Because of this, the green meadows around Stonehenge have acquired a Site of Special Scientific Interest as they represent the last natural lawns in England, and possibly in all of Europe.

So, to summarize:
- Around Stonehenge for more than 100 years there has been a closed area guarded by the military, patrolled by military planes and helicopters, with daily artillery fire.
- Local residents were evicted during the Second World War under the pretext of training exercises; The villages were taken under control by the military, a situation that continues to this day.
- Agricultural activities in the large area of the plain where Stonehenge is located are prohibited.
- There was infrastructure on the territory that allowed large-scale construction (including airfields, a railway line), which was subsequently abolished as unnecessary.

We contacted the management of this clown place of believers in 2001 (the Arkaim circus stage from the same opera, made up from nothing, for GDLB tourists) and clearly saw the fictitiousness of this structure, as well as the pointlessness of wasting time on communicating with people of conceit.

Note for yourself that “TOURISM” is an absolutely charming Iverian matrix of demonism. Tourism, as such, is a completely successful project of the Ivers, which THEY protect and milk the gavvah and funds of families around the world, and GDLB, instead of building the Small Motherland, as a projection of the entire species of animals and plants on a separate section of the Family Estate, are being carried out on the magnetism of the type of “architectural” monuments built by the Ivers around the world, and in reality, created manually by the Ivers quite recently. The exhibits of museums around the world alone, be it the Hermitage, the Louvre or the London Repository, are worth something. It's time for the goyim to know the truth about Iveron reality and its perfect creation, and about THEIR actions on Earth.

In other words, everything is very clear. On the territory protected by the British military department, this “center of ancient civilization”, “the legacy of the great ancestors”, “a monument to humanity” was consciously and purposefully erected, which became (not by itself, clearly) the most important religious center of no less purposefully implanted “spirituality” , Spirit of Aries.

There is no doubt that both the “heritage of humanity” itself, and “spirituality”, of which this “heritage” is an important attribute, and “science”, which has developed its “research” around this “heritage” on a colossal scale, have one customer.

Stonehenge in Great Britain is the most amazing prehistoric megalithic structure made of stone that has survived to this day. It is located in a field located 13 km from the small village of Salisbury. “Stone fence” - this is how the name Stonehenge can be translated. London is located 130 km to the southwest. The territory belongs to the administrative district of Wiltshire. It consists of a circle around which are located 56 small burial “Aubrey holes” (named after a 17th-century explorer).

One of the most famous versions is that lunar eclipses could be calculated using them. Later, cremated human remains began to be buried in them. In Europe, from time immemorial, wood has been associated with life, and stone with death.

Stonehenge structure

In the center of the megalith there is a so-called altar (a 6-ton monolith made of green sandstone). In the northeast there is a seven-meter high Heel Stone. There is also the Block Stone, so called because of the color of the iron oxides protruding on it. The next two rings consist of huge hard blocks of blue color (siliceous sandstone). The construction is completed by a ring colonnade with horizontal slabs lying on top. In general, the structure consists of: 82 megaliths weighing 5 tons; 30 blocks, each weighing 25 tons; 5 trilithons, each weighing 50 tons. All of them form arches precisely pointing to the cardinal directions.

This monument of prehistoric architecture is built in the form of a circular fence of two types of hewn stone blocks, which were transported from the Preselian Mountains to the construction site over several centuries. And the Prezelian Mountains are located more than 200 km from Stonehenge.

And here a logical question arises: how were our ancient ancestors able to drag heavy boulders over such a long distance, and, in fact, why? There are many assumptions about this.

The myth of the construction of Stonehenge

According to ancient Celtic legend, Stonehenge was created. It was he, the great magician, who personally carried bulky blocks of stone from Ireland and the extreme south of England to the town of Stonehenge, which is located north of the town of Salisbury, in the county of Wiltshire, and erected a sanctuary there, which was destined to survive centuries - the most famous in the British Isles, and throughout the world, megalith.

