Stonehenge: What Is It And What Was The Function Of This Prehistoric Monument?
In the Middle Ages, it was said to have been built by the wizard Merlin. Later, in the 17th century, it was said that it was impossible for the British to have built such a monument, given that they were an “uncivilized and barbaric” people. And when, finally, it was accepted that Stonehenge was a work prior to the Roman conquest, the questions returned: why was it built? Was it a place of worship? Did the druids build it? Was it an astronomical observatory? How were the stones transported to the site?
Although many of these questions have been clarified by archaeology, Stonehenge still holds many secrets Let’s see the history of this impressive megalith, one of the most important of the European Neolithic.
If there is a monument that characterizes the European Neolithic stage, it is Stonehenge. Located in the south of England, This enormous prehistoric complex is one of the best examples of megalithic construction which characterized the culture not only of the European continent, but also of North Africa.
“Neolithic” is a term coined in 1865 by John Lubbock. It is composed of the Greek words neos (new) and lithos (stone), and arose to differentiate it from the immediately preceding stage, the Paleolithic (of palaiosold, and lithosstone).
Why was this differentiation considered necessary? Because In the Neolithic era, a series of innovations occurred that profoundly marked human culture and society On the one hand, stone tools were significantly improved and, on the other (and this is the most important) the birth of agriculture and livestock occurred. That is, human groups went from a subsistence economy (based on hunting and gathering) to a sedentary lifestyle and the production of surpluses that, ultimately, gave rise to trade.
Human settlement in villages implied, according to many historians, a greater feeling of belonging to the land. This feeling favored the proliferation of constructions and, of course, burials. In the case of Europe and North Africa, around the 3rd millennium BC the phenomenon known as megalithism appeared, derived from the Greek words megas (large) and lithos (stone). That is, the culture of the “big stones”, which was characterized by constructions made with enormous monoliths. Stonehenge represents one of the greatest exponents of this construction trend.
Thus, if something characterizes the European Neolithic, it is megalithism or megalithic culture. These constructions had as their base element the menhir, a colossal stone that was stuck into the ground in a vertical position. From here, the structures could be varied. Let’s see below which were the most characteristic.
1. The henge
He henge It is the simplest construction that we can find within the megalithic culture. In fact, Strictly speaking, it is not a construction, but a circular moat and an embankment As we will see later, in its first phase Stonehenge was a henge.
2. The Cromlech
The characteristic ring of stones is what we call “cromlech”. This ring may or may not have a pit; We find some examples, such as Stonehenge itself, in which the ring of stones and the ditch and the embankment are combined Another example of a cromlech, also located in England, is Castlerigg.
3. The burial mounds
It is a funerary construction that can be elongated or circular. The Newgrange monument in Ireland is an excellent example of a tumulus.
4. The dolmens
Finally, we find the dolmens which, like the tumuli, are collective tombs. The dolmen is perhaps the best-known Neolithic funerary construction; It consists of two or more vertical stones and one horizontal that serves to cover the space Some of the best known are the Carrowmore dolmen in Ireland, the Rollright Stones in England and the Antequera dolmens in Spain.
The megalithic culture spread throughout western Europe, the Mediterranean area and northern Africa. The funerary uses of these monuments are clear, but there are other functions that are still unknown to us today. Among the great mysteries of European Neolithic culture is, of course, Stonehenge.
A huge complex
Stonehenge is a large Neolithic complex covering a considerable area. Because what we all have in mind when we think of this monument (that is, the cromlech or ring of stones) is only a small part of this imposing construction. In addition to the cromlech itself, we find more elements, such as the great avenue, the town (Durrington Walls) and the circles of West Amesbury and Woodhenge.
British archaeologist Michael Parker Pearson proposed that this series of sites would form a ceremonial route, which would begin at the stone circle (the cromlech), continue along the avenue to the town of Durrington Walls and, finally, end at Woodhenge. This ritual journey would take place, according to Parker, at dawn on the day of the summer solstice and would end at sunset on that same day.
The cromlech is quite isolated from the rest of the complex’s sites. It is connected to them through the River Avon and the great avenue, which curiously ends at the river, where the West Amesbury henge stands, a circular moat of considerable size where it is known that individuals from the community were buried.
For example, In 2002, the tomb of the so-called “Amesbury archer” was discovered there Carbon-14 showed that this warrior had lived sometime between 2,400 and 2,200 BC, which would correspond to the second phase of the construction of the complex. The “archer’s” funerary trousseau was splendid, and included gold ornaments, boar tusks, arrowheads and copper knives, as well as ceramic containers.
The river continues its journey and links the avenue and the henge of West Ambury with Woodhenge, another circular pit containing holes in the ground. It is believed that, in the Neolithic era, the holes may have contained wooden blocks. Michael Parker affirms that Woodhenge could have been the end of the ceremonial route on the day of the solstice, but other authors maintain that it constitutes a kind of “rehearsal” for the definitive construction of the Stonehenge cromlech, a theory supported by the proximity of the town where it is believed that the builders lived
This village, now called Durrington Walls, consisted of several huts located 3 kilometers from the cromlech. The excavations attest that the typology of the houses was very simple: very small in size (5 meters wide), they were structured around a hearth. It is more than likely that the roof was made up of a simple framework of branches and straw.
A construction that lasted a thousand years
Following the 1915 excavations, William Hawley confirmed that Stonehenge had been built in three stages. The first began around 3,000 BC, with the construction of the circular ditch and the embankment In the ditch, 56 holes were found, which were probably the base of some primitive wooden posts, although no archaeological evidence has been found in this regard.
The second phase, which began around 2,500 BC, is marked by the arrival of the stones at Stonehenge. These are enormous monolithic blocks, some of sandstone and others of the so-called “blue stone” (bluestone). How the stones arrived at the site remains a mystery The bluestones are believed to have been quarried in Wales, 240 km away. of Stonehenge. These bluestones were the first to arrive, with which the “horseshoe”-shaped structure located inside the monument was formed. Later, from another quarry came the sarsen (white sandstone stones), with which the other rings of Stonehenge were built.
The sarsen stones are incredibly heavy (each one weighs about 30 tons), and it is believed that they were transported by land, although some experts do not rule out that one of the sections was carried out through the Avon River. In any case, in this second phase the Stonehenge cromlech was configured: more than 150 stones arranged in several rings and a ceremonial avenue that connected the monument with the river.
The third and final phase takes place around 2,200 BC and ends around 1,600 BC, which makes it contemporary with the construction of the palace of Knossos in Crete and the fortress of Mycenae, on mainland Greece. During this last phase, the construction of the entire Stonehenge complex is completed, which gives us a period of no less than 1,000 years from its beginning to its completion.
An astronomical observatory or a pilgrimage center?
At this point, we only need to ask ourselves one thing: What function did the Stonehenge complex have?
Unfortunately, its exact use is still unknown. Having already discarded the romantic theory (which, however, survived until the beginning of the 20th century) that it was built and administered by druids, experts have considered the possibility that it was an astronomical observatory.
The theory has a solid basis, since the Stonehenge cromlech is aligned with the two solstices. During the summer solstice, the sun’s rays penetrate the southwest part of the cromlech and pierce the cavity of the largest trilithon, located in the heart of the monument. On the winter solstice, the rays enter from the opposite side and also hit the center of the cromlech. It is unlikely that such an elaborate arrangement is the result of chance.
On the other hand, some experts maintain that Stonehenge was a pilgrimage center during the Neolithic, which does not contradict the theory of the astronomical observatory. In fact, it is more than likely that the complex enjoyed both uses, and that it was established as an important center within the religious rituals of the community.
