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stonehen.dat
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1994-10-25
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STONEHENGE: 3000 B.C. TO 1000 B.C.
As early as 3000 BC, the megalithic monument served
as an ancient observatory, where priests could follow
the annual motion of the Sun each morning along the
horizon in order to determine the beginning of the
seasons. And by 2500 BC, the precise geometric
alignments of the massive stones may have been used
to predict eclipses of the Moon.
Stonehenge consists of a series of stones placed in
a circular pattern surrounded by ring of 56 pits named
Aubrey holes for their 17th century discoverer. The
outermost series of stones (100 feet in diameter) are
large, linteled, sandstone blocks called sarsen stones.
Inside this circle is another circle of smaller blue
stones. And inside that circle is a horseshoe-shaped
arrangement of sarsen stones. And within this
arrangement is a still smaller horseshoe-shaped ring
of blue stones enclosing the famous Altar Stone.
Circa 2100 BC, the Beaker people (so named for their
characteristic pottery) built an approach road
(presently called the Avenue) to the entrance and
built the inner ring of blue stones. The blue stones
were transported all the way from the Prescelly
Mountains in Wales!
Stonehenge is unique among megalithic monuments
because of the precision of architectural design and
its long period of use (roughly two thousand years).