Stonehnege essays

Stonehnege essays Some of the most extraordinary monuments in the world today are megaliths. Megaliths are ancient standing stones that have sacred meanings of knowledge, rituals, and ceremonies that were built by early civilization. One of the most exceptional megaliths in Europe today is Stonehenge. Stonehenge is in a part of the Western Downs called the Salisbury Plains in Wiltshire England. Encircled by a discontinuous ditch, Stonehenge's vast array of smooth, gray colored, 30-foot high stones are spread over 320 feet in diameter. It took over 1200 years to build Stonehenge, a life span of 50 generations. This magnificent monument was built in three main stages during this time frame. In the early stages of Stonehenge Phase I, the first circular ditch or moat was dug around 2750 BC with the use of crude instruments such as bones and stones. This ditch was built with an earth bank inside it. A ring of holes, known as the Aubrey Holes, were excavated inside the bank (Discovery). The holes were shallow and carefully spaced, and almost immediately filled in after being dug. Archaeological studies have shown the Aubrey Holes never contained stones or wooden posts; however there were a few instances where bones had been inserted after the holes had been filled (Discovery). Scientists have yet to find the meaning of the Aubrey Holes even after excavation. Other features of the Stonehenge- Phase I have puzzled researchers such as; the Heel Stone and several irregular lines of wooden posts that sit outside the entrance to the northeast. The Heel Stone is a leaning stone that is 20 feet high with four feet concealed underground. This stone weighs an estimated 35 tons and stands within the Avenue leading to Stonehenge. The Heel Stone, when viewed from the center of the sarsen circle, aligns with the rising sun at daybreak on Midsummer Day, at the summer solstice. The existence of this sightline was finally proved by the computer calculations of astr...