Rewrite Stonehenge history, say archaeologists discovering "super-henge" of new stones

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

Tantalising evidence of ancient earthworks near Stonehenge adds new chapter to history

A photo of the grey large stones on grass at Stonehenge in WiltshireDid Durrington Walls, near Stonehenge, once look like this?© Ludwig Boltzmann Institute
Archaeologists using multi-sensor technologies just three kilometres from Stonehenge say they have discovered a “super-henge”, built around 4,500 years ago and surrounded by a huge ditch and outer bank.

A photo of a virtual image of grey large stones on grass at Stonehenge in Wiltshire© Ludwig Boltzmann Institute
A photo of a virtual image overhead showing the location of archaeological sites around Stonehenge and Durrington WallsThis image shows the distribution of the new monuments around Stonehenge© Esri, Digital Globe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, GIS
Monumental early architecture has been uncovered at Durrington Walls, the largest neighbour of the World Heritage Site, where the earthwork enclosure was previously known to have been built a century after the Stonehenge sarsen circle, during the 27th century BC.

A photo of a man driving a kart across grassland near the monuments of StonehengeA virtual representation of where the stones might have stood© Courtesy University of Bradford
A photo of a digital aerial photo showing the layout of Stonehenge monuments in a fieldThe green circles in this image show the position of the stone row at Durrington Walls, using lidar and electro-magnetic induction data to create the backdrop© Mark Dover / Google Earth, courtesy University of Bradford
“Our high resolution ground penetrating radar data has revealed an amazing row of up to 90 standing stones, a number of which have survived after being pushed over and a massive bank placed over the stones,” says Professor Wolfgang Neubauer, of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Prospection and Virtual Archaeology.

An overhead photo of a green field next to a road near StonehengeDurrington walls from the north-east. The route of the stone row is illustrated by yellow circles, with the chalk scarp on the west© Courtesy University of Bradford
A photo of a digital aerial photo showing the layout of Stonehenge monuments in a fieldThe position of the stone row© Mark Dover / Google Earth, courtesy University of Bradford
“In the east up to 30 stones have survived below the bank, whereas elsewhere the stones are fragmentary or represented by massive foundation pits.

A photo of a virtual image of grey large stones on grass at Stonehenge in Wiltshire© Ludwig Boltzmann Institute
A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at StonehengeArchaeologists made use of magnetometers at the site© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
“This discovery of a major new stone monument, which has been preserved to a remarkable extent, has significant implications for our understanding of Stonehenge and its landscape setting.

A virtual overhead image showing the layout of underground stones at StonehengeGround penetrating radar shows the new stone alignment along the eastern section, to a depth of around 90 metres© Courtesy University of Bradford
“This new evidence demonstrates a completely unexpected phase of monumental architecture at one of the greatest ceremonial sites in prehistoric Europe. The new stone row could well be contemporary with the famous Stonehenge sarsen circle or even earlier.”

A virtual overhead image showing the layout of underground stones at Stonehenge© Courtesy University of Bradford
Paul Garwood, the University of Birmingham archaeologists who is the main prehistorian on the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes Project, says the scale and detail of the evidence is “extraordinary”.

A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
A photo of archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
“It is changing fundamentally our understanding of Stonehenge and the world around it,” he believes.

A photo of men using measuring equipments on green fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
A photo of a virtual image of grey large stones on grass at Stonehenge in Wiltshire© Ludwig Boltzmann Institute
“Everything written previously about the Stonehenge landscape and the ancient monuments within it will need to be re-written."

A photo of grey stones at StonehengeThe monuments of Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
Dozens of stones were revealed without being excavated, according to the findings produced at the launch of this year’s British Science Festival.

A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
“These latest results have produced tantalising evidence of what lies beneath the ancient earthworks at Durrington Walls,” says Nick Snashall, of Historic England.

A photo of people on tractors and sheep going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
“The work of the Hidden Landscapes team is revealing previously unsuspected twists in its age-old tale. The presence of what appear to be stones, surrounding the site of one of the largest Neolithic settlements in Europe, adds a whole new chapter to the Stonehenge story.”

A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)
A photo of people on tractors going across archaeological fields at Stonehenge© Geert Verhoeven (LBI for Archaeological Prospection & Virtual Archaeology)

The super-henge

  • Durrington Walls is one of the largest known henge monuments measuring 500m in diameter and thought to have been built around 4,500 years ago.

  • Measuring more than 1.5 kilometres in circumference, it is surrounded by a ditch up to 17.6 metres wide and an outer bank of around 40 metres wide, surviving up to a height of a metre.

  • The henge surrounds several smaller enclosures and timber circles and is associated with a recently excavated later Neolithic settlement.

  • At Durrington, a natural depression near the river Avon appears to have been accentuated by a chalk cut scarp more than 4,500 years ago, then been delineated on the southern side by the row of massive stones.

  • Essentially forming a C-shaped ‘arena’, the monument may have surrounded traces of springs and a dry valley leading from there into the Avon.

  • Although none of the stones have yet been excavated a unique sarsen standing stone, The Cuckoo Stone remains in the adjacent field. This suggests that other stones may have come from local sources.

  • Previous intensive study of the area around Stonehenge had led archaeologists to believe that only Stonehenge and a smaller henge at the end of the Stonehenge Avenue possessed significant stone structures.

What do you think? Leave a comment below.

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Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/history-and-heritage/archaeology/art536204-rewrite-stonehenge-history-durrington-walls


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