Stonehenge, let us remind you, is a double circular fence made of large stones installed vertically. This fence is called a cromlech by archaeologists. And, as they believe, it was built between the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC - in 5 long stages.

Purpose

The position of all blocks, vertical support and ceiling are precisely oriented according to the position of the sun on the days of the summer and winter solstice. Two internal “horseshoes” - for sunrise and sunset during the summer and winter solstice. As you can see, the builders attached great importance to this, but the meaning and purpose of the structures still remain unknown to scientists. Researchers are not sure that this structure served as an astronomical laboratory. It is more likely to be used as a religious center. In the middle there is an altar made of green stone. The other blocks in the inner circle are called "blue stones".

There is also an opinion that Stonehenge is a landing site for alien ships, and adherents of the existence of parallel dimensions believe that a portal to other worlds opens here. Some 5,000-year-old rock paintings found 14 km from Addis Ababa allegedly contain images that are similar to the stone blocks of Stonehenge. In one such ancient drawing above the center of a stone sculpture, the image resembles a UFO taking off.

The 17th century English architect Inigo Jones, studying the megalith, came to the conclusion that the structure of the structure resembles the architecture of ancient times and suggested that these are the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. According to another version, the pagan queen Boadicea, who fought against the Romans, is buried on the territory of Stonehenge. In connection with this, an opinion arose that the leaders of ancient tribes were also buried in Stonehenge.

Later, scientists proposed a version that Stonehenge was erected in order to accurately predict the time of lunar and solar eclipses, as well as the dates of the start of field work. Proof can be found in the fact that on the day of the summer solstice during sunrise, its ray passes exactly through the middle of this stone structure. But this version is negatively viewed by skeptics who argue that it was hardly justified to invest so much effort and money to build an ordinary calendar.

One day, during an excursion, the boy accidentally caught a stone with a piece of wire and fell unconscious. After which the child could not come to his senses for a long time and lost the ability to move his arms and legs for six months.

While photographing Stonehenge in 1958, the photographer observed rising columns of light above the huge stones. And in 1968, one eyewitness said that he saw a ring of fire that emanated from blocks of stone, in which there was a bright luminous object. 1977 - managed to film a squadron of unidentified objects over the megalith, and this video was shown on all British television channels. It is curious that during UFO sightings, eyewitnesses' compass malfunctioned and their portable television broke down.

In the Stonehenge area, researchers have repeatedly heard clicking sounds and strange buzzing sounds of unknown origin. Many scientists argue that the reason for this kind of phenomenon may lie in the strong magnetic field spreading around Stonehenge. It’s interesting, but the compass needle, which should point south, constantly turns towards the center of the structure, regardless of which side of the megalith you stop on.

Another mystery of Stonehenge concerns the construction of a megalith over the intersection points of underground rivers. Under Stonehenge there are huge reserves of groundwater. Their presence can be explained by the location of the stone structure in a swampy area, but how to explain how the ancient people managed to accurately position the megalith remains a mystery.

There is no explanation for another strange phenomenon. If you knock on one of the stones in a certain way, the sound will spread to all the stones, although they are not connected to each other.

Stonehenge – computer reconstruction

Averubi and Silbury Hill

During the study of Stonehenge, even more ancient structures were discovered nearby - a huge circle laid out using vertical stone slabs - Averubi and Silbury Hill - a man-made mound of a cone shape, 45 m high. Studying these structures, we came to the curious conclusion that they are all interconnected, making up a single whole. Scientists made this conclusion based on the fact that the distance between Stonehenge, Averubi and Silbury Hill is 20 km, and they themselves are located in the corners of an equilateral triangle.

Where did the stones come from?

1136 - the English chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth testified that “these stones were brought from afar.” We, based on the data of modern geology, can completely agree with him on one thing: part of the blocks for the construction of the megalith were in fact somehow delivered from the west, but not from the quarries closest to Stonehenge. In addition, 80 tons of menhirs, or processed stone blocks, which were then installed in a vertical position, were imported from the southern regions of Wales, which is located in western England (in particular, from Pembrokeshire). And this happened already at the second stage of construction, i.e. in the second half of the 3rd millennium BC. e.

