Where is Stonehenge: history, photos, videos. Stonehenge is one of the most mystical monuments in the world What the stones of Stonehenge look like description

Stonehenge is one of the most popular and most visited British attractions by tourists. Archaeologists have been exploring this place for many years, but the mystery remains unsolved, despite the abundance of more or less plausible versions.

What is Stonehenge?

This is one of the most ancient, strange and amazing structures on our planet. This stone complex consists of 83 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks (each weighing about 25 tons) and five huge 50-ton stones. The stones are located on an area approximately 100 meters in diameter, surrounded by a moat and an earthen rampart. Using the radiocarbon dating method, it was found that the ramparts and ditch were dug about 5 thousand years BC.

In the center of the structure is the Altar Stone, which is surrounded by five pairs of stones with trilithons (lintels at the top). These stones form a “horseshoe” with the open side facing east. The horseshoe is surrounded by a ring of blue stones. Further on there is another stone ring with a diameter of 33 meters. It is surrounded by two rows of holes. Another circle of holes is located closer to the earthen rampart (the so-called “Orbi holes”).

Stone blocks differ in material. This is not particularly noticeable in the videos and photos of Stonehenge, but up close it is absolutely obvious that the stones are heterogeneous. The blue stones, which take on a characteristic color in the rain, stand out especially. However, you won’t be able to get close to them at this time - they are not allowed to approach the monument in bad weather.

Folded stone arches indicate the cardinal directions. Therefore, according to one theory, in ancient times this structure was used as an observatory.

Who built Stonehenge?

The history of Stonehenge dates back several millennia. Scientists have not yet come to a common conclusion when they began to build these stone structures. A number of historians are inclined to believe that the megalithic monument was erected approximately 3 thousand years BC. Others believe that the monument appeared much later - around 2200 BC. Archaeological excavations indicate that at least 2.5 thousand years BC there were already burials at this site.

There is also a version that the structure was erected in several stages. Recesses for installing stones were dug 3.5 thousand years BC. The first circle was built around 2000, and the construction of the second circle dates back to 1100 AD.

It is estimated that the construction work took about four centuries in total. Before installation, the Stonehenge stones were carefully polished. The walls of the pits were lined with logs. Giant blocks were brought into a vertical position using ropes. But no logical explanation has yet been found for how the multi-ton horizontal crossbars were installed. Suggestions have been put forward that they could have been raised along special earthen embankments or using log stacks. But given the enormous weight, it looks too incredible.

The issue of transporting stones is also shrouded in mystery. Some researchers believe that the monoliths were brought from Avebury, located 30 km away. This place is home to the largest stone circle in Europe. And the blue sandstone that lined the inner circle was brought from the territories of modern Wales. One of the researchers, Mike Parker Pearson, is sure that this was done purposefully and symbolized the unification of the peoples who inhabited the south of England at that time.

According to another hypothesis, people did not transport stones at all, and the monoliths ended up here due to the movement of the glacier. But the discovered ancient quarries testify in favor of the first version. Scientists experimentally tried to test whether transportation of monoliths is possible. And it turned out that small megaliths up to two tons are not at all difficult to move on runners. Other assumptions were made about transportation methods: using rollers, the “walking stones” method, and even by water.

Research continues to this day and partially sheds light on the distant past. Perhaps in the near future the secrets and mysteries of Stonehenge will be completely revealed, because the most modern methods are used to reveal them.

Legends and myths

Of course, such an unusual place could not but give rise to many legends. Since no one could give a rational explanation for the construction of the stone monument, the construction of Stonehenge was attributed to the giants who lived before the Flood, Cyclopes, aliens and even the wizard Merlin. The latter version is most popular in the British Isles.

According to ancient Celtic legends, this stone complex “built itself.” In the Middle Ages, it was believed that this monument was erected by the king of the Celtic tribe of Britons, Aurelius Ambrosi, in honor of 460 Britons who were treacherously killed by the Saxons during negotiations.

There is also a version that Stonehenge was a sacred place of the Druids. But the description of the Druids in Julius Caesar's book The Gallic War, as well as other ancient Greek and Roman sources, do not contain any mention of this place.

