When Stonehenge was first studied, researchers believed that Stonehenge was a stand alone monument, built over 4000 years ago, and that people used to travel, to visit it.
However, recent discoveries have changed the perception of Stonehenge being an isolated monument, but rather, a complex area of monuments, buildings and barrows.
below is an image from National Geographic showing the discovery of the underground stones.
For thousands of years, all this archaeology lay undiscovered beneath the Stonehenge area, until it was found by the ‘Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project’, using ground penetrating sonar, high resolution magnetometers and other sophisticated technology, to produce a 3D map of the area beneath and surrounding Stonehenge. In total, 3000 Acres was covered, making it the largest research undertaking of it’s kind in the world.
Amongst the extraordinary discoveries are: 17 ritual monuments, remains of a large ‘house of the dead’, hundreds of burial mounds and evidence of a processional route around Stonehenge itself.
There is also further evidence of a mile long ‘superhenge’ at Durington Walls.
With there being no written records about Stonehenge, the purpose it served, has been debated for many Centuries, ranging from Druids, Celts and even Romans, though the generally accepted view is that it was built by the druids.
Thankfully, Modern technology has opened up a lot of doors for us in terms of being able to understand the lives and culture of our ancient ancestors and we now understand that Stonehenge was more complex than initially thought.
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