From the Preselian quarries, in southwest Wales, the so-called blue stones were transported to Stonehenge by water - or so, at least, the famous English archaeologist, Professor Richard Atkinson suggested. And more precisely - along the sea and rivers into the interior of the state. And finally - the final section of the path, the “front”, which several centuries later, in 1265, received a name that has come down to our time, albeit in a slightly different meaning: “avenue”. And here, in reality, it’s time to admire the strength and long-suffering of the ancients.

Construction of Stonehenge

The skill of the stonemasons is no less impressive. After all, most of the roofing slabs of the legendary Stonehenge weigh several tons, and the weight of many supports is several centners. But it was still necessary to find suitable blocks, transport them to the site of future construction and install them in a strictly defined order. Thus, the construction of Stonehenge, in modern terms, was tantamount to a feat of labor.

In fact, during the construction of Stonehenge, two types of stones were used: strong boulders - the so-called aeolian pillars - made of Avebury sandstone, from which trilithes were formed - the same dolmens, or vertical stone blocks with transverse stone slabs on top, forming the outer circle of the entire structure ; and softer dolerites, which are part of ore and coal beds. Dolerite is a basalt-like igneous rock with a bluish-gray hue. Hence its second name - blue stone. Two-meter-high dolerites form the inner circle of the megalithic structure.

Although the blue stones of Stonehenge are not very high, it is in them, according to archaeologists, that the secret meaning of the entire structure lies.

The first thing that archaeologists were unanimous on was the geological origin of dolerites: their homeland is the Preselian Mountains. But as to why the ancient ancestors of the Celts needed to drag dolerite boulders, researchers have differing opinions. The controversy was mainly caused by this question: did people from the New Stone Age actually drag stone blocks with their own hands to the site of the construction of the megalith, or could the stones move on their own - as glaciers shifted in the Quaternary period, i.e. long before the appearance of person? The situation was clarified not long ago. At an international conference, glaciologists announced the result of their many years of research, which boiled down to the fact that there had never been any major glacial movements in the Stonehenge area. However, answers to many other questions have not yet been found.

The distance from the Preselian Mountains to Stonehenge in a straight line is 220 km. However, as you know, the direct path is not always the shortest. So it is in this case: given the exorbitant weight of the “cargo,” we had to take not the shortest, but the most convenient route.

In addition to everything, it was necessary to build appropriate vehicles.

It is known that in the new Stone Age a person could hollow out canoes from tree trunks - they were the main means of transport. In fact, relatively recently, archaeologists discovered the remains of an ancient trimaran, which consisted of three seven-meter-long dugout canoes, which were fastened together by crossbars. Such a trimaran could easily be controlled by six people using poles. As for the four-ton stone blocks, the same six oarsmen were able to load them onto the trimaran using levers. The sea route along the gentle coast of Wales was the most convenient, and there were enough secluded bays in case of bad weather.

But part of the journey had to be covered overland. And here hundreds of pairs of hands were required. The first step was to transfer the “load” onto a sled and pull it along tree trunks cleared of branches, laid across the path, like rollers. Each block was pulled by at least 20 people.

In the beginning, Stonehenge was a cemetery

During excavations in certain areas of the ditch, bones of large animals were discovered, and in some places the remains of burnt human corpses. And although the initial purpose of the construction of this structure remains a mystery, anthropologists claim that in the period before the appearance of the first stone blocks, the monument was the resting place of the remains. At least 64 Neolithic people are now known to be buried at Stonehenge.
Most of the remains discovered were ash. But, in 1923, archaeologists discovered the skeleton of a headless Anglo-Saxon man, dating back to the 7th century AD. e. Because the man was executed, it is possible to assume that he was a criminal, but his burial at Stonehenge led archaeologists to believe that he could belong to the royal dynasty.

