Researchers baffled Stonehenge altar stone comes from Scotland
It was long assumed that the stone in the center of the structure came from Wales. Why and how it was transported over a much longer distance remains unclear.
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- The altar stone at Stonehenge does not come from Wales, as previously assumed, but from Scotland.
- It was brought to the site in southern England from the north-east of Scotland, as scientists reported in the journal "Nature".
- It is still unclear how the five-meter stone was transported.
The ritual significance of Stonehenge is still a mystery, but researchers have come one step closer to understanding the origins of the famous stone circle. The so-called altar stone, which lies flat in the center of the structure, was brought to the site in southern England from the northeast of Scotland, scientists reported in the journal "Nature" on Wednesday. It is unclear whether the five-meter stone was transported by boat or overland - a journey of more than 740 kilometers.
"It's a surprise that it came from so far away," said archaeologist Susan Greaney from the University of Exeter, who was not involved in the study. For more than a hundred years, scientists believed that the central sandstone slab of Stonehenge - known as the Altar Stone - came from much closer Wales. However, a study carried out last year by the same researchers showed that the stone does not match the geology of the sandstone formations in Wales. The actual origin of the stone remained unknown until now.
The team was not allowed to remove any rock from the monument for their study, but instead analyzed minerals in rock fragments collected during previous excavations, some of which dated back to the 1840s. They found a match with the sandstone formations of the Orcadian Lakes in northeast Scotland, a region that includes parts of the tip of the Scottish peninsula as well as the Orkney Islands.
Built 5000 years ago
"This geological fingerprint is not found in any other sedimentary area in the UK," said Aberystwyth University geologist Nick Pearce, a co-author of the study. Greaney explained that the logistics of transporting the stone over such a long distance illustrates a high degree of coordination and cultural connection between these two regions of ancient Britain.
Stonehenge was erected around 5000 years ago. The stones, which form several circles, were brought to the site at different times. The arrangement of the stones allows the sun to rise through a stone "window" during the summer solstice. The purpose of the altar stone - which lies flat at the heart of Stonehenge, now beneath other stones - remains a mystery.
"The special thing is the distance"
"Stonehenge is not a settlement site, but a place of ceremony or ritual," said Heather Sebire, senior curator at English Heritage, who was not involved in the study. Previous archaeological excavations had yielded no evidence of feasting or daily life at the site, she said.
Previous research has shown cultural links - such as similarities in pottery - between the area around Stonehenge and Scotland's Orkney Islands. Other stones at Stonehenge come from West Wales.
Although there are other Neolithic stone circles in Great Britain, "what is special about Stonehenge is the distance from which the stones originate," explains Richard Bevins from Aberystwyth University, one of the co-authors of the study.
dpa