The reconstruction of the object contributed to the emergence of an “alien” version. To avoid erosion, some stones were “preserved” using a concrete “jacket”. Subsequently, the concrete chipped off, and those who did not know about the restoration work were quick to attribute the construction of Stonehenge to aliens. Which, in general, is quite logical: if the Celts did not know how to make concrete, then someone brought it to them. The answer suggests itself - of course, space aliens :)

Increased interest in the stone monument among the general public arose only at the beginning of the 20th century. Before this, only archaeologists, historians and mystics were interested in stone blocks.
The restoration of the stone complex took 65 years, from 1900 to 1965. Before the restoration work, some of the stones were already scattered chaotically, and according to research, the monument was repeatedly rebuilt and deliberately destroyed in ancient times, in particular during the Roman period.
Not everyone agreed with the restoration scheme for the location of the stone blocks. In particular, Christopher Chappindale, who at that time was the curator of the Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, argued that the stones were not located in the places where they were originally.
Duncan Steele, a British astronomer, put forward a version in 1995 that the structure had an astronomical purpose and allowed earthlings to avoid a cosmic catastrophe. This hypothesis was also proven by another scientist, Gerald Hawkins. But at the same time he did not reject the theory of the occult use of the place.
The monument was in private ownership for a long time. The owner of Stonehenge was Henry XVIII, and later the royal nobility.
In 1915, the stone complex was purchased by millionaire Cecil Chubb. But the wife to whom he presented the ancient monument was not happy, so three years later Chubb decided to give this luxurious gift to the British people.
The land on which Stonehenge is located was put up for auction after the First World War.
The action of the novel "The Worm" by writer John Fowles takes place in this mysterious place.
Nearby is one of the world's largest mounds, 40 meters high, which is considered the same age as Stonehenge.
The monument and its surroundings are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Where is Stonehenge?

Stonehenge is located in Great Britain, England, near the city of Amesbury - this is the closest populated area (distance approximately 3.5 km).

The facility is open to the public from 9.00 to 20.00 (ticket sales stop at 18.00). A ticket will cost 16.5 British pounds for adults and 9.9 GBP for children. For this money you can see the attraction from a distance, behind a rope fence. They also conduct individual tours in the evening and at dawn - this is the only opportunity to go directly to the relic and touch the ancient stones with your own hands.

Set aside a whole day for the trip, because the road takes a lot of time (about two hours one way), and, in addition to Stonehenge itself, I think you will want to visit the local museum - there are also a lot of interesting things there.

There are several options for getting to Stonehenge:

In any case, it’s faster in terms of time, since you don’t have to go to Salisbury, wait there for the bus to Stonehenge and practically go all the way back.

However, no matter which option you choose, it’s worth it. Seeing one of the most famous and biggest mysteries on the planet with your own eyes is an unforgettable experience!

Address: Great Britain, Wiltshire (England), 130 km southwest of London
Date of construction: III millennium BC
Diameter: 33 m
Restoration: 1901-1965
Coordinates: 51°10"43.9"N 1°49"34.2"W

Content:

In the English county of Wilshire, 130 km from London, there is a mysterious place - a cluster of giant stone blocks arranged in a circle in the middle of Salisbury Plain.

General view of Stonehenge

Every stone, hole, ditch, shaft is described, measured and numbered by scientists. This is a complex of megalithic structures - Stonehenge. It was built in the 3rd millennium BC. and, according to generally accepted dating methods, is considered coeval with the Egyptian pyramids of Giza.

How Stonehenge was built

Stones weighing from 25 to 45 tons used in the construction of Stonehenge were transported 380 km from east Wales. The megalithic complex was built between 3500 and 1100 AD. BC. in three stages. Initially, Stonehenge I was a ring-shaped rampart surrounded by a moat. 56 depressions were dug along the inside of the shaft, later called "Aubrey's Holes" in honor of their first explorer.

Stonehenge from a bird's eye view

Outside the entrance to the earthen structure stood a 35-ton “Heel Stone.” During the construction of Stonehenge II, two rings of massive blue-gray blocks were erected. A 6-ton stone, the so-called “Altar,” was erected in the center of the circle, and an earthen path was laid between the “Heel Stone” and the entrance. At the final stage of construction, the blue blocks were replaced with 30 Sarsen sandstone monoliths, and a horseshoe of five free-standing triliths was installed within the Sarsen Ring.

Legends about the origin of Stonehenge

According to legend, the stones were erected here by the almighty Merlin, the court magician of King Arthur. Popular rumor attributes the authorship of Stonehenge to the inhabitants of Atlantis, aliens, and giants.

View of Stonehenge from the southwest

It’s not for nothing that the British call Stonehenge “the dance of the giants”: the stones, arranged in a circle, resemble a round dance of huge giants holding hands.

Stonehenge - Druid temple, burial ground or hospital?

Nowadays, many hypotheses have accumulated about the purpose of Stonehenge. For a long time it was believed that the stone ring belonged to the Druids - Celtic priests who performed religious rites here. According to another version, Stonehenge was the burial place of Boadicea, a pagan queen who fought the Romans. It is also claimed that the structure served as a cemetery for leaders.

