by Liz
Stonehenge and neighboring monuments are located in England. Stonehenge was built over a period of seventeen centuries from 2800 BC to 1100 BC. It was built in periods I-IV. There was some kind of gateway to the ceremonial center or arch.
The holes at Stonehenge are called Aubrey Holes. They are round pits in the chalk with deep holes and sides. They appeared to have been where cremated human bones were buried. Smaller holes are made of chalk filling. A few similar open-air temples of much smaller size were also cremated burial grounds elsewhere in Britain. They all belong to the Late Neolithic period.
Period II was redone after seven centuries. There was an entrance pointing toward the rising sun at mid-summer, marked by extra stones on the inside. Excavations have shown that there was a double circle never finished.
In Period III the design was to imitate the natural tapering from tree trunks. It was probably done to represent a greater height than stone to create an optical illusion. The number of bluestone rocks in the circle was 60. A lot have fallen and broken up.
Period IV is the disappearance of the blue stone which happened with earlier visitors knocking off pieces as keepsakes. The rock’s weight is four tons each. Stonehenge has been claimed to have been an observatory for very precise observations of the extreme rising and setting of the moon.
The joining of the stones was like woodworking methods.
A lot of excavation has been done to get more information on these monuments.
April 9, 2011
