People have been creating art and sculpting the world since prehistoric times. Artifacts are a great way to learn about ancient knowledge and ideas. Architectural structures are the most valuable and informative. Over thousands of year, people have studied the sun and moon, as well planets, for thousands. Many of the archeological structures built by the Neolithic people were inspired by what they saw in the sky. They studied the movements of celestial objects and created sculptures to represent them. Stonehenge is one of the oldest and most well-known structures. Although Stonehenge is well-known, much remains unknown about the structure. The purpose and function of Stonehenge, as well as where the stones came from, are all topics of discussion for historians and astrologists. This paper will focus on the most popular theories and the ones with the greatest credence regarding Stonehenge’s function.
It is crucial to examine the physical and visual impact of Stonehenge before we can analyze its function. Stonehenge is situated in Whiltshire England’s Salisbury Plain. It is located on a 300-foot wide bank or mound. The structure appears elevated because it is surrounded in a narrow ditch. This avenue appears to be a corridor that leads to the mound’s entrance. The Avenue appears to have an entrance marked with a Heel Stone. Only one of these Heel Stones is still standing today. Historians believe that two Heel Stones were present in the structure after it was fully formed. The sister Heel Stones were located just a few feet apart and allowed the sun to shine between them during solstices. The Slaughterstone can be seen at the end the Avenue. It is visible in the circle. There are two main concentric circles located within the mound. These circles were made from upright stones. The outer circular structure is composed of a string made from sarsen rocks. It includes 30 trilithon. This refers to two vertical slabs that are parallel and one larger horizontal slab. Each slab measures 20 feet high. Magli states that Stonehenge’s outer circle of stones was intended to suggest a sphere in his book Archaeoastronomy. Bluestone is also found within the inner circle. It is difficult to understand how these smaller stones were acquired. We can see two concentric horseshoe-shaped concentric shapes within the two concentric circles. The opening of these horseshoes is aligned with Avenue. The outer horseshoe also has sarsen stones trilithons. However, they are both larger and smaller than the outer trilithons. These taller ones measure approximately 30 feet in height. Bluestone standing stones are used to fill the horseshoe’s inner. Station stones can also be found within the structure’s mound, but outside these horseshoes or circles are still present. Although only two are left, it seems that they were used as cornerstones to form what would have been a quadrilateral in the mound. Historical experts agree that the whole structure is highly planned. It is very similar to Woodhenge, which is made from wood rather than stone. Stonehenge’s construction and alteration over several thousand years is something that we cannot see now. It is not possible to find any written information about Stonehenge’s Neolithic age, so we can only assume its original architectural design.
Stonehenge is shrouded in mystery. The mystery surrounding how the stones reached Salisbury Plains is another. Our knowledge is that the Neolithic people didn’t have any technology or wheels to transport huge bluestone rocks 150 miles from Wales. They were able to use the stones within the structure. There are two main schools that think this may be the case. Some historians believe that glacial movements could have affected the location of the rock. For example, the bluestone rocks found today far from Stonehenge are now located further away than they were before the changes in our ice and land masses over long periods of time. Another argument, more commonly held, is that glacial activity could not have had such drastic effects. Instead, we still don’t know the methods or tools used by the Neolithic people to move stones. These hypotheses are more than just answers. So, how did this particular bluestone rock get chosen? What was its significance to the Neolithic folks? What did they have that we don’t?
However, the most important and controversial mystery surrounding Stonehenge is its function for the Neolithic population. The Neolithic people used the sun, moon, stars and moon to predict weather, crop yields, and food supply. Stonehenge’s architecture is such that the winter solstice sunsets and summer solstice mornings can be seen through the same openings made in the rocks. But historians wonder if Stonehenge is there to view the summer solstice and winter solstice.
The summer solstice can be seen if you stand in the centre of Stonehenge’s Mound and look out towards the Avenue and Heel Stones. Stonehenge was initially thought to be built to mark the summer solstice. Another way of looking at the structure is possible. The winter solstice is visible in the middle of the Avenue if we stand near it and look toward the center. Additionally, the surrounding stones create a wall or “dome” that blocks all light from this point. This creates a stronger visual display than the summer sun, and may even be the purpose of the winter solstice’s highlighting.
Stonehenge, which is believed to be built to celebrate the winter solstice in January, supports this belief. Woodhenge, a nearby structure, was found to be architecturally very close to Stonehenge. It faced a different sun direction, however. History suggests that the summer solstice was aligned exactly from Woodhenge’s perspective. Stonehenge, like woodhenge, is supposed to commemorate two opposite elements. Stonehenge, which is made from rocks and is considered a burial ground, is also believed to be there. It is intended to mark winter, which marks the end of crops, and also the death if people. Woodhenge, a monument to life, is made of wood. It also displays the summer solstice, which is a time when nature grows.
We may never understand the true function Stonehenge’s Neolithic-era history because we don’t know enough. However, we can still learn a lot about the Neolithic people and their values of tracking the sky from our hypotheses. This will help us understand their cultural ideas and thinking. Stonehenge’s mystery is what makes it so fascinating. This structure also teaches us something about record keeping. To truly understand the thoughts and reasons behind Stonehenge’s structures, we need to keep written records. Magli points out that artifacts of such long histories may have different or complementary functions. This mystery might never be solved.