English astronomer J. Hawkins believes that Stonehenge is a grandiose Stone Age observatory that allows one to predict eclipses and the exact dates for the start of field work. So, on the day of the summer solstice, the sun rises exactly above the “Heel” stone.

According to historians Tim Darvill and Geoff Wainwright from the University of Bournsmouth, Stonehenge was built as a Neolithic medical center. Radiocarbon dating of the bones found showed that many of the people buried at Stonehenge suffered from serious illnesses. The sick and wounded came here from surrounding villages, believing in the healing power of blue stones.

If we exclude mystical versions and the excitement that has arisen around the monument, it becomes obvious that Stonehenge is not so unique. Megalithic structures are found throughout Europe, including in Russia in the North Caucasus, Altai Mountains, Karelia and the Kola Peninsula.

Summer Solstice Festival at Stonehenge

Every year, in the early morning of June 21, thousands of pilgrims gather near Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice festival. This pagan holiday, dedicated to the longest day of the year, has existed for thousands of years. The participants of the celebration are dressed in bright clothes, and their heads are crowned with wreaths.

This is what Sir Philip Sidney, one of the brilliant Elizabethan poets, wrote about Stonehenge. The unique megalithic monument, known as Stonehenge (overhanging stones) or the Round Dance of the Giants, is a mystery that has puzzled many generations. It rises on the table-smooth Salisbury Plain in southern England. A few miles away is the River Avon. The structure is made of giant stone blocks, the weight of which ranges from 5 to 50 tons.

In the Middle Ages, there was an opinion that the greatest miracle of Britain was the work of its greatest wizard, Merlin. The myth about the construction of the Round Dance of the Giants by the court sorcerer of King Arthur has several variants. The most popular version was set out by the 12th century writer Geoffrey of Monmouth in his pseudo-chronicle “History of the Britons”. According to this version, Stonehenge was supposed to perpetuate the memory of four hundred and sixty British leaders who were treacherously killed during peace negotiations by the Saxons who invaded the island. Merlin supposedly erected this grand memorial at the site of an insidious murder during the reign of King Aurelius Ambrosius, Arthur's uncle. But, as the legend says, the wizard was not the architect of the structure; he only had the idea to move the Round Dance of the Giants from Ireland, where it was previously located. According to Geoffrey, Merlin addressed the king with the following words:

“If you want to decorate the grave of your murdered husbands with a very strong structure, go to the Ring of the Giants, which is located on Mount Killario in Hibernia (the ancient name of Ireland). It is lined with stones that none of the people of our time could handle without subordinating the art to the mind. The stones are huge, and there is no one whose strength can move them. And if you place these blocks around the site where the bodies of the murdered are buried, just as was done there, they will stand there forever.” The chronicle goes on to say the following: “Hearing these words, Aurelius grinned, remarking: “How is this so? To transport such huge stones from such a distant kingdom, it’s as if there were no stones in Britain for the structure I planned!” To this Merlin replied: “Don’t laugh in vain, for what I offer you is by no means empty. The stones are full of secrets and impart healing properties to various potions. Once upon a time, giants took them from the extreme reaches of Africa and installed them in Hibernia, where they then lived."

After this conversation, King Ambrosius sent fifteen thousand Britons overseas, led by his brother Uther Pendragon (Arthur's future father). The expedition encountered resistance from the inhabitants of the Green Island, but in the end, the latter were defeated. Geoffrey goes on to say:

“Having won the victory, the Britons climbed Mount Killario and, having taken possession of the stone structure, rejoiced and marveled at it. And so, when they crowded around him, Merlin came up and said: “Use all your strength, young men, and, moving these stones, try to understand what is more powerful, strength or reason, reason or strength.” Obeying his orders, they unanimously took up all kinds of weapons and began to dismantle the Ring. Others prepared ropes, other ropes, other ladders in order to complete their plans, but achieved nothing. Observing their fruitless efforts, Merlin laughed and invented his own tools. Then, using some necessary tools, he moved the stones with incredible ease; He forced the blocks he had moved to be dragged to the ships and loaded onto them. Rejoicing, they sailed to Britain and reached it with fair winds, after which the stones they brought were delivered to the graves of their murdered husbands.”

This explains the origins of the monument on Salisbury Plain in one of the most popular literary works of the Middle Ages. But the Renaissance that followed was characterized by some disdain for the culture of the Middle Ages and an increased interest in antiquity. Due to new cultural trends, the story of Merlin was declared an absurd fable. Now it has become fashionable to attribute the construction of a giant megalithic structure to the Druids, a mysterious caste of Celtic priests, the main information about which was drawn from the Notes on the Gallic War by Julius Caesar. The great Roman commander and politician reports that the Druids “...tell their young disciples a lot about the luminaries and their movements, about the greatness of the world and the earth, about nature and about the power and authority of the immortal gods,” and also that “...their science is thought to have originated in Britain and from there transferred to Gaul; and to this day, in order to get to know it more thoroughly, they go there to study it.”

