There is a unique megalithic (stone) structure. This Stonehenge, which since 1986 has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and transferred by the British Crown to the management of English Heritage.

What is Stonehenge, one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, and why has the gaze of those who explore history been riveted on it for many years?

Let's try to answer this question. To do this, consider all the interesting facts related to the world of Stonehenge.

To begin with, we should turn to the historical name of this mysterious complex, which in ancient times sounded like Stanhengues.

They tried to translate this word back in, and the most accurate version was listed as “suspended stones” or “hanging stones.”

Today, this monument is called Stonehenge, which means “stone henge”, that is, “stone circle”.

Where is Stonehenge

Stonehenge is located in the United Kingdom and is one of its most important attractions.

To be more precise, as we have already said, the structure is located in the county of Wiltshire in England, approximately 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 13 km north of Salisbury.

World of Stonehenge

Scientists believe that Stonehenge arose around 3000 BC. e. In other words, this structure is about 5 thousand years old.

The complex is a circle of stones surrounded by 56 Aubrey burial holes, named after the 17th century explorer of Stonehenge.

In the very center there is an altar weighing 6 tons. In general, Stonehenge consists of 82 megaliths weighing 5 tons; 30 blocks, each weighing 25 tons; and 5 trilithons (arches of three stones), weighing 50 tons each.

By the way, the arches point to the cardinal directions with impeccable accuracy.

The stones that were used to create this mysterious structure have different origins. It is believed that they could have been transported from a site located 210 km from Stonehenge.

When considering such structures, the question involuntarily arises: how were these giant multi-ton blocks moved from one place to another?

Scientists conducted an experiment and found that 24 people can move a stone weighing one ton at a speed of 1 km per day.

As we said earlier, there are 50-ton blocks at Stonehenge. Consequently, ancient builders could move one such block over several years.

Legends of Stonehenge

One of the legends says that the megalithic complex was built with the help of the wizard Merlin, who was also the mentor of King Arthur. Allegedly, he brought stone blocks from South Wales - the site of a collection of sacred springs.

However, even assuming that the legend has some basis, it is difficult to assume that this is true. After all, the distance to these quarries is enormous, and it would have been much easier to transport multi-ton blocks by sea, and then only drag the remaining 80 km by land.

According to another version, the huge Heel Stone was formed when one monk was running away from the devil and did not have time to hide. The demon threw a stone at the fleeing saint and crushed his heel.

Of course, all this cannot be true, if only because the characters of ancient England lived much later than the emergence of Stonehenge.

Who built Stonehenge

Like any unique cultural heritage site, Stonehenge has controversial origins. Whether the ancient Romans were involved in the construction, or whether it was the result of the activities of the Germans and Swiss, remains a mystery.

It is believed that this complex was used for its intended purpose for 2-2.5 thousand years, after which it was abandoned.

Of course, it is not possible to verify this, and such conclusions are made on the basis of insignificant facts and details.

Purpose

There is also no clear and unambiguous answer to this question. However, there is a persistent version that it was an ancient observatory.

In the 90s of the twentieth century, as a result of computer modeling, researchers found that Stonehenge is not only a lunar calendar, but also a solar one.

Moreover, Stonehenge is a visual cross-section of the solar system. An interesting fact is that at that time this model consisted of 12 planets.

Perhaps the ancient sages knew something that still remains a scientific mystery to us.

The English historian Brooks, who explored Stonehenge for many years, proved that it is part of a giant navigation system.

Of course, the complex was also used as a ritual place. Many ritual attributes were found in the surrounding area.

After excavations, scientists came to the conclusion that in total about 240 people were buried at Stonehenge, who were cremated before burial. Archaeologists believe that most likely representatives of the local elite or ruling dynasty were buried here.

Using radiocarbon dating, scientists have determined that most of the remains date back to 2570-2340 BC, and the first part of the ashes, which were discovered in the oldest part of Stonehenge, is dated to 3030-2880 BC.

At the beginning of the 20th century, local residents skillfully sold hammers, chisels and other auxiliary tools to visitors so that they could chop off a piece of the sacred megalith.
Today, tourists do not have this opportunity, since this monument is the most important architectural heritage of the past and is protected accordingly.

Druid Sanctuary

John Aubrey (English writer and antiquarian) believed that Stonehenge was the fruit of the hands of the Druids (priests of the ancient Celts).

This has led modern English neo-Druids to regularly visit Stonehenge, considering it one of the.

Considering the fact that this complex was actually built taking into account astronomical patterns, on the days of the winter and summer solstice, many representatives of pagan beliefs come to Stonehenge to feel the connection with nature and the cosmos.

Maybe future scientists will be able to answer this question, but for now we are forced to limit ourselves to describing interesting facts.

Not only scientists are interested in this place, but also ordinary people. Tourists flock to London to see it all with their own eyes. For many years, historians, astrologers, astronomers and physicists have been announcing new theories of the mystical Stonehenge - giant boulders that still attract the attention of the entire planet. If you love to travel, then come to the UK, to this mystical place, as soon as possible. It will be interesting.

When was the mysterious object built? What is its essence and purpose? Many scientists agree with the theory that the stones of Stonehenge are almost the same age as the Egyptian pyramids. The latest information on this study states that the structure is almost 4 thousand years old. The inhabitants of the ancient world came up with their own nickname for the area - Dance of the Giants. One look at the huge mounds and ramparts is enough to agree with this name.

Did you know? Stonehenge is unusually resistant to even the strongest shocks from the bowels of the Earth. Research was carried out on the ground that provided interesting information. To ensure the stability of the structure, the builders used special foundations that softened and sometimes stopped underground shocks. The features of the platforms do not end there - such a base also prevents soil shrinkage.

Where is Stonehenge

So much has been said and written about the megalithic “building” that a brief description will not give any effect. We will look in detail at where Stonehenge is located and why so many visitors come here. They even came up with a special name for this structure: “cromlech” - an ancient object, which is presented in the form of a stone circle from the Bronze Age or Neolithic era.

