Neolithic Humans, Not Glaciers, Likely Transported Stonehenge’s Altar Stone Over 400 Miles: study
Researchers say glaciers may have moved the six-ton stone partway, but prehistoric Britons still carried it hundreds of kilometers to Stonehenge.
- Researchers from Sheffield Hallam University and Curtin University reported that Stonehenge's Altar Stone likely travelled via glacier to Doggerland before prehistoric Britons transported the six-tonne monolith 700km to Salisbury Plain.
- Co-Lead author Dr. Anthony Clarke from Curtin explained that glaciers could not have reached southern England, meaning the monolith required "deliberately" and "carefully planned" human transport across a challenging landscape.
- Dr. Remy Veness said climate-induced migration likely drove the "audacious" decision to move the stone, as rising sea levels submerged Doggerland at the end of the last Ice Age.
- Using advanced mineral "fingerprinting" on more than 500 zircon crystals, researchers found no glacial evidence near Salisbury Plain, reinforcing that Neolithic communities organized the stone's multi-stage relocation.
- Future research will aim to pinpoint the stone's exact source in north-east Scotland, while Professor Chris Kirkland noted the study adds an important piece to understanding Stonehenge's original purpose.
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According to researchers, the construction of Stonehenge may have begun as a result of migration caused by climate change.
Everyone knows the world's famous Stonehenge stones. But how did they get from the rough north of Scotland to the Salisbury plain in the south of the British island? Researchers come closer to the mystery.
Signs of the Times
Popular ArchaeologyStudy details epic transportation of Stonehenge stone across ancient Britain
New research by Curtin University has revealed how one of Stonehenge's most mysterious stones was likely transported hundreds of kilometres across Britain through challenging terrain, highlighting the remarkable capabilities of ancient communities. Stonehenge's central Altar Stone is a six-tonne sandstone megalith now believed to have originated in northeast Scotland, around 700km from Salisbury Plain, underscoring the extraordinary scale of its…
Stonehenge's Altar Stone Likely Came From Scotland, And A Glacier May Have Helped
How did prehistoric people move multi-ton slabs of rock across hundreds of miles to build one of humanity's most iconic monuments? The post Stonehenge’s Altar Stone Likely Came From Scotland, And A Glacier May Have Helped appeared first on StudyFinds.
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