The first serious study of Stonehenge was carried out in the second half of the 17th century. John Aubrey, member of the Royal Academy and personal friend of King Charles II. He carefully examined the monument and sketched not only the stones, but also much less noticeable earthen structures. However, not being armed with modern archaeological methods, he was unable to make sound scientific conclusions about the date of construction. Aubrey's authoritative opinion greatly contributed to the popularity of the “Druidic” version of the origin of the Giants' Round Dance.

Conducted already in the 20th century. Archaeological research of the monument showed that the idea of the Druids, the builders of Stonehenge, is no more scientific than the tale of Merlin. Lovers of historical mysteries were in for a surprise. As a rule, the popular imagination increases the antiquity of monuments, easily juggling centuries and millennia. For example, the author of this article has repeatedly heard stories that the old railway embankment near the village was built under Catherine, and the stone Pecheneg women are 14 thousand years old. With Stonehenge it was the other way around. As it turned out, it was incredibly ancient not only in the time of Merlin (5th century AD), but also when the first Druids supposedly appeared in Britain (around the 5th century BC).

Archaeologists are somewhat hesitant in determining the date of the start of construction of Stonehenge, but have no doubt that the first elements of the monument were created in the Neolithic, and the end of construction dates back to the early Bronze Age. The main structures that are most impressive to modern tourists were erected in the period 1900 - 1600 BC. e.

Studying the Round Dance of Giants is not an easy task, not only because of the ravages of time. As it turned out, Stonehenge was rebuilt several times in prehistoric times. Its oldest part is so insignificant from a layman’s point of view that most tourists pass it without even noticing it, and cross the border of an unimaginably ancient monument without any inner trepidation, rushing towards the Cyclopean stone arches looming ahead. Meanwhile, this border is a shallow ditch bordered by two earthen ramparts. The ditch and ramparts form a surprisingly regular circle, about 115 m in diameter, broken in the northeast. The inner shaft, higher and wider than the outer one, has a width of 6 m and a height of 1.8. The width and height of the outer rampart are 2.5 m and 0.5 - 0.8 m, respectively. As for the ditch, it is very uneven, and apparently had no independent significance, but simply served as a quarry from which material for the ramparts was extracted . It should be said that this material is the chalk-rich soil of Salisbury, and at the time when the condition of the shafts was monitored, they must have had a dazzling white color, which looked very impressive.

As already mentioned, in the northeast there is a gap in the earthen ring (about 10 m). On the straight line connecting the middle of this gap and the center of the circle, 30 m outside of it, there is a huge stone placed upright. Its height is 6 m, weight is about 35 tons. This stone is called the Heel stone, but, like many other archaeological objects, it owes its name to chance, and it has nothing to do with its purpose. If a person of average height stands in the center of the Round Dance of Giants and looks at the Heel Stone through the gap in the ring, he will see its top exactly at the level of the horizon. And if he does this early in the morning on the day of the summer solstice, he will see the sun rise directly above the stone.

Only four stones were originally installed inside the ring. Two of them have survived to this day, the remaining two have holes left. The stones formed a rectangle inscribed in a circle, the long sides of which were perpendicular to the axis drawn from the center through the Heel Stone, and the short sides were correspondingly perpendicular to it. All five stones dating from the first period of Stonehenge's construction are uncut. During the same period, a chain of holes was dug along the inner side of the shaft, also forming a regular circle, the so-called “Aubrey ring”, which received its name in honor of the discoverer. This is an extremely intriguing detail of the structure. The holes are located at a carefully adjusted equal distance from each other. Their number is unusual - 56. Obviously, this number was not chosen by chance. If the ancient builders simply wanted to create a closed ring of equidistant holes, then there would be 64 of them. Such a ring is very easy to construct by sequentially dividing the arc of a circle in half.

Soon after the Aubrey Holes were dug, they were filled with crushed chalk. In some of them, archaeologists have discovered cremated human remains. This detail suggests blood sacrifices, but upon mature reflection such an idea does not seem sufficiently thorough. It is possible that Stonehenge, which did not yet live up to its current name, was a burial place.