The ancient cultural heritage is located in Wiltshire in England. From the capital to Stonehenge, the distance is 130 km, if you move to the southwest, to the city of Amesbury to the west, go 3.2 km, and if you find yourself in the town of Salisbury, then to the stone blocks - another 13 km. This is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. For hundreds of years, interest in this place has not waned not only among ordinary residents of other cities and countries, but also among researchers. Many historians and astronomers have dedicated their lives to discover the secrets of Stonehenge. Address of the religious building: Amesbury, Salisbury, SP4 7DE.

How to get there

Traveling on your own has advantages, and the most important of them is free movement. But if you are just starting to try yourself as a traveler, then it is better to contact an agency and book a tour. From London Getting to Stonehenge on your own is not easy, but it is possible. There is no direct transport here, so you need to change trains in the town of Salisbury.

If your wallet allows you to spend money, then Taxi or rented car the trip will be much faster and more comfortable. The average price for a return taxi is £200. If you drive on your own, it is easier to get there along the A303 and M3 highways. There are other routes, but they will take longer.

Tourists most often choose by train because it's cheap and fast. Transport from Waterloo Station to Salisbury departs hourly. You can buy a ticket directly here at the box office, and the fare will cost a maximum of 33 pounds. The train schedule changes depending on the season, so you need to check it in advance on the station website or directly at the station. The one and a half hour journey goes by quickly. Then from the railway station in Salisbury you need to go to the bus stop.

Buses There are regular or tourist routes from Salisbury to Stonehenge. If you buy a ticket at the station, the fare will be 18-22 pounds in both directions. It's a half hour drive to the ancient monument, with one stop at the bus station along the way. For a taxi in both directions you will have to pay at least 50 pounds.

The history of Stonehenge

Despite the large number of different theories, it is still unknown who built Stonehenge and why. Scientists managed to find out how the construction of the mysterious object took place. The cromlech was erected in several stages:

• 3 thousand years BC. During this period, the inhabitants of this area installed blocks of the outer circle - they made the boundaries of the sanctuary and placed four motionless boulders. In the northeastern part, a void can be seen among the stones - this is where the Helios sun stone was installed. The era of the first construction work was also distinguished by the tombs that the scientist Aubrey found in the 17th century. However, most modern researchers are confident that burials appeared on the area later;

• 2.9-2.6 thousand years BC. During the second period of construction, wooden structures appeared inside the outer stone circle. Today the structures have been practically destroyed by time and the environment, so it is impossible to learn more about this period;

• 2.3-1.5 thousand years BC. Blocks of sandstone and bluestone appeared at Stonehenge. The blocks were placed in the center of the entire composition so that they formed a circle with a diameter of 33 m. There were thirty such structures in total. Another block in the form of a crossbar was placed on top of the stones. Today this structure is called triolite. In reviews, tourists indicate that when they see these objects in front of them, they understand that this is exactly the association that the entire Stonehenge evokes. The outer circle is formed from 13 triolites - it is this part that has reached our century practically undestroyed. Within the ring were five stones in the shape of a horseshoe. Triolites were installed “by height” - the smallest six-meter blocks stood on the sides, and the largest seven-meter “representative” was in the middle. The altar rose in the overall composition in the most prominent place - in the center.

This is interesting. Each blue stone weighed almost four tons, and the closest they could be found was 385 km from Stonehenge (today the quarries of East Wales), and the giant 25-ton sandstone boulders were located 35 km from the mysterious structure. How could ancient people drag huge stones across such a distance? Until history has revealed this mystery.

Destruction

The environment was not favorable to the megalithic structure. Due to sudden warming in January 1797, one of the stone blocks could not stand it and fell. In 1900 there was a terrible storm, in which another large block did not survive.

Over the past 100 years, nature has no longer damaged the triolites of Stonehenge as much as careless visitors. In 1740, scientist William Stukeley marveled at the grandeur of this mysterious place and was surprised at the tourists who beat small stones from the boulders with hammers as souvenirs.

During the Victorian period, the desire to take a “piece” of Stonehenge with us flourished with greater force. Now tourists not only took “souvenirs”, but also left notes as souvenirs. Such vandalism amazed scientists of that time - to leave the phrase “G. Bridger, 1866, Chichester” was beyond their strength. Furniture master Thomas Chippendale noted that Mr. Bridger probably spent more than one day preparing this inscription.

The barbaric behavior continued into the 20th century. There was a military camp on Salisbury Plain during the First World War. Then the soldiers destroyed the eastern part of the ancient ditch for two miles. This “treadmill” was located in the north of Stonehenge. At that time it was rumored that the structure was going to be completely demolished, since the cromlech interfered with the operation of airplanes.

The appearance of the stone structure was most greatly changed by enthusiasts. In 1898, the land on which Stonehenge stood was inherited by Edmund Antrobus. Initially, the wealthy entrepreneur wanted to sell the property to the Americans, then he decided to stop damaging his own property. The restoration was undertaken by Professor William Gowland. One megalith was straightened, the remaining blocks were supported with wooden structures. Then the entire Stonehenge was reinforced with cement. Mr. Antrobus has done a lot of research work here. Triolite, which fell in 1797, was raised only in 1958. Thanks to the restoration, it was possible to find out that on the tops of the stones there were spikes that fit precisely into certain holes in the horizontal surface.

Restorations

The rest of the restoration work was carried out after the end of the First World War. The weakest triolites and stones were removed from the places where they had stood for almost 4 thousand years. New cement was poured into the foundation, and with the help of steel beams the stone blocks were placed in their rightful place. This work was captured on camera by news reporters and photojournalists.

Triolites that fell in 1797 and 1900 were restored in 1958. The blocks had to be lifted with a crane, which is used in airplane hangars. After these restoration works, only seven triolites stood at their original points, and the rest were in layers of concrete. But from the outside it seemed that reality could not be distinguished from the drawings of the 17th century. This was until 1963, when the 23rd stone fell due to the fact that it was caught by the 22nd triolite while being moved by a winch. The last work took place in 1964, when the 23rd block was put in place. After that, no one touched Stonehenge for half a century. Unless cars driving on the highway disturb the megaliths.

