STONEHENGE

Among all surviving prehistoric monuments, few are as mysterious as Stonehenge. Despite centuries of research, many questions about its purpose remain unanswered. 

This megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, was built over several phases from 3100 to 1600 BCE. Over centuries, people added new features to the site, gradually shaping it into what we see today. At its center are enormous megaliths, which are massive stones carefully arranged by human hands. Around them stands an outer ring of tall sarsen stones, each of them topped with horizontal lintels, giving the monument the appearance of a continuous stone circle. Inside this ring are five larger trilithons, formed by two upright stones supporting a third stone across the top, arranged in a broad horseshoe shape that leaves one end open toward the northeast. While the open end of the horseshoe is faced northeast, the closed end, seen through the opening of the largest trilithon in the arrangement, is faced southwest. These are, respectively, perfectly aligned with the sun’s positions on summer and winter solstices, marking the longest and shortest days and the switch in the length of daytime. These precise alignments suggest that astronomical observations played an important role in the site's design. 

Aerial view of Stonehenge

Although it is still a mystery, it is theorized to have been a burial site for important figures, a place of healing, and occasionally a ritual site. The possibility of a burial site is suggested by the Aubrey Holes, an array of 56 holes forming a perfect circle in which human remains were found, while the healing possibility is signified by the existence of bluestone at the site, which was thought to possess magical healing properties. Due to the many years and phases during its development, it likely varied in use through time.

To this day, walking through the monument, the arrangement naturally draws the eye toward its center, where the "Altar Stone" rests, giving the space a striking sense of order and ceremony. Whether it was built to honor the dead, observe the sky, or bring communities together, the monument continues to inspire the same sense of wonder it has for thousands of years.