More than one generation had passed in Britain before they decided to modernize the structure, creating a complex that modern archaeologists call Stonehenge II. The new builders began to build two more concentric circles of bluish stones inside the earthen ring. These circles were also broken to the northeast, allowing views from the center to the Heel Stone. In addition, the entrance was marked with additional stones. The megaliths of Stonehenge II were not very large compared to the Cyclopean stone blocks that can be seen on Salisbury Plain today. Their weight was about 5 tons each. The stones were brought not from Ireland, as the medieval legend says, but from Wales, from the Preselli Mountains. The region is not as remote as Ireland, but still the distance in a straight line is 210 km, but most likely the megaliths were transported 380 km along the rivers. The second period of construction of Stonehenge also includes the construction of two shafts, symmetrical relative to the center axis - the Heel Stone and leading from the entrance, first directly to the northeast, and then to the Avon River, which flows 2 miles from the Round Dance of the Giants. Archaeologists call this detail of the monument “Avenue”. It is assumed that the ramparts fenced off the sacred road along which stones transported on rafts were transported using rollers to the construction site.

The impressive structure made of bluish stones stood on Salisbury Plain for a very short time. Apparently, it had not yet been properly completed when the decision was made to disassemble both rings. What made the ancient architects act in such a strange way will most likely forever remain a mystery.

Having cleared the sacred site of blue stones, the builders began to build a new structure, this time from blocks of hard light gray sandstone, which are called sarsens. They were brought from the Marlborough Downs area, located 35 - 40 km north of Stonehenge. There, huge sarsen boulders are found right on the surface of the earth. The local residents call them Gray Sheep. The Stonehenge researcher John Aubrey, already mentioned here, had a chance to hunt in these areas, and he left a description of them:

“These hills look as if they were sown with huge stones, and very densely; in the evenings they look like a flock of sheep, and this explains their name. It seems that this is the place where the Giants threw stones at the Gods.”

The weight of each block that arrived on the Salisbury Plain from Marlborough Downs was tens of tons. Unlike the uncut stones of Stonehenge I, the blocks of the third period of construction were clearly processed with metal tools. The irregularities that can now be seen on the stones of the Round Dance of Giants are a consequence of the destructive effects of time: weathering, temperature changes, and sometimes the hammers of tourists. At one time, they were cut and polished, which was not easy, given the hardness of the material (One peculiar lover of antiquities, who visited Stonehenge in the 17th century, left the following entry in his diary: “These stones are surprisingly hard and strong, and no matter how much I hit with a hammer, I couldn't break off a single piece."

During the last period of construction, the ancient architects built a circle of 30 sarsen blocks placed vertically and provided them with lintels on top, so that a continuous ring was formed. In the blocks laid on top, recesses were made that corresponded to the spikes on the support stones, which ensured the strength of the building. In the northeast, the jumper ring was not torn, but the gap between the supports was made larger. Thus, the observer’s horizons were limited from above, but nothing prevented him from seeing the Sun appearing over the horizon after the shortest night of the year.

In the middle of the sarsen ring, a horseshoe was erected, made up of five so-called trilithons. This term, meaning “three stones,” was specially invented to refer to the structures of Stonehenge, which consist of two stone blocks placed upright, topped by a third, so that it turns out something like the letter P. These structures are truly gigantic. Their height is approximately 6 - 7 m. The largest trilith was erected opposite the entrance. The weight of the stones that make it up is 50 tons (For comparison: the weight of the largest blocks of the Egyptian pyramids is 15 tons). Four other trilithons form the branches of a horseshoe, open to the northeast and symmetrical relative to the axis of the center - the Heel Stone.

The sarsen ring and horseshoe, although fairly destroyed, are quite clearly visible in modern ruins, but there was another stage of construction, designated by archaeologists as Stonehenge III B, which careful research helped to identify. At this stage, the previously dismantled ring of blue stones was restored. Now it went around the horseshoe of trilites and, as it were, duplicated the sarsen ring bordering it. Some of the blue stones formed another horseshoe inside the horseshoe of trilithes. In addition, the creators of Stonehenge III B dug two rows of holes between the sarsen ring and the “Aubrey ring,” which are usually designated holes X and Y. One row of holes has 29, the other 30.

The monument has a number of other details, such as separately lying stones, embankments and ditches. In the general description of the structure, they seem to be of minor importance, but in principle, each of these little things can turn out to be the key to an important scientific problem.

For a long time, the main mystery of the Round Dance of the Giants, which was in the focus of public attention, was the question of how primitive people could move such huge stones over considerable distances, and then install them with remarkable accuracy. But this problem has long been solved by modern scientists. Most famous in the field of megalithic construction was the Norwegian scientist Thor Heyerdahl, who reproduced the technique of moving the giant monuments of Easter Island. But there were other enthusiasts. For some time, moving giant blocks using primitive technical means, simulating the construction of Stonehenge, became something of a national English sport. Such attempts were followed by popular radio programs. It turned out that approximately 16 people per ton are enough to drag stones a kilometer to one and a half a day. This is by land, on skating rinks. After the blocks were loaded onto the rafts, things naturally went faster. The work, of course, is not easy, but if people, in the words of a famous joke, “toil for hours and toil for hours,” it is quite feasible.

