Stonehenge menhirs oldest emblem of Europe's Celtic capital
Liz Price
KUALA LUMPUR
Saturday, June 16, 2007
STONEHENGE is one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world, and there is still an element of mystery attached to it. Why was this ancient monument built?
This prehistoric circle is located on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire, in southwest England. It consists of a circle of standing stones surrounded by earthworks. Archaeologists think the stones were erected around 3200 BC, which means they have been standing for some 5000 years.
Standing stones are literally what the name implies, solitary stones set vertically in the ground. These monoliths are generally of large size.
The word "henge" describes Stonehenge well as it means a prehistoric architectural structure that is nearly circular or oval-shaped sited on a flat area. This circle is enclosed and delimited by a boundary earthwork that usually comprises a ditch with an external bank. Generally there are up to four entrances to the circle.
However, archaeologists say that Stonehenge cannot be truly classified as a henge site as its bank is inside its ditch. Another theory is that the word henge comes from the old English word hinge, because the stone lintels hinge on the upright stones. Regardless of which is correct, Stonehenge is still a henge monument as it consists of large rocks in a circular formation.
At Stonehenge, the earthworks are not really noticeable as your attention is immediately drawn to the stones themselves. And the big question is, how and why were the stones put there.
It is thought the construction of the complex took over 3000 years. 8000 year old postholes have been found on the site of what is now the tourist car park, across the road from the main circle. Around 3100 BC the ditch and circular bank were constructed. Then maybe around 2600 BC up to 80 standing stones were erected. Some of these stones which weigh about 4 tonnes and are 2m high, came from a site 250 km away in south Wales. The central megalith is called the Altar Stone and weighs a staggering 6 tonnes.
But this was only the beginning. During the next stage of the construction, larger stones about 4m high and weighing 25 tonnes were brought in. 30 of these stones were erected to form a circle with a diameter of 33m, with a lintel of 30 stones resting on top. These lintels were joined using a tongue and groove join.
Inside this circle were 5 even larger stones arranged in a horseshoe shape. Some of these have been carved with images of axe heads and a dagger.
And why was this mammoth project built? During the first phase, it seems that Stonehenge was functioning as an enclosed cremation cemetery, which makes it the earliest known cremation cemetery in the British Isles. However the main reason seems to be religious. The northeastern entrance precisely matched the direction of the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset of the period. Stonehenge seems to have been used up until the Iron Age, and possibly until the seventh century. But even today, the Summer Solstice is celebrated here.
Another possibility is that Stonehenge was a scientific observatory. It is thought that some key sites correlate strongly with the rising and setting points of the sun and moon.
Of course there are many myths and legends surrounding the site. England is home to Merlin, the wizard who featured in King Arthur's legends. Some say that Merlin had Stonehenge built for himself.
Another common misconception is that the Druids used the site for sacrifices, but Druids only came into existence after 300 BC. Celtic society did give rise to the Druid priests, and nowadays modern Celts claim the site as their own and hold several festivals and ceremonies here throughout the year.
On the longest day of the year, the Summer Solstice, the sun shines directly through the centre of the structure, and this seems to indicate a religious purpose. Today Stonehenge is often associated with neo-Druidism.
Stonehenge was listed on the Unesco list of World Heritage Sites in 1986 along with Avebury henge monument, which is also in Wiltshire. Avebury is thought to be older than Stonehenge.
Stonehenge is also a legally protected Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is owned and managed by English Heritage while the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust. By the 20th century several of the stones had fallen or were leaning precariously, probably as a result of so many visitors climbing over them.
When I was a child there was no restriction about touching the stones, and I posed for many photos climbing up and sitting on the stones. Nowadays, visitors are kept well away from the circle in an attempt to preserve it. And English Heritage controls the Summer Solstice celebrations. This year, 2007, the solstice occurs between June 20-21.
Today, Salisbury Plain is devoid of trees, whereas 4000 years ago it was heavily wooded. And Stonehenge has two busy roads running past it. It attracts thousands of tourists, and there are always dozens of tour buses are parked in the car park. Visitors now walk around a path outside of the circle, listening to a tape recorded tour.
But despite these trappings of modernisation, Stonehenge remains one of the ancient wonders of the world.
The Brunei Times
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Source URL:
http://www.bt.com.bn/en/en/classification/life/travel/2007/06/16/stonehenge_menhirs_oldest_emblem_of_europes_celtic_capital
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