The ancient Stonehenge holds many mysteries. There is no inscription, drawing or any marking on any of the stones. It is difficult for scientists to cling to anything. All that remains is to build versions and put forward hypotheses and assumptions. It should be noted that such structures made of stone blocks can be found throughout Europe and on individual islands, although in scale they are of course inferior to Stonehenge.

Stonehenge is one of the most popular and most visited British attractions by tourists. Archaeologists have been exploring this place for many years, but the mystery remains unsolved, despite the abundance of more or less plausible versions.

What is Stonehenge?

This is one of the most ancient, strange and amazing structures on our planet. This stone complex consists of 83 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks (each weighing about 25 tons) and five huge 50-ton stones. The stones are located on an area approximately 100 meters in diameter, surrounded by a moat and an earthen rampart. Using the radiocarbon dating method, it was found that the ramparts and ditch were dug about 5 thousand years BC.

In the center of the structure is the Altar Stone, which is surrounded by five pairs of stones with trilithons (lintels at the top). These stones form a “horseshoe” with the open side facing east. The horseshoe is surrounded by a ring of blue stones. Further on there is another stone ring with a diameter of 33 meters. It is surrounded by two rows of holes. Another circle of holes is located closer to the earthen rampart (the so-called “Orbi holes”).

Stone blocks differ in material. This is not particularly noticeable in the videos and photos of Stonehenge, but up close it is absolutely obvious that the stones are heterogeneous. The blue stones, which take on a characteristic color in the rain, stand out especially. However, you won’t be able to get close to them at this time - they are not allowed to approach the monument in bad weather.

Folded stone arches indicate the cardinal directions. Therefore, according to one theory, in ancient times this structure was used as an observatory.

Who built Stonehenge?

The history of Stonehenge dates back several millennia. Scientists have not yet come to a common conclusion when they began to build these stone structures. A number of historians are inclined to believe that the megalithic monument was erected approximately 3 thousand years BC. Others believe that the monument appeared much later - around 2200 BC. Archaeological excavations indicate that at least 2.5 thousand years BC there were already burials at this site.

There is also a version that the structure was erected in several stages. Recesses for installing stones were dug 3.5 thousand years BC. The first circle was built around 2000, and the construction of the second circle dates back to 1100 AD.

It is estimated that the construction work took about four centuries in total. Before installation, the stones of Stonehenge were carefully polished. The walls of the pits were lined with logs. Giant blocks were brought into a vertical position using ropes. But no logical explanation has yet been found for how the multi-ton horizontal crossbars were installed. Suggestions have been put forward that they could have been raised along special earthen embankments or using log stacks. But given the enormous weight, it looks too incredible.

The issue of transporting stones is also shrouded in mystery. Some researchers believe that the monoliths were brought from Avebury, located 30 km away. This place is home to the largest stone circle in Europe. And the blue sandstone that lined the inner circle was brought from the territories of modern Wales. One of the researchers, Mike Parker Pearson, is sure that this was done purposefully and symbolized the unification of the peoples who inhabited the south of England at that time.

According to another hypothesis, people did not transport stones at all, and the monoliths ended up here due to the movement of the glacier. But the discovered ancient quarries testify in favor of the first version. Scientists experimentally tried to test whether transportation of monoliths is possible. And it turned out that small megaliths up to two tons are not at all difficult to move on runners. Other assumptions were made about transportation methods: using rollers, the “walking stones” method, and even by water.

Research continues to this day and partially sheds light on the distant past. Perhaps in the near future the secrets and mysteries of Stonehenge will be completely revealed, because the most modern methods are used to reveal them.

Legends and myths

Of course, such an unusual place could not but give rise to many legends. Since no one could give a rational explanation for the construction of the stone monument, the construction of Stonehenge was attributed to the giants who lived before the Flood, Cyclopes, aliens and even the wizard Merlin. The latter version is most popular in the British Isles.