However, as the Manchester Guardian wrote in 1963, “...emphasis is usually placed on the difficulties of transporting stone blocks to the site of construction. But it was much more difficult to decide where to install them - this required the greatest effort from the builders of all their knowledge and strength.” The article was a response to the publication of a sensational work by Smithsonian Astronomical Observatory Professor Gerald Hawkins, in which he tried to answer the question: what was the purpose of Britain's greatest megalithic monument.

The fact that the Round Dance of the Giants is oriented towards the sunrise point on the day of the summer solstice was noticed a very long time ago. As you know, the sun rises exactly in the east only on the days of the autumn and spring equinox (with the exception of the equator). In the winter half of the year, the sunrise point moves to the south, and in the summer - to the north. Moreover, this displacement is stronger, the closer to the pole the observer is. Being on the Arctic Circle, you can see how the star in the middle of the night briefly touches the horizon at the north point and rushes upward again. It will not go beyond the Arctic Circle at all. At the latitude of Stonehenge, the sunrise point on the summer solstice is almost due northeast. The orientation of the main axis of the structure in this direction gave reason to consider it a temple of the solar cult, where the priests, seeing that the luminary had returned to the Heel Stone, solemnly announced the birth of the new year.

But astronomer Hawkins rightly noted that in order to mark the sunrise point, like any other point on the horizon, two stones are enough. Meanwhile, in Round Dance there are many more of them, and the structure of their placement is so complex that it cannot be arbitrary. Apparently, the professor reasoned, the purpose of the structure was not limited to determining the solstice day from which the new year would begin, although this was a very important task for the primitive agricultural people.

While at Stonehenge, Hawkins noticed how narrow the gaps were between the standing trilith stones. They do not exceed 30 cm, and it is impossible to squeeze through them. At the same time, they are oriented in such a way that through them you can only look through a certain opening of the sarsen ring, which narrows your horizons even more, your gaze rests on a fixed point on the horizon. The researcher quickly came to the conclusion that through the gap of the central trilith, which was only partially preserved, it was possible to observe the moment of sunset on the day of the winter solstice. But in order to establish the orientation of other objects of the dilapidated monument, all the data had to be subjected to careful mathematical processing, which required an electronic computer.

As it turned out, all the straight lines connecting the main points of Stonehenge certainly indicate some special position of the Sun or Moon. In particular, the two trilithons at the ends of the horseshoe are oriented toward sunset on the summer solstice and sunrise on the winter solstice. The remaining two were apparently intended for observing the rising and setting of the Moon. Often, on a straight line connecting two important points, there is a third object - an additional landmark.

In the composition of the Round Dance of Giants, lines are clearly visible indicating the points of sunrise and sunset on the days of the summer and winter solstices, as well as the equinox. As for the Moon, the trajectory of its apparent movement across the sky is much more complex than that of the Sun. Throughout the year, it moves as if towards the Sun: north in winter and south in summer. But its extreme positions, unlike the solar ones, do not remain unchanged from year to year, but perform pendulum-like movements during a 19-year cycle. Thus, for every extreme position of the Sun, there are two extreme positions of the Moon, and each of these positions is recorded in the structure of Stonehenge.

Hawkins notes the economy of the monument's composition. Thus, in Stonehenge I, 16 directions to special positions of the luminaries are visible, each of which is determined by two points. But not 32 points were used, but only 11. Six of them were used more than once, including two points used 6 times.

Hawkins' research was not limited to identifying the main directions in which observations were made. The scientist drew attention to an excerpt from the work of the ancient historian Diodorus Siculus, in which he talks about the mythical island of the Hyperboreans, located far in the north. Hawkins believed that Diodorus was talking about Britain, and mentioned Stonehenge in his description: “And there is also on this island a magnificent sanctuary of Apollo, and also a beautiful temple, decorated with numerous donations, spherical in shape. In addition, there is a city dedicated to this god, and most of its inhabitants play the cithara... They also say that from this island the Moon is visible as if it were very close to the Earth, and the eye can discern on it the same heights as on the ground. It is also said that God visits the island every 19 years; this is the period during which the stars complete their journey across the sky and return to their original place... Upon his appearance, God plays the cithara and dances the night away from the vernal equinox to the rising of the Pleiades, thus expressing delight at the occasion of his victories. And the kings of this city and the guardians of the sanctuary are called Boreads, since they come from Boreas (north wind), and these positions are passed down in their family from generation to generation.”