“From a clean slate” or how Stonehenge was built in 1954

When information appeared on the Internet that Stonehenge was actually a hoax and a way to make money, many rushed to test this theory. Is it true that cromlech appeared in Wiltshire not 4 thousand years ago, but some 50-60 years ago?

It turned out that no photographs of the area before 1954, on which a megalithic object stands. The fact is that from the 19th century there are drawings and engravings that show this building. The restoration of Stonehenge in 1954 took place practically from scratch due to the large amount of destruction of the local landmark. However, who and why needed a complete reconstruction of the facility? Another mystery, but this time of the modern world.

Stonehenge in numbers

The famous place not only has an interesting history, but also has a summary of numbers that will also tell you something about Stonehenge:

• the structure consists of 82 stone megaliths. Research has shown that blue blocks of volcanic origin weigh 5 tons, and their closest location is 250 km from Stonehenge. It is still unknown how the ancient Britons were able to drag 30 blocks such a distance;
• The 25-ton stones, 4 m high and 2 m wide, stand in the shape of a ring with a diameter of 33 m. The blocks are connected by transverse structures. Each stone crossbar is 3 m long. From the top of such a crossbar to the soil is almost 5 m. A circle formed from 13 blocks has survived to this day;
• The weight of triolite reaches 50 tons. These structures were located in an inner circle in the shape of a horseshoe. They were installed symmetrically. The height of the central block was 7.3 m. Until the beginning of the 19th century, only two triolites and the bent support of the main block survived. Only in the 20th century was another triolite restored and the central stone corrected - now the block looked more like the original design.

Legends of Stonehenge

The history of the stone structure contains not only proven reports, but also various myths. After all, no one still knows why and for what purpose Stonehenge appeared. The official story goes that before the ancient Romans, wild tribes lived on the territory of England. However, this is where the thought creeps in - how could primitive people, one and a half thousand years before the Birth of Christ, deliver giant blocks of stone to a certain place, and even place them on top of each other? Maybe these inhabitants were not as wild as history says? There are three main hypotheses about who built Stonehenge:

• Iberians. These tribes were the ancestors of the Basques. The Iberians lived in what is now Wiltshire before being driven out by the Celts. Supporters of this hypothesis are confident that nobles were buried inside the stone structure. Sacrifices were also held here, since Stonehenge also served as a temple of the Sun. The location of the stone blocks indicates that the ancient sorcerers knew astronomy, and triolites helped to monitor the Sun and Moon. When the Celts settled in the territory, they began to use Stonehenge for their own rituals;

• Druids. In the 19th century, for those who were interested in the famous stone structure, scientists told a theory - a well-coordinated pile of stones was built by the Druids, and the place itself was the tomb of the pagan ruler Boadicea;

• ancient observatory. In the middle of the 20th century, researcher Gerald Hawkins convincingly wrote in his scientific work that Stonehenge is an observatory in which each pair of triolites are points that record the positions of the main luminary, the Earth’s satellite and other celestial bodies. Moreover, before the volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini occurred in 1528, the calculations of ancient astronomers were 100% correct. Today, due to changes in the angle of inclination of the earth's axis, the error is equal to one degree. Hawkins argued that the megalithic structure is occult, but has nothing in common with the Druid religion or the rites of the Celts. If people created such a structure to worship the gods, then the modern world does not yet know who these gods are.

Stonehenge diagram

The photo of the stone structure clearly shows that the altar was located in the center of the structure. The sanctuary is made of six-ton ​​monolithic mica sandstone, which was somehow transported from Wales.

To the right and left of the entrance in the inner circle of triolites, at equal distances from each other, there were mounds without burials. Near the beginning of the inner ring there is a fallen block 4.9 m long. At the very first entrance to Stonehenge there is a heel stone, and to the left of the entrance there are two triolites that were once in a vertical position.

A ditch is formed between the outer and inner circles of the megaliths, and there are two shafts on the sides. From the entrance there are parallel pairs of pits and boulders 3 km long. In the center of the overall structure there are two circles consisting of 30 even ditches. Near the inner ring are 56 holes known as Aubrey's holes, named after the scientist who discovered them. To the left of the entrance, at a distance of ten meters, there is another “spare” passage, called the small southern entrance.

Summer Solstice Festival at Stonehenge

Only on one day a year can you touch the legendary boulders. According to Wikipedia, for the first time in a hundred years, British authorities allowed local Druids to celebrate the summer solstice at Stonehenge in 2000. The custom of watching the sunrise on this day near the cromlech has taken root since the 19th century. In the 70-80s of the last century, hippies held their summer festival in the stone circle, but in 1985 the celebrations were canceled due to problems with the police. In 1999, representatives of English Heritage relaxed the ban. Now anyone can watch the sunrise on the summer solstice in the company of friends completely free of charge.

Today thousands of people gather for the holiday. Druids organize rituals, songs can be heard from everywhere and dozens of bonfires blaze. Drums play in the background, and dawn comes with the climax of drumming. Many guests come in carnival costumes. There are only a few restrictions left: you cannot pitch tents or take sleeping bags on the territory. At dawn, people wrap themselves in blankets. There is also a limit on alcohol consumption - one bottle of wine or four cans of beer per person. It is also forbidden to climb on the stones, but touching them is allowed. Amplifiers are not permitted, but acoustic instruments are welcome. Many visitors come with guitars and drums. Every year, the summer solstice festival is visited by about 35 thousand people.

