Stonehenge

Clearly one of the most enigmatic human-made structures on Earth, these standing stones have mysterious prehistoric roots that may never be fully grasped. We do know from radio-isotope analysis of burial remains that people traveled hundreds of miles to come to Stonehenge--as far away as Wales and the Mediterranean Sea--an enormous distance in ancient times.

The wonderful mystery of Stonehenge offers us a glimpse into the past, possibly as far as 3,000 B.C. However, this area was both inhabited and used as a burial grounds for centuries--possibly millennia--before that.The stone circle also seems to have ceremonial or ritual significance, and the purposeful arrangement of the standing stones certainly has astronomical implications. Of all the world’s monuments, there are few that we know less about with any confidence.

Some of the upright stones, referred to as bluestones, seem to have been brought 170 miles from Wales. Each of these stones weighs about four tons, so the ancients likely traversed the shortest route possible, so whatever the precursor to the A40 was. The other, taller stones are referred to as Sarsen stone, and originated in one of the glacial periods. These larger stones are in two sizes, weighing 25 to 50 tons each.

Directly to the north of the stone circle is an earthen bank and ditch--dubbed the Cursus--which has been dated to about 3100 B.C., which predates the circle. The Cursus was almost two miles long and dug with antler picks, so it obviously held significant importance for some use, whether ceremony- celebration- or burial-related.

Obviously, the stone monoliths can be seen from 150 feet away, even from the highway, in fact; but the impression of them from within the circle is awe inspiring, to be sure. If you want to get within the circle though, tour booking should be done well in advance, lest you be restricted to appreciating the stones from a healthy distance.