As an astronomer, Hawkins knew that lunar and solar eclipses can recur in cycles of approximately 19 years. It occurred to him that the Dance of the Giants could be used to predict eclipses. Working further in this direction, the scientist realized that in the 2nd millennium BC. e. Eclipses took place during periods when the winter Moon rose directly above the Heel Stone.

But, to be precise, the full cycle of the visible movement of the Moon is not 19, but 18.61 solar years. Thus, in order to predict the repetition of celestial phenomena as accurately as possible, one should count 19 years twice in a row, and then only 18. Thus, we are already talking about a 56-year lunar cycle, which is much more accurate than a 19-year one (19+19+18=56 ). And then Hawkins remembered the strange, still unexplained number of “Aubrey holes.”

According to Hawkins's hypothesis, Stonehenge is not just an observatory, but something like a giant stone adding machine for calculating the years when an eclipse might occur. Imagining himself in the place of a prehistoric priest, he wrote the following:

“If once a year you move a stone in a circle from one Aubrey hole to the next, you can predict all the extreme positions of the Moon at a given time of year, as well as eclipses of the Sun and Moon at the solstices and equinoxes. If you use six stones placed at 9, 9, 10, 9, 9, 10 holes of Aubrey, and move them counterclockwise to the next hole once a year, you can achieve amazing results in predicting astronomical phenomena. Given six stones - three white and three black - this calculating device could, for hundreds of years, and very accurately, predict all important phenomena. Associated with the Moon."

It is easy to see that with the arrangement proposed by Hawkins, a stone of a certain color should fall into each hole with a periodicity of 18 - 19 years. It was only necessary to mark the holes corresponding to the “dangerous” years.

Of course, Hawkins did not insist that three and a half thousand years ago everything happened exactly as he described. He did not even consider his hypothesis regarding the number of “Aubrey holes” to be absolutely proven, but only highly probable. As for the 30 standing stones of the sarsen ring, the professor associated them with the days of the month. On this occasion, he also remembered holes X and Y, numbering 30 and 29. With their help, inaccuracies could be eliminated due to the fact that a full lunar month (the interval between two full moons) is 29.53 days.

What other opportunities the Circle of Giants gave to the inhabitants of prehistoric Britain, we can only guess. An increasingly detailed archaeological study of the monument will provide more and more food for thought not only about the scientific and technical potential of the ancients, but also about the social role of projects like the construction of the Round Dance of the Giants. Hawkins compared the construction of this gigantic astronomical instrument by prehistoric tribes to the space program of modern superpowers.

He wrote: “The space program consumes about 1% of the total US national product. Stonehenge undoubtedly absorbed no less. Its construction undoubtedly required much more effort from the then inhabitants of England than the space program from the Americans, and probably meant much more to them.”

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The majestic Stonehenge is the most famous cromlech in the world, located near the city of Amesbury in England. There are many secrets around the ancient structure, in particular about who, when and why it was created.

The name of Stonehenge is another unsolved mystery, which is still debated to this day. The modern name in English "Stonehenge" means "stone circle", but the exact translation of the Old English word "Stanhengues" is in doubt, tentatively - "hanging stones".

Stonehenge - a mystery of history

The mysterious past of Stonehenge has given rise to various hypotheses about the purpose of this ancient megalith. The opinions of scientists differ and today there are 3 main versions of the purpose:

burial mound - currently known about the burials of 60 people of the Neolithic era;
an ancient primitive temple - a pagan temple where rituals, celebrations and sacrifices were held;
astronomical observatory - Stonehenge is oriented with small errors according to the various stages of movement of the Sun and Moon.

And legends say that Stonehenge, as the eighth wonder of the world, was created with magic by the famous wizard Merlin.

In terms of mystery, Stonehenge can be compared to the no less mysterious one.

Construction of a cromlech

There are as many theories around the mysterious Stonehenge as there are stones in the structure itself. It is not known exactly how old these megaliths are, it is assumed that construction took place in 3 stages and lasted 1000-1500 years (between 3500 and 2000 BC). There is also no consensus about the builders of the cromlech: it could have been built by the Celts, Greeks or Germans. Modern calculations have shown that the creation of Stonehenge at that time required about 20 million man-hours of work. Why Stonehenge was built around the 20th century is unknown, but it is obvious that the reason was very compelling.

The Stonehenge cromlech consists of small stones (up to 5 tons) and 30 large stones, weighing 25 tons, which form a circle with a diameter of 33 meters. Inside this circle are 3 trilithons, each weighing 50 tons. The height of these megaliths is from 4 to 6 meters. During the construction, blue stones were used, which were delivered from a distance of 250 km. By what means these stones were moved is another mystery.