• To find out what it was like for ancient people to drag giant stones to the construction site, an experiment was conducted. 24 strong men dragged a one-ton stone over a distance of one kilometer. This task took the whole day. It is estimated that it would take a team of 1,000 people and 300 years to build Stonehenge by hand;
• the builders of the megalithic structure calculated and laid the foundation so accurately that the structure is almost 100% protected from earthquakes and soil shrinkage;
• Stonehenge was once put up for auction. The resourceful owner of the land where the structure stood wanted to sell the territory to a rich man abroad;
• the first time military exercises took place on the site of Stonehenge in 1898;
• In 1877, Charles Darwin came to the territory with an important project - to find out how earthworms live in the depths of places where a pair of triolites fell. The scientist studied everything and wrote it down in a notebook;
• The Stonehenge Visitor Center has come up with an interesting “trick” for tourists - the “Standing in the stones” attraction. Two adults and three children are placed in the virtual center of Stonehenge, and different eras and seasons are shown in a circle on the screens. This way, a complete feeling of presence in the heart of a megalithic structure is achieved.

Opening hours

You can walk around Stonehenge all year round, seven days a week. Visiting times depend on the season: from January 1 to mid-March from 9.30 to 17.00, from March 16 to the end of May from 9.30 to 19.00. In the summer there is more time - from 9 am to 8 pm, from September 1 to mid-October - from 9.30 to 19.00, from October 16 to December 31 - from 9.30 to 17.00.

You cannot replenish your strength on the territory of the building, since there is no cafe here. However, there is a small snack bar nearby. The tour usually lasts 5 hours, and most of the time is walking between the stones, so it is better to take some food with you. The legendary trails near the stone blocks can be walked in 40 minutes.

Ticket prices

To enter, tickets can be purchased online in advance from the English Heritage website. Here are the opening hours and prices. The cost of a ticket for an adult is 14.9 pounds, for a child 5-15 years old - 8.9 pounds, for families (two parents and three children) - 38.7 pounds. You can also buy tickets at the ticket office at the entrance, but it will be more expensive.

Travel from London to Salisbury by bus will cost about 17 pounds, but the cost depends on a couple of factors - season, type of bus, so the price may be higher. From Salisbury to Stonehenge regular transport costs £10.

This is what Sir Philip Sidney, one of the brilliant Elizabethan poets, wrote about Stonehenge. The unique megalithic monument, known as Stonehenge (overhanging stones) or the Round Dance of the Giants, is a mystery that has puzzled many generations. It rises on the table-smooth Salisbury Plain in southern England. A few miles away is the River Avon. The structure is made of giant stone blocks, the weight of which ranges from 5 to 50 tons.

In the Middle Ages, there was an opinion that the greatest miracle of Britain was the work of its greatest wizard, Merlin. The myth about the construction of the Round Dance of Giants by the court sorcerer of King Arthur has several variants. The most popular version was set out by the 12th century writer Geoffrey of Monmouth in his pseudo-chronicle “History of the Britons”. According to this version, Stonehenge was supposed to perpetuate the memory of four hundred and sixty British leaders who were treacherously killed during peace negotiations by the Saxons who invaded the island. Merlin supposedly erected this grand memorial at the site of an insidious murder during the reign of King Aurelius Ambrosius, Arthur's uncle. But, as the legend says, the wizard was not the architect of the structure; he only had the idea to move the Round Dance of the Giants from Ireland, where it was previously located. According to Geoffrey, Merlin addressed the king with the following words:

“If you want to decorate the grave of your murdered husbands with a very strong structure, go to the Ring of the Giants, which is located on Mount Killario in Hibernia (the ancient name of Ireland). It is lined with stones that none of the people of our time could handle without subordinating the art to the mind. The stones are huge, and there is no one whose strength can move them. And if you place these blocks around the site where the bodies of the murdered are buried, just as was done there, they will stand there forever.” The chronicle goes on to say the following: “Hearing these words, Aurelius grinned, remarking: “How is this so? To transport such huge stones from such a distant kingdom, it’s as if there were no stones in Britain for the structure I planned!” To this Merlin replied: “Don’t laugh in vain, for what I offer you is by no means empty. The stones are full of secrets and impart healing properties to various potions. Once the giants took them from the extreme reaches of Africa and installed them in Hibernia, where they then lived."

After this conversation, King Ambrosius sent fifteen thousand Britons overseas, led by his brother Uther Pendragon (Arthur's future father). The expedition encountered resistance from the inhabitants of the Green Island, but in the end, the latter were defeated. Geoffrey goes on to say:

“Having won the victory, the Britons climbed Mount Killario and, having taken possession of the stone structure, rejoiced and marveled at it. And so, when they crowded around him, Merlin came up and said: “Use all your strength, young men, and, moving these stones, try to understand what is more powerful, strength or reason, reason or strength.” Obeying his orders, they unanimously took up all kinds of weapons and began to dismantle the Ring. Others prepared ropes, other ropes, other ladders in order to complete their plans, but achieved nothing. Observing their fruitless efforts, Merlin laughed and invented his own tools. Then, using some necessary tools, he moved the stones with incredible ease; He forced the blocks he had moved to be dragged to the ships and loaded onto them. Rejoicing, they sailed to Britain and reached it with fair winds, after which the stones they brought were delivered to the graves of their murdered husbands.”

This explains the origins of the monument on Salisbury Plain in one of the most popular literary works of the Middle Ages. But the Renaissance that followed was characterized by some disdain for the culture of the Middle Ages and an increased interest in antiquity. Due to new cultural trends, the story of Merlin was declared an absurd fable. Now it has become fashionable to attribute the construction of a gigantic megalithic structure to the Druids, a mysterious caste of Celtic priests, the main information about which was drawn from Julius Caesar’s Notes on the Gallic War. The great Roman commander and politician reports that the Druids “...tell their young disciples a lot about the luminaries and their movements, about the greatness of the world and the earth, about nature and about the power and authority of the immortal gods,” and also that “...their science is thought to have originated in Britain and from there transferred to Gaul; and to this day, in order to get to know it more thoroughly, they go there to study it.”

The first serious study of Stonehenge was carried out in the second half of the 17th century. John Aubrey, member of the Royal Academy and personal friend of King Charles II. He carefully examined the monument and sketched not only the stones, but also much less noticeable earthen structures. However, not being armed with modern archaeological methods, he was unable to make sound scientific conclusions about the date of construction. Aubrey's authoritative opinion greatly contributed to the popularity of the “Druidic” version of the origin of the Giants' Round Dance.

