Topic > History of Stonehenge - 1150

Stonehenge is located in the English county of Wiltshire. It is located near Amersbury and is approximately 13 kilometers north of Salisbury. The location was chosen due to the presence of lines known as periglacial streaks. The periglacial stripes run parallel to the avenue of the Stonehenge site and coincidentally align with the solstice axis. It is possible that farmers who settled the area and carefully observed seasonal signs noticed the alignment of these natural geological features and chose the site for this reason. The ancients saw the place as the center of the world, as stated by Prof. Pearson's group after its excavations. Salisbury Plain is at the center of other Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments which include a circular setting of enormous stones. Stonehenge began around 3000 BC as a circular earthen embankment with an adjacent ditch. It was improved over thousands of years with wood and later (from about 2600 to 1600 BC) with stone. As far as my reading is concerned, the construction of Stonehenge occurs in three phases. In the first phase (around 3100 BC) the first monument consisted of a circular embankment and a ditch. It was believed that deer and ox bones were deposited in the bottom of the ditch, as well as some worked flint tools. In the second phase (circa 3000 BC) of the construction of Stonehenge, some form of wooden structure was built within an enclosure. Subsequent standing beams were placed at the north-east entrance and a parallel array of posts ran inwards from the south entrance. At this point, Stonehenge is interpreted as a closed cremation cemetery due to cremation burials dating back to the two centuries following the monument's birth. During the third phase of construction... in the middle of the paper... the monument together. Once completed, Stonehenge decayed after two centuries. For years, Stonehenge's decline was a mystery. But Professor Parker Pearson believes this is explained by the culture of the "glass people", known to have arrived in these islands around this time. He believes their increased individualism and new material goods, including the first metal goods seen in Britain, put an end to the community culture for which the monument was originally created. In conclusion, Professor Parker Pearson's findings have provided compelling evidence that Stonehenge once united the ancient peoples of Britain, attracting people from all over the world for Solstice gatherings during the winter season, and also that the bodies and grave goods found on and around the site which also offers an answer to the mystery of Stonehenge's decline.