According to ancient Celtic legends, this stone complex “built itself.” In the Middle Ages, it was believed that this monument was erected by the king of the Celtic tribe of Britons, Aurelius Ambrosi, in honor of 460 Britons who were treacherously killed by the Saxons during negotiations.

There is also a version that Stonehenge was a sacred place of the Druids. But the description of the Druids in Julius Caesar's book The Gallic War, as well as other ancient Greek and Roman sources, do not contain any mention of this place.

The reconstruction of the object contributed to the emergence of an “alien” version. To avoid erosion, some stones were “preserved” using a concrete “jacket”. Subsequently, the concrete chipped off, and those who did not know about the restoration work were quick to attribute the construction of Stonehenge to aliens. Which, in general, is quite logical: if the Celts did not know how to make concrete, then someone brought it to them. The answer suggests itself - of course, space aliens :)

Increased interest in the stone monument among the general public arose only at the beginning of the 20th century. Before this, only archaeologists, historians and mystics were interested in stone blocks.
The restoration of the stone complex took 65 years, from 1900 to 1965. Before the restoration work, some of the stones were already scattered chaotically, and according to research, the monument was repeatedly rebuilt and deliberately destroyed in ancient times, in particular during the Roman period.
Not everyone agreed with the restoration scheme for the location of the stone blocks. In particular, Christopher Chappindale, who at that time was the curator of the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, argued that the stones were not located in the places where they were originally.
Duncan Steele, a British astronomer, put forward a version in 1995 that the structure had an astronomical purpose and allowed earthlings to avoid a cosmic catastrophe. This hypothesis was also proven by another scientist, Gerald Hawkins. But at the same time he did not reject the theory of the occult use of the place.
The monument was in private ownership for a long time. The owner of Stonehenge was Henry XVIII, and later the royal nobility.
In 1915, the stone complex was purchased by millionaire Cecil Chubb. But the wife to whom he presented the ancient monument was not happy, so three years later Chubb decided to give this luxurious gift to the British people.
The land on which Stonehenge is located was put up for auction after the First World War.
The action of the novel "The Worm" by writer John Fowles takes place in this mysterious place.
Nearby is one of the world's largest mounds, 40 meters high, which is considered the same age as Stonehenge.
The monument and its surroundings are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Where is Stonehenge?

Stonehenge is located in Great Britain, England, near the city of Amesbury - this is the closest populated area (distance approximately 3.5 km).

The facility is open to the public from 9.00 to 20.00 (ticket sales stop at 18.00). A ticket will cost 16.5 British pounds for adults and 9.9 GBP for children. For this money you can see the attraction from a distance, behind a rope fence. They also conduct individual tours in the evening and at dawn - this is the only opportunity to go directly to the relic and touch the ancient stones with your own hands.

Set aside a whole day for the trip, because the road takes a lot of time (about two hours one way), and, in addition to Stonehenge itself, I think you will want to visit the local museum - there are also a lot of interesting things there.

There are several options for getting to Stonehenge:

In any case, it’s faster in terms of time, since you don’t have to go to Salisbury, wait there for the bus to Stonehenge and practically go all the way back.

However, no matter which option you choose, it’s worth it. Seeing one of the most famous and biggest mysteries on the planet with your own eyes is an unforgettable experience!

One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, Stonehenge consists of earthworks surrounding ring-shaped and horseshoe-shaped structures of large menhirs. It is at the center of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England. The monument itself and its surroundings were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1986, along with Avebury. Stonehenge is handed over to English Heritage by the British Crown, while the immediate surroundings belong to the National Trust.
Description of Stonehenge

Stand out on the plan
1 - Altar Stone, a six-ton monolith of green mica sandstone from Wales
2-3 - mounds without graves
4 - fallen stone 4.9 meters long (Slaughter Stone - scaffold)
5 - Heel Stone
6 - two of the originally four vertical stones (on the plan of the early 19th century their position is indicated differently)
7 - ditch (ditch)
8 - internal shaft
9 - external shaft
10 - Avenue, that is, a parallel pair of ditches and ramparts leading 3 km to the River Avon (en: River Avon, Hampshire); now these shafts are barely visible (see virtual tour)
11 - ring of 30 pits, so-called. Y wells; in the 1930s the holes were marked with round posts, which have now been removed
12 - ring of 30 pits, so-called. Z holes
13 - circle of 56 holes, known as Aubrey holes
14 - small southern entrance