There is another theory according to which Stonehenge is not an ancient structure, but a fake from 1954. There are quite a few photos on the Internet showing how stones were installed and concrete was poured. At the same time, there is plenty of evidence of the antiquity of Stonehenge.

Stonehenge is one of 900 similar stone structures discovered in the British Isles.
The most common finds in the ground under the stone ring are Roman coins from the 7th century BC. e.
Stonehenge was first mentioned in chronicles of the 12th century.
In 1915, lawyer Cecil Chubb bought Stonehenge for £6,600, but three years later donated it to the state.
At the beginning of the 20th century, visitors were not prohibited from chipping away a souvenir as a souvenir.
Since 1986, Stonehenge has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In 2011, the BBC produced a 4-part documentary film, “The World of Stonehenge.”
Every year on the day of the summer solstice, a festival is held near Stonehenge, in which pagans and descendants of the Druids (as they call themselves) take part.
About a million tourists visit Stonehenge every year.

Excursions: how to get there, opening hours, tickets

You can get to Stonehenge from London either as part of an excursion group or on one's own:

by car - heading along the M3 and A303 towards Amesbury;
by train - from Waterloo station to Salisbury or Andover railway station, from where buses run regularly to Stonehenge.

The nearby tourist complex has a café, gift shop, toilets and parking, and you can also book a tour here.

Address: Amesbury, Salisbury SP4 7DE, UK.

GPS coordinates: 51°10"43.9"N 1°49"34.4"W.

Opening hours (daily):

9:30 - 19:00 - from April 1 to May 31;
9:00 - 20:00 - from June 1 to August 31;
9:30 - 19:00 - from September 1 to October 15;
9:30 - 17:00 - from October 16 to March 31.

Entrance ticket price:

Adult - £15.50;
Child (5-15) - £9.30;
Student/Pensioner - £13.90;
Family ticket* - £40.30.

* - 2 adults and 3 children.

Attention! Ticket sales stop one hour before closing. Prices are as of November 2017. When visiting Stonehenge during public hours, it is prohibited to approach the stone structure closer than 15-20 meters.

In the English county of Wiltshire, a favorite tourist destination is the famous - a quaint stone structure. The blocks stand in the shape of a circle, some of them are covered with slabs on top. Inside the circle there are also several structures that form a smaller circle. This archaeological site was officially included in the World Heritage List in 1986, because it still raises a lot of questions and disputes about its origin.

This building has an ancient name - “Dance of the Giants”. The exact year of the appearance of Stonehenge is unknown to anyone, therefore the estimated period is quite wide - from 3020-2910 BC. e. One thing is clear - it took many centuries to build it, and many peoples of that time had a hand in it.

All the stones of Stonehenge are very different, not only in the nature of their origin, but also in weight. The heaviest ones – up to 50 tons. That is why there are doubts that the monument is the work of mankind, because such heavy blocks had to be moved for many years to the construction site. However, according to legend, Merlin, the chief sorcerer of the Britons, managed to build Stonehenge in memory of the battle with the Saxons in exactly one night.

The exact purpose of Stonehenge is an interesting question for archaeologists and researchers. According to some, the stones personified the cult of the Sun. And others are sure that the stones were necessary for the purposes of astronomy. There is another assumption - the energy of the majestic stones could be used to treat sick people who came here from all over the world. The second version is more plausible - many tourists saw with their own eyes how on the day of the summer solstice the sun rises just above the Heel Stone, which is located at the entrance to the stone circle.

Recently, researchers discovered several religious monuments near Stonehenge, leading to new speculation that the stone structure is only a small part of a larger complex of sacrifice points and holy sites. By the way, over many centuries the monument was constantly restored to maintain it, so visually it is somewhat different from its original appearance. At the same time, the scope of the restoration was quite impressive, which caused a lot of criticism; even special investigations were carried out to determine whether the overall picture of the monument had been violated.

You can get to the stone monument by ordering, you will need to drive about 130 km. During the excursion, you can learn more about the mysteries and secrets of this unusual place, as well as take unforgettable photographs as a keepsake, which will definitely become the pride of your home album.

Legends are not only made about this monument, but films are also made. In 2010 alone, two documentaries were released. Therefore, before visiting Stonehenge, you can watch a couple of films to show your knowledge during the excursion.

Stonehenge is quite an interesting place to visit if you are interested in the mysteries of nature. Surely the grandeur of these huge stones will amaze any traveler and make them wonder again about the origin of the famous Stonehenge.