For centuries , the iconic boulders of Stonehenge have puzzled researchers the word over — for what use were they erect ? What style of human rituals focus around the stones and their surrounding landscape painting ? Now , an external team of archaeologists has chanced upon two previously undiscovered sub - surface pits that have shed raw brightness level on the Stonehenge enigma .
The two heavy pits are positioned within what is referred to as the Neolithic Cursus pathway , localize them in alignment with the rising and setting of the midsummer sunlight when viewed from Sonehenge’sHeel Stone , which rest just outside the ancient monument ’s entrance .
It ’s potential the pits may have contained stones , posts or fires that would have marked the rise and dip of the sunshine over the purview , add acceptance to theories that the iconic I. F. Stone monument may have been used as a home of sun worship . Archaeologists have known for some time that Stonehenge was in all likelihood design around galactic events ; the sun , in particular , would have played an enormous persona in the lives of prehistorical agricultural gild .
But detail on the rituals consociate with Stonehenge and its hem in landscape painting persist a long - stand whodunit . Archaeologist Vince Gaffney , who led the investigator that describe the two pits , believe the team ’s findings may point to when and how such ritual might have been conducted :
This is the first metre we have seen anything quite like this at Stonehenge and it provides a more advanced insight into how rituals may have carry station within the Cursus and the wider landscape . These exciting finds indicate that even though Stonehenge was finally the most important memorial in the landscape painting , it may at times not have been the only , or most authoritative , ritual focus and the expanse of Stonehenge may have become pregnant as a hallowed situation at a much earlier day of the month .
Gaffney and the other researchers claim that their uncovering suggests that the demesne on which Stonehenge brook may have been used as an ancient ritual site as many as 5,000 twelvemonth before the hard-on of its iconic , standing stones .
The team is using new geophysical imaging techniques as part of the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project . Paul Garwood , Lecturer in Prehistory at the University of Birmingham , speak to the value of these new imaging techniques :
Our knowledge of the ancient landscape that once existed around Stonehenge is growing dramatically as we examine the fresh geophysical survey results . We can see in rich contingent not only novel monuments , but entire landscapes of retiring human activeness , over 1000 of twelvemonth , keep in sub - surface features such as infernal region and ditches . This project is establish a completely new fabric for canvass the Stonehenge landscape painting .
[ ViaPast Horizons ]
Top image bydenovich
ArchaeologyStonehenge
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