Conducted already in the 20th century. Archaeological research of the monument showed that the idea of ​​the Druids, the builders of Stonehenge, is no more scientific than the tale of Merlin. Lovers of historical mysteries were in for a surprise. As a rule, the popular imagination increases the antiquity of monuments, easily juggling centuries and millennia. For example, the author of this article has repeatedly heard stories that the old railway embankment near the village was built under Catherine, and the stone Pecheneg women are 14 thousand years old. With Stonehenge it was the other way around. As it turned out, it was incredibly ancient not only in the time of Merlin (5th century AD), but also when the first Druids supposedly appeared in Britain (around the 5th century BC).

Archaeologists are somewhat hesitant in determining the date of the start of construction of Stonehenge, but have no doubt that the first elements of the monument were created in the Neolithic, and the end of construction dates back to the early Bronze Age. The main structures that are most impressive to modern tourists were erected in the period 1900 - 1600 BC. e.

Studying the Round Dance of Giants is not an easy task, not only because of the ravages of time. As it turned out, Stonehenge was rebuilt several times in prehistoric times. Its oldest part is so insignificant from a layman’s point of view that most tourists pass it without even noticing it, and cross the border of an unimaginably ancient monument without any inner trepidation, rushing towards the Cyclopean stone arches looming ahead. Meanwhile, this border is a shallow ditch bordered by two earthen ramparts. The ditch and ramparts form a surprisingly regular circle, about 115 m in diameter, broken in the northeast. The inner shaft, higher and wider than the outer one, has a width of 6 m and a height of 1.8. The width and height of the outer rampart are 2.5 m and 0.5 - 0.8 m, respectively. As for the ditch, it is very uneven, and apparently had no independent significance, but simply served as a quarry from which material for the ramparts was extracted . It should be said that this material is the chalk-rich soil of Salisbury, and at the time when the condition of the shafts was monitored, they must have had a dazzling white color, which looked very impressive.

As already mentioned, in the northeast there is a gap in the earthen ring (about 10 m). On the straight line connecting the middle of this gap and the center of the circle, 30 m outside of it, there is a huge stone placed upright. Its height is 6 m, weight is about 35 tons. This stone is called the Heel stone, but, like many other archaeological objects, it owes its name to chance, and it has nothing to do with its purpose. If a person of average height stands in the center of the Round Dance of Giants and looks at the Heel Stone through the gap in the ring, he will see its top exactly at the level of the horizon. And if he does this early in the morning on the day of the summer solstice, he will see the sun rise directly above the stone.

Only four stones were originally installed inside the ring. Two of them have survived to this day, the remaining two have holes left. The stones formed a rectangle inscribed in a circle, the long sides of which were perpendicular to the axis drawn from the center through the Heel Stone, and the short sides were correspondingly perpendicular to it. All five stones dating from the first period of Stonehenge's construction are uncut. During the same period, a chain of holes was dug along the inner side of the shaft, also forming a regular circle, the so-called “Aubrey ring”, which received its name in honor of the discoverer. This is an extremely intriguing detail of the structure. The holes are located at a carefully adjusted equal distance from each other. Their number is unusual - 56. Obviously, this number was not chosen by chance. If the ancient builders simply wanted to create a closed ring of equidistant holes, then there would be 64 of them. Such a ring is very easy to construct by sequentially dividing the arc of a circle in half.

Soon after the Aubrey Holes were dug, they were filled with crushed chalk. In some of them, archaeologists have discovered cremated human remains. This detail suggests blood sacrifices, but upon mature reflection such an idea does not seem sufficiently thorough. It is possible that Stonehenge, which did not yet live up to its current name, was a burial place.

More than one generation had passed in Britain before they decided to modernize the structure, creating a complex that modern archaeologists call Stonehenge II. The new builders began to build two more concentric circles of bluish stones inside the earthen ring. These circles were also broken to the northeast, allowing views from the center to the Heel Stone. In addition, the entrance was marked with additional stones. The megaliths of Stonehenge II were not very large compared to the Cyclopean stone blocks that can be seen on Salisbury Plain today. Their weight was about 5 tons each. The stones were brought not from Ireland, as the medieval legend says, but from Wales, from the Preselli Mountains. The region is not as remote as Ireland, but still the distance in a straight line is 210 km, but most likely the megaliths were transported 380 km along the rivers. The second period of construction of Stonehenge also includes the construction of two shafts, symmetrical relative to the center axis - the Heel Stone and leading from the entrance, first directly to the northeast, and then to the Avon River, which flows 2 miles from the Round Dance of the Giants. Archaeologists call this detail of the monument “Avenue”. It is assumed that the ramparts fenced off the sacred road along which stones transported on rafts were transported using rollers to the construction site.

The impressive structure made of bluish stones stood on Salisbury Plain for a very short time. Apparently, it had not yet been properly completed when the decision was made to disassemble both rings. What made the ancient architects act in such a strange way will most likely forever remain a mystery.

Having cleared the sacred site of blue stones, the builders began to build a new structure, this time from blocks of hard light gray sandstone, which are called sarsens. They were brought from the Marlborough Downs area, located 35 - 40 km north of Stonehenge. There, huge sarsen boulders are found right on the surface of the earth. The local residents call them Gray Sheep. The Stonehenge researcher John Aubrey, already mentioned here, had a chance to hunt in these areas, and he left a description of them:

“These hills look as if they were sown with huge stones, and very densely; in the evenings they look like a flock of sheep, and this explains their name. It seems that this is the place where the Giants threw stones at the Gods.”

