The Mystery of the Stonehenge

Situated in England's small county of Wiltshire, 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 13 km north of Salisbury, lies one of the most mysterious figures on earth. While driving  on the A344 highway along the English countryside, this mysterious structure, popularly known as the Stonehenge, will never fail to capture your gaze while passing by. It has also successfully evoked strange feelings for those who stop by to check this captivating iconic monument. Who could have possibly built this titanic structure in the middle of no where and for what purpose? These questions have kept scholars and researchers pondering to find the answers. Even with our scientific approach our study of the past, we have been able to find out very little about the Stonehenge.

The Stonehenge consists so around 9 large pillar-like standing stones set within their respective earthwork in a circular setting. Joints and sockets have been dig up for the placement of the giant stones. Above there vertical pillars, the flat horizontal pillars are places as if they have been carved in the upper portion of the vertical pillars. They were engineered to remain flat on the sloping side. While picturing this prehistoric monument, one should keep in mind that it was a labor intensive work that built this magnificent structure. Most of these pillars would weight around 26 tons so you can imagine how much manpower was used to carry these mammoth like blocks to their respective slots.

Unfortunately, we have found no records, what so ever, on when and how it was built or even about the people who built it. Although, carbon dating puts it back to 2400 BC to 2200 BC, many argue that it's construction started around 2600 BC. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that this structure stood for more than 5000 years. As for who built it, not much is known about them, nor do we know their motives behind building this super structure. What we can assume is that these people were pretty intelligent and well motivated. It is pretty mind-boggling to think that neolithic semi nomadic people from Salisbury could build such a mysteries, cosmic and gigantic structure in the middle of no where.

Not much is known about the people who built it, not do we know their motives behind building this structure. We must assume that these people were pretty intelligent and well-motivated. It is pretty incredible to think that neolithic semi nomadic people from the Salisbury. But the real mystery is what could have motivated these people to built such a colossus structure in the first place and for what purpose. What kind of people would have the capability to built it and how did they carry these heavy and enormous blocks?

Although there are many questions unanswered about the Stonehenge, there are a few things that we do know about it.We know than it was built over a long period of time and was finished around  1600 BC as per what most archaeologists believe today. There were many people who were involved in its construction and many changes tool place over time. As for the construction, we know that it was done in different stages. First, the earth works were built with a set of small standing stone in about 3100BC. Then, after around 400 years, the first of the larger standing stones was added in the ring inside the outer ring.Lintels were placed on the top of some of there but not all. The next building cycle occurred when the blue stones were added to the inside or inner circle. The outer ring was removed and so on. Some say that the alter in the middle was added at around 40 AD but this proposal is still being debated due to the issue of carbon dating of materials below the alter.

The purpose of this megalithic structure is still am mystery. Some argue that it was used as a religious center, others argue that it was used for astromomical center. What we do know that is was a pilgrimage spot because we found remains of people who came to see this monument all the way frpm what we call today as Switsarland. Another intersting feature of the stonehenge is that the direction of the middle of thte Stonehenge, along the Avenue to the Heel Stone is the same asthe direction of sunrise on the longest day of the year. This gives an image of the sunrise can be seen behind the Heel Stone on that day when viewed from the Altar Stone. This is why, scholars agrue that this monument  has an astronomical significance. It can help predict solar and lunar ecclipses. Some people also suggest that it was used as an observatory to observe the sun and the moon and the sky from the center of the monument. All these suggestions are subjected to discussion and archaeologists are discovering  new things about this historic megalithic monument almost everyday.