The Stonehenge Mystery

Stonehenge is undoubtedly one of the best known attractions in the UK. It attracts large numbers of tourists each year who are attracted the unique layout of the structure, and hope to discover more about its historical past.

Stonehenge got its name from its design. This being a circle crafted from stone within larger concentric circles. The term henge comes from the archaeological definition for a specific kind of Neolithic structure. A henge generally includes a circular or oval shape with an internal trench and a central portion of flat ground. The structures do not necessarily need to be built of stone, they could also have been made of wood. Stonehenge is not typical of a henge construction as its circular trenches are positioned out of the primary stone circle however nevertheless the term has stuck. The width of Stonehenge is approximately 110 metres; a stone circular design below 20 metres in diameter would be called a mini-henge

It is only up to in recent years that scientists were able to identify the location of the stone that was used to create the monument. Different stone samples were taken and examined and they have been able to identify where in the UK these stones came from. The area is a 70 metre section of rock visible in Craig Rhos-y-Felin, near Pont Saeson in North Pembrokeshire. This belt is five miles from where scientists believe some of the huge monoliths originated from. Both of these areas are roughly 160 miles from where Stonehenge is situated in Wiltshire, and it has given rise to much debate over the methods used to transport these substantial pieces of stone were moved. Additionally, it makes a person question why this particular rock type was so important? why did the constructors journey so far to excavate this rock? when others must have been accessible closer to the building of the formation.

There have been many theories around how the stones were moved to Stonehenge with some archaeologists claiming that they were delivered by sea or using wooden rollers. However others have questioned this by saying that the wooden rollers would have sunk into the mud and the trenches required to make them work would have left behind marks on the terrain. Equally problems came about when experts tried to recreate the techniques for the stones to travel by sea. Some of the Bluestones situated in the stone circle are incredibly large and can weigh up to four tonnes. The researchers had great difficulty lifting the stones onto the boats, leading to many ships sinking or capsizing.

As most of the larger stones were obtained from Wales it is hard to picture how the early constructors managed to move them and build the structure. This caused some people to consider a paranormal and magical construction of the site. An ancient legend told by Geoffrey of Monmouth claims that that the structure was constructed by Merlin sometime in the fifth century. The legend goes that Merlin transported the stones from Ireland where they were better known as the Giants Ring, these consisted of mystical Bluestones that were created by ancient giants. More contemporary hypotheses suggest the intervention of aliens and alien technology to create the structure.

Erich von Daniken considers Stonehenge to represents a model of our solar system where other people have suggested that it was a landing area for alien space ships that left a depression similar to the crop circle patterns seen today. Meanwhile latest efforts by scientists have constructed a new concept involving the application of ball bearings to move the stones. This came to light when spherical balls within an mm of each other were dug up from a stone circle site in Scotland. These scientists developed an idea of what these could have been used for. The balls would have been positioned in to grooved wooden tracks and then the weight placed on top, as the weight was pulled from the front the weight moved with little effort. A real time experiment took place to test this theory, and they found that large masses may very well be transported by using this technique. Professor Bruce Bradley suggests that large masses could possibly have been moved using the ball bearing system using oxen as the hauling method and they could have moved the stones at around 10 miles per day.

Although there are some reasonably credible ideas out there nobody can be 100% accurate about the way the stones were moved and assembled. Maybe we will never actually know how or why the stones were selected and moved from such a distance, still, Stonehenge is still an amazing site to visit and perhaps in the future it will surrender its hidden secrets.