The weight of each block that arrived on the Salisbury Plain from Marlborough Downs was tens of tons. Unlike the uncut stones of Stonehenge I, the blocks of the third period of construction were clearly processed with metal tools. The irregularities that can now be seen on the stones of the Round Dance of Giants are a consequence of the destructive effects of time: weathering, temperature changes, and sometimes the hammers of tourists. At one time, they were cut and polished, which was not easy, given the hardness of the material (One peculiar lover of antiquities, who visited Stonehenge in the 17th century, left the following entry in his diary: “These stones are surprisingly hard and strong, and no matter how much I hit with a hammer, I couldn’t break off a single piece.”

During the last period of construction, the ancient architects built a circle of 30 sarsen blocks placed vertically and provided them with lintels on top, so that a continuous ring was formed. In the blocks laid on top, recesses were made that corresponded to the spikes on the support stones, which ensured the strength of the building. In the northeast, the jumper ring was not torn, but the gap between the supports was made larger. Thus, the observer’s horizons were limited from above, but nothing prevented him from seeing the Sun appearing over the horizon after the shortest night of the year.

In the middle of the sarsen ring, a horseshoe was erected, made up of five so-called trilithons. This term, meaning “three stones,” was specially invented to refer to the structures of Stonehenge, which consist of two stone blocks placed upright, topped by a third, so that it turns out something like the letter P. These structures are truly gigantic. Their height is approximately 6 - 7 m. The largest trilith was erected opposite the entrance. The weight of the stones that make it up is 50 tons (For comparison: the weight of the largest blocks of the Egyptian pyramids is 15 tons). Four other trilithons form the branches of a horseshoe, open to the northeast and symmetrical relative to the axis of the center - the Heel Stone.

The sarsen ring and horseshoe, although fairly destroyed, are quite clearly visible in modern ruins, but there was another stage of construction, designated by archaeologists as Stonehenge III B, which careful research helped to identify. At this stage, the previously dismantled ring of blue stones was restored. Now it went around the horseshoe of trilites and, as it were, duplicated the sarsen ring bordering it. Some of the blue stones formed another horseshoe inside the horseshoe of trilithes. In addition, the creators of Stonehenge III B dug two rows of holes between the sarsen ring and the “Aubrey ring,” which are usually designated holes X and Y. One row of holes has 29, the other 30.

The monument has a number of other details, such as separately lying stones, embankments and ditches. In the general description of the structure, they seem to be of minor importance, but in principle, each of these little things can turn out to be the key to an important scientific problem.

For a long time, the main mystery of the Round Dance of the Giants, which was in the focus of public attention, was the question of how primitive people could move such huge stones over considerable distances, and then install them with remarkable accuracy. But this problem has long been solved by modern scientists. Most famous in the field of megalithic construction was the Norwegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl, who reproduced the technique of moving the giant monuments of Easter Island. But there were other enthusiasts. For some time, moving giant blocks using primitive technical means, simulating the construction of Stonehenge, became something of a national English sport. Such attempts were followed by popular radio programs. It turned out that approximately 16 people per ton are enough to drag stones a kilometer to one and a half a day. This is by land, on skating rinks. After the blocks were loaded onto the rafts, things naturally went faster. The work, of course, is not easy, but if people, in the words of a famous joke, “toil for hours and toil for hours,” it is quite feasible.

However, as the Manchester Guardian wrote in 1963, “...emphasis is usually placed on the difficulties of transporting stone blocks to the site of construction. But it was much more difficult to decide where to install them - this required the greatest effort from the builders of all their knowledge and strength.” The article was a response to the publication of a sensational work by Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory Professor Gerald Hawkins, in which he tried to answer the question: what was the purpose of Britain's greatest megalithic monument.

The fact that the Round Dance of the Giants is oriented towards the sunrise point on the day of the summer solstice was noticed a very long time ago. As you know, the sun rises exactly in the east only on the days of the autumn and spring equinox (with the exception of the equator). In the winter half of the year, the sunrise point moves to the south, and in the summer - to the north. Moreover, this displacement is stronger, the closer to the pole the observer is. Being on the Arctic Circle, you can see how the star in the middle of the night briefly touches the horizon at the north point and rushes upward again. It will not go beyond the Arctic Circle at all. At the latitude of Stonehenge, the sunrise point on the summer solstice is almost due northeast. The orientation of the main axis of the structure in this direction gave reason to consider it a temple of the solar cult, where the priests, seeing that the luminary had returned to the Heel Stone, solemnly announced the birth of the new year.

But astronomer Hawkins rightly noted that in order to mark the sunrise point, like any other point on the horizon, two stones are enough. Meanwhile, in Round Dance there are many more of them, and the structure of their placement is so complex that it cannot be arbitrary. Apparently, the professor reasoned, the purpose of the structure was not limited to determining the solstice day from which the new year would begin, although this was a very important task for the primitive agricultural people.

While at Stonehenge, Hawkins noticed how narrow the gaps were between the standing trilith stones. They do not exceed 30 cm, and it is impossible to squeeze through them. At the same time, they are oriented in such a way that through them you can only look through a certain opening of the sarsen ring, which narrows your horizons even more, your gaze rests on a fixed point on the horizon. The researcher quickly came to the conclusion that through the gap of the central trilith, which was only partially preserved, it was possible to observe the moment of sunset on the day of the winter solstice. But in order to establish the orientation of other objects of the dilapidated monument, all the data had to be subjected to careful mathematical processing, which required an electronic computer.

As it turned out, all the straight lines connecting the main points of Stonehenge certainly indicate some special position of the Sun or Moon. In particular, the two trilithons at the ends of the horseshoe are oriented toward sunset on the summer solstice and sunrise on the winter solstice. The remaining two were apparently intended for observing the rising and setting of the Moon. Often, on a straight line connecting two important points, there is a third object - an additional landmark.

In the composition of the Round Dance of Giants, lines are clearly visible indicating the points of sunrise and sunset on the days of the summer and winter solstices, as well as the equinox. As for the Moon, the trajectory of its apparent movement across the sky is much more complex than that of the Sun. Throughout the year, it moves as if towards the Sun: north in winter and south in summer. But its extreme positions, unlike the solar ones, do not remain unchanged from year to year, but perform pendulum-like movements during a 19-year cycle. Thus, for every extreme position of the Sun, there are two extreme positions of the Moon, and each of these positions is recorded in the structure of Stonehenge.