The stones concentrated in the center of Stonehenge are indicated on the plan by color: gray for sandstone boulders (sarsen) and blue for stones imported from afar, mainly bluestones. These stone blocks were probably brought to the Stonehenge site from a distance of 380 km, approximately eastern Wales, as this is the nearest stone quarry.

The location of the stones was reconstructed by William Stukeley at the beginning of the 19th century; further research made minor adjustments to it. (See also circular panoramas).

30 sarsen stones form a circle with a diameter of 33 m. These stones reach a height of 4.1 m, a width of 2.1 m and a weight of about 25 tons. On top of them are placed lintel stones about 3.2 m long, 1 m wide and 0.8 m thick, so that the tops of the lintels are 4.9 m above ground level. The stones were secured using a “mortise and tenon” system. The arc of the outer ring of 13 stones has been preserved along with the ceilings. The lintels are not indicated on the plan.

Within this circle stood five sarsen trilithons, forming a horseshoe open towards the avenue. Their huge stones weigh up to 50 tons each. The trilithons are arranged symmetrically: the smallest pair of trilithons was 6 m high, the next pair is slightly higher, and the largest was the single central trilithl, 7.3 m high. By the 19th century, only two trilithons from the southeast and one strongly bent support of the central trilithon had survived . In the first half of the 20th century, one trilith from the north-west was restored and the support of the central trilith was straightened, which completely changed the appearance of the complex from the north-west.

The shape of the ring and horseshoe is repeated by a ring without overlap and a horseshoe made of blue stones.
Dating of Stonehenge

The first researchers associated the construction of Stonehenge with the Druids. Excavations, however, have pushed back the creation of Stonehenge to the New Stone and Bronze Ages. Modern dating of Stonehenge elements is based on the radiocarbon method. Currently, the following phases are distinguished:
Phase 1 – construction of the main ditch and ramparts (Windmill Hill culture). A significant number of deer antlers with signs of “wear” were found in the ditch. Since no mud was found below these antlers, it was suggested that the ditch was dug shortly after the deer were killed. The last event was radiocarbon dated to 3020-2910 BC. e.
Phase 2 - secondary filling of the ditch, timber structures and Aubrey holes.
Phase 3 - burial cut into the top of the secondary ditch fill, construction of sandstone and bluestone rings, avenues and holes Y and Z (Wessex culture). Dating material for sarsen boulders, available in very limited quantities, points to 2440-2100 BC. e.

Purpose of Stonehenge

Legends connected the construction of Stonehenge with the name of Merlin. In the middle of the 17th century, the English architect Inigo Jones put forward the version that Stonehenge was built by the ancient Romans. Some scholars of the Middle Ages believed that Stonehenge was built by the Swiss or Germans. At the beginning of the 19th century, the version of Stonehenge as a Druid sanctuary was established. Some believed that this was the tomb of Boadicea, a pagan queen.

"" Even the authors of the 18th century noticed that the position of the stones can be linked to astronomical phenomena. The most famous modern attempt to interpret Stonehenge as a grand observatory from the Stone Age is due to J. Hawkins and J. White. It has no scientific confirmation.

It is also often claimed that Stonehenge was used for burials. Indeed, burials were found on the territory of the monument, but they were made much later than the construction of Stonehenge. For example, the skeleton of a young man was found in a ditch, dated using the radiocarbon method to 780-410 BC. e.

According to news agencies, Professor of Archeology from the University of Sheffield Mike Parker Person, who directs the Stonehenge Riverside Archaeological Project, noted that in his opinion Stonehenge from its very beginning until its heyday in the third millennium BC was considered by the inhabitants of England as a territory for burial of the dead.

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