THE SECRETS OF STONEHENGE

All over the globe are historical mysteries left to us by the ancient world. One unexplained
mystery that has both inspired and mystified modern man for centuries is Stonehenge. We
have no definitive idea of why it was built and what it was actually used for. Today, two new
investigations may offer some answers.

A PLACE OF THE DEAD?

The first theory begins with unearth findings in a place nearby. Three kilometres northeast of
Stonehenge stands Durrington Walls, a structure similar to Stonehenge but 20 times larger. In
and around Durrington Walls were three circular structures made of wood. Evidence suggests
that these wooden circles were holy places or, perhaps, the residence of important officials.
Outside this place, archeologist Mike Parker Pearson and his colleagues discovered a village of
300 houses which date back more than 4,500 years.

Parker believes there is a connection between the two places. To help explain his theory, he
cites his recent studies of Malagasy culture in Madagascar where stone is a symbol of
hardened bones and death and wood is associated with life. According to this, Durrington is
the domain of the living while Stonehenge is a place of the dead. Paths from Stonehenge and
Durrington to the nearby River Avon also suggest that the two sites were linked. At certain
times of the year, most of the dead were carried down the road and put in the river. Later,
they were carried up the long avenue and deposited at Stonehenge.

A PLACE FOR HEALTH AND HEALING?

In Wales, archeologists have another theory about why the monument was built and what it
was used for. The origin of Stonehenge’s oldest stones is thought to be connected to the
Preseli Mountains . Archeologists have always wondered why ancient Britons transported the
huge stones and used them to build the monument. Some believe that early people saw the
Preseli hills as a holy place. There is a local belief that the waters coming from the Preseli
Mountains can cure illness. It is possible that the idea was to create a centre for healing and
health.

Stonehenge was one of the last great monuments built in ancient England. It was abandoned
about 3,500 years ago. Its creators wrote no texts to explain it so they have left us forever with
one of history’s great puzzles to solve.

Historical records about Stonehenge exist. FALSE

Archeologists don’t agree on the reason Stonehenge was built. TRUE

People used to live at Stonehenge. FALSE

The stones used to build the monument are local to the area. TRUE

Few monuments of ancient England were built after Stonehenge. FALSE