Hawkins notes the economy of the monument's composition. Thus, in Stonehenge I, 16 directions to special positions of the luminaries are visible, each of which is determined by two points. But not 32 points were used, but only 11. Six of them were used more than once, including two points used 6 times.

Hawkins' research was not limited to identifying the main directions in which observations were made. The scientist drew attention to an excerpt from the work of the ancient historian Diodorus Siculus, in which he talks about the mythical island of the Hyperboreans, located far in the north. Hawkins believed that Diodorus was talking about Britain, and mentioned Stonehenge in his description: “And there is also on this island a magnificent sanctuary of Apollo, and also a beautiful temple, decorated with numerous donations, spherical in shape. In addition, there is a city dedicated to this god, and most of its inhabitants play the cithara... They also say that from this island the Moon is visible as if it were very close to the Earth, and the eye can discern on it the same heights as on the ground. It is also said that God visits the island every 19 years; this is the period during which the stars complete their journey across the sky and return to their original place... Upon his appearance, God plays the cithara and dances the night away from the vernal equinox to the rising of the Pleiades, thus expressing delight at the occasion of his victories. And the kings of this city and the guardians of the sanctuary are called Boreads, since they come from Boreas (north wind), and these positions are passed down in their family from generation to generation.”

As an astronomer, Hawkins knew that lunar and solar eclipses can recur in cycles of approximately 19 years. It occurred to him that the Dance of the Giants could be used to predict eclipses. Working further in this direction, the scientist realized that in the 2nd millennium BC. e. Eclipses took place during periods when the winter Moon rose directly above the Heel Stone.

But, to be precise, the full cycle of the visible movement of the Moon is not 19, but 18.61 solar years. Thus, in order to predict the repetition of celestial phenomena as accurately as possible, one should count 19 years twice in a row, and then only 18. Thus, we are already talking about a 56-year lunar cycle, which is much more accurate than a 19-year one (19+19+18=56 ). And then Hawkins remembered the strange, still unexplained number of “Aubrey holes.”

According to Hawkins's hypothesis, Stonehenge is not just an observatory, but something like a giant stone adding machine for calculating the years when an eclipse might occur. Imagining himself in the place of a prehistoric priest, he wrote the following:

“If once a year you move a stone in a circle from one Aubrey hole to the next, you can predict all the extreme positions of the Moon at a given time of year, as well as eclipses of the Sun and Moon at the solstices and equinoxes. If you use six stones placed at 9, 9, 10, 9, 9, 10 holes of Aubrey, and move them counterclockwise to the next hole once a year, you can achieve amazing results in predicting astronomical phenomena. Given six stones - three white and three black - this calculating device could, for hundreds of years, and very accurately, predict all important phenomena. Associated with the Moon."

It is easy to see that with the arrangement proposed by Hawkins, a stone of a certain color should fall into each hole with a periodicity of 18 - 19 years. It was only necessary to mark the holes corresponding to the “dangerous” years.

Of course, Hawkins did not insist that three and a half thousand years ago everything happened exactly as he described. He did not even consider his hypothesis regarding the number of “Aubrey holes” to be absolutely proven, but only highly probable. As for the 30 standing stones of the sarsen ring, the professor associated them with the days of the month. On this occasion, he also remembered holes X and Y, numbering 30 and 29. With their help, inaccuracies could be eliminated due to the fact that a full lunar month (the interval between two full moons) is 29.53 days.

What other opportunities the Circle of Giants gave to the inhabitants of prehistoric Britain, we can only guess. An increasingly detailed archaeological study of the monument will provide more and more food for thought not only about the scientific and technical potential of the ancients, but also about the social role of projects like the construction of the Round Dance of the Giants. Hawkins compared the construction of this gigantic astronomical instrument by prehistoric tribes to the space program of modern superpowers.

He wrote: “The space program absorbs about 1% of the total US national product. Stonehenge undoubtedly absorbed no less. Its construction undoubtedly required much more effort from the then inhabitants of England than the space program from the Americans, and probably meant much more to them.”

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Stonehenge (UK) - the most detailed information about the attraction with photos and videos. History of Stonehenge and location on the map.

Stonehenge (UK)

Stonehenge is one of the most famous attractions in Great Britain, which is a grandiose archaeological site of the Neolithic era. This ancient megalithic structure was built between 3000 and 1500 BC. and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The mysterious Stonehenge consists of huge stone blocks called menhirs or megaliths. Its exact purpose is still not known. Although archaeologists are inclined to conclude that Stonehenge is either an ancient cemetery, or a construction of ancient astronomers to predict cosmic phenomena.

Story

The area around Stonehenge was inhabited 10,000 years ago. Although its construction began in 3000 BC and was probably completed in 1500 BC. The exact translation of the Old English name for this object (Stanhengues) is unknown. In the Middle Ages it was interpreted as “hanging stones”. The modern name Stonehenge translates as “stone circle”.

The Stonehenge landscape is one of the best preserved chalk (limestone) lowland areas in the UK. This archaeological site is located on the edge of Salisbury Plain, surrounded by low hills and dry river valleys.

The history of Stonehenge can be divided into four stages:

1. 3100 BC - Stonehenge is a large earthen structure that consisted of a circular ditch and holes (pits) in limestone rock. Excavations have revealed cremated human bones in some of the holes, but these were probably not made for burial purposes, but as part of a religious ceremony. Soon after, Stonehenge was abandoned for almost a thousand years.
2. Around 2150 BC - Stonehenge takes on modern features. 84 bluestones were brought from South Wales. Each stone weighed from 2 to 5 tons. They were transported by water along the south coast of Wales and up rivers to Salisbury. The delivery distance was 250 - 300 km. These stones were set in the center to form an incomplete double circle. During the same period, earthworks for its expansion were completed.
3. Around 2000 BC - construction of an outer circle of sarsen stones, which were mined in North Wiltshire (about 30 km from Stonehenge). The largest of these stones weighs about 50 tons. It's incredible how they managed to get it here and install it.
4. After 1500 BC - completion of the construction of Stonehenge. The blue stones formed the horseshoe and circle we see today.

