Stonehenge has stood as a mystery for 5,000 years and has attracted visitors from around the globe. Ceremonies are held here at the equinox on March 20 and September 23, but otherwise the reason for the massive standing stones is pretty much unknown. However, hints are being gleaned by experts.
Investigations into Stonehenge
In a recent BBC Two Documentary, “Stonehenge: The Lost Circle Revealed,” it was explained that researchers from University College London had made an amazing find. They had uncovered the remains of another ancient stone circle in Wales, dubbed “Waun Mawn.”
The circle is located in Preseli Hills in Pembrokeshire and is believed to be even older than Stonehenge. However, only four monoliths remain on the site, while investigations reveal they were once part of a wider circle of 30 to 50 stones.
Are Stonehenge and Waun Mawn related?
In 2015, experts established that some of the stones at Stonehenge had been taken from a quarry in Preseli Hills. This made researches wonder if there are even closer links between the two sites. Findings were published in the journal Antiquity that stated the stones from Waun Mawn may have been dismantled and taken the 175 miles to Stonehenge, where they were reassembled – an amazing feat back then.
It turns out the Welsh site’s diameter is 328 feet, which is the same diameter as the ditch surrounding Stonehenge. Also, both ancient sites are aligned with the midsummer solstice sunrise.
Meanwhile, Stonehenge continues to be one of the greatest archaeological mysteries in Britain. Experts believe the first phase of building began in or around 3000 BC. This would have been when the outer ditch and circular bank were erected. However, recent archaeological findings so show that the surrounding area had been sacred for hundreds of years prior to work even being started.
Around a thousand years later, an inner circle of granite stones, called bluestones, was added to the site. Of interest to note, one of the bluestones bears an unusual cross-section that matches one of the holes left behind at Waun Mawn. Experts now wonder whether it was originally part of the Welsh stone circle.
In the documentary, Professor Mike Parker Pearson of University Collect London spoke about the stones. He suggests that they may have been transported from Wales to form Stonehenge, as part of a large movement of people from the Preseli region to that area. Parker Pearson said this theory came from the fact that so many of the Waun Mawn stones are now missing. He said, “It’s as if they just vanished,” adding, “Maybe most of the people migrated, taking their stones – their ancestral identities – with them.”
This is a fascinating theory indeed, as investigations continue into the fascinating ancient monument.
Visiting Stonehenge
Located near Amesbury, Stonehenge is a must-see monument for anyone fascinated with history and archaeology. A new visitor center has been set up at Stonehenge and an intrusive road has now been restored to grassland to enhance the historical context of the archaeological marvel.
Visitors can follow the pathway that frames the ring of stones but cannot walk within the circle. However, should they partake of the recommended Stone Circle Experience tour, they can get to explore in full. During the pandemic, admission is offered through timed tickets, so it is best to book well in advance.