Many bluestones and sarsens were removed/damaged during the Roman and Middle Ages. The first excavations at the Stonehenge site began in the 16th century. In 1874–1877, the first accurate plan for the location of the stones was made. Modern scientific archaeological research was carried out in 1901.

Description of Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a grandiose stone megalithic structure, which consists of 30 sarsen stones (sandstone) and 64 bluestones. These stones formed the shape of a horseshoe and an outer circle (ring).

• 1 - altar
• 2-3 - mounds
• 4 - scaffold or fallen stone
• 5 - Heel stone
• 7 - earthen ditch
• 8 - internal shaft
• 9 - external shaft
• 10 - ditches and ramparts that lead to the River Avon. They are called avenues.
• 11 - Y-holes
• 12 - Z-holes
• 13 - 56 pits forming a circle
• 14 - southern entrance

• It is estimated that over thirty million hours of labor went into the construction of Stonehenge.
• Scientists still only have theories about the transportation of stones. Sarsen stones weighed an average of 25 tons. They were mined 30 km from Stonehenge. Bluestones were mined in South Wales, 300 km from the site. Their weight varied from 2 to 5 tons.
• Since the Middle Ages and throughout the centuries, Stonehenge has been privately owned. In 1915 it was sold at auction to the government.
• In 1877, naturalist Charles Darwin traveled to Stonehenge to conduct research on earthworms.
• Stonehenge is not the only such site in Britain. The largest megalithic structure is located in Avebury, 40 km away.

Basic moments

Stonehenge is located in an area where many prehistoric finds have been made. Stonehenge is considered a mysterious and magical place; various modern sects gather here, including followers of the Druids. Since Stonehenge was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, efforts have been made to prevent the inevitable environmental damage caused by the 800,000 tourists who visit the site each year.

The sun's rays break through the stone arches of Stonehenge

At the moment, visitors are prohibited from entering the fence that surrounds the structure in a wide ring. There is still a not very powerful service center for tourists here.

16 km north of Salisbury, 3.5 km west of Amesbury;
Tel.: 0870-3331181;
Apr. - Oct.: 10:00 - 18:00, Nov. - March: 09:00 - 16:00;
Entry: 8 GBP;
children (from 5 to 15 years): 4.80 GBP;
students and pensioners: 7.20 GBP;
family ticket (2 adults + 3 children): 20.80 GBP.

Construction of Stonehenge

The construction of Stonehenge is divided into three main periods with a total duration of about 2000 years. At the burial site and cult site there are megaliths - huge blocks of stone, reminiscent of the same stones in other parts of Europe. The megaliths of Stonehenge are located vertically and have transverse ceilings, which distinguishes them from other structures of this kind.

During the first construction period, approx. 3100 BC, a round ditch was dug and a rampart was built. For the shaft, soil taken from the ditch was used.

The second period began sometime after 2500 BC, when the first megaliths were installed in their place and the entrance on the north-eastern side of the circle was moved so that it points directly towards the sunrise. To this day, archaeologists are amazed by the accuracy with which ancient astronomers identified this place.

The third period began after 2000 BC. Additional multi-ton megaliths were installed, forming the so-called “Sarsen Ring”. It consists of 30 sandstone blocks, 4.25 m high and weighing 25 tons each, laid in a circle with a diameter of 30 m. The limestone blocks, weighing 7 tons each, were hewn precisely to form floors over the vertical blocks. They were attached to the top of the supports using a system of tongues and grooves. Articulations of this kind correspond to the culture and level of technology of the Bronze Age. In the center of the circle there are five more trilithons, arranged in the shape of a horse's horseshoe.

Scientists believe that these granite blocks, some of them weighing 4 tons, were dragged by builders from the Preseli Hills in South Wales, which is 400 km away. Placed in pairs, the stones are topped with equally gigantic slabs. Inside the smaller circle are two more horseshoe-like structures, one next to the other, and in the center lies the so-called altar, or altar stone. There are other stones nearby.

As for the question of “how” Bronze Age people managed to transport, process and install these huge stones - especially megaliths brought from 200 miles away - it is clear that this would have required a high level of labor organization. But given an important goal, Bronze Age leaders had enough power to plan and carry out such work over decades. The technology of the time, including rollers, levers and rafts, made such construction possible.

Purpose

The position of each block, vertical support and ceiling is strictly adjusted to the position of the sun on the days of the summer and winter solstice. The two inner “horseshoes” are oriented towards sunrise and sunset on the summer and winter solstices. It is obvious that the builders attached great importance to this, but the meaning and purpose of the structures are still unknown to experts. Scientists are not sure that Stonehenge served as an astronomical laboratory. It is much more likely to use it as a religious center. In the middle there is an altar made of green stone. The other blocks located in the inner circle are called "blue stones". This is a special type of basalt mined in Wales, 380 km away. It is difficult to understand how such multi-ton blocks could be transported over such a distance, given the means of the Bronze Age. According to the theory of archaeologist Aubrey Barl, they were not transported from place to place at all: supposedly these blue stones were brought here by an ancient glacier. However, according to legend, the stones were delivered to Stonehenge by the great sorcerer Merlin.

The myths associated with Stonehenge live on for generations, and this amazing site continues to attract crowds of visitors. No one is allowed to penetrate the inner circle of the megaliths; only twice a year, on the summer and winter solstice, are English Druids performing their Celtic rites here.

Stonehenge still remains a mystery to archaeologists and history buffs. Many different theories have been put forward, but not one of them has been fully proven.

Data

• Age: The first traces of religious rituals date back to 8000 BC.
• Construction stages: First period - 3100 BC; the second - 2500 BC; third - 2000 BC
• Duration of construction: In total, construction took about 2000 years.