Scientists reveal origin of Stonehenge stones

The stones of Stonehenge The iconic Neolithic structure located on Salisbury Plain in England has been a landmark for centuries. for researchers.

Historically, questions such as its origin and who was behind its construction have given rise to the development of multiple theories.

According to information obtained by the magazine Nature , Over the millennia, the monument was attributed from the Romans to the Druids. .

Even, A medieval story suggests that the person responsible for its construction was Merlin King Arthur’s court magician, who is said to have used his powers to transport stones across the seas.

The mysteries of Stonehenge They attract so much scientists from different regions like tourists .

And studies in this regard have provided multiple insights that promise to help solve them.

In this sense, a survey published in the aforementioned magazine on August 14, 2024 postulate that, about 4,500 years ago, Neolithic sailors could have transported the altar stone about 500 miles by sea from the northern tip of what is now Scotland. .

this stone weighs about six tons and measures five meters high and one meter wide.

It is about a partially buried room in the center from the stone circle.

The authors of the book They came to this conclusion after carrying out a geochemical analysis of the altar stone.

Field archaeologist Jim Leary from the University of York in the UK told Nature that The researchers in charge have carried out “a fantastic study with great implications” .

With these discoveries, They hope to increase understanding of the Neolithic society that built Stonehenge. between 4300 and 2000 BC, approximately.

“It seems to me that these peoples of the later Neolithic They were master geologists, able to read the stone and understand its origin and connections. that he symbolized,” Leary added.

The discovery that the altar stone comes from Scotland This distinguishes it from the others that make up Stonehenge, since the latter’s origin is located in England and Wales. .

Previously, other works had suggested that it might come from the latter territory .

Lead author of the recent research and geochronologist at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, Anthony Clarke, explained that His team analyzed the age and chemical data of the minerals that make up the block. to arrive at the conclusion they presented.

“It’s like finding a footprint,” he told Nature, later adding that what they found suggests that “the altar stone could only have come from Scotland” .

but that This is not the first time he has been linked to the monument to the north.

In conversation with the above-mentioned magazine, the independent archaeologist and author of the book How to build Stonehenge (Thames & Hudson, 2022), Mike Pitts, stated that “It has long been known that a mace head found at Stonehenge was made of Lewisian gneiss from the Hebrides” .

Despite the advances that have been presented regarding the mysteries that the circle houses, tThe question of how the stone was transported is still debated among scientists. .

“It was brought here by human action” ” Clarke stressed.

However, There is no consensus on whether this was by land or sea. .

Pitts argued that in both cases it is a complex journey, but that the sea route could have been very risky.

“I can’t imagine them risking such valuable cargo on such a dangerous journey.” the archaeologist stressed.

On the other hand, Leary suggested that it was most likely by sea and that “We seriously underestimate their capabilities and technologies” .

“We never found any of their ships, but we know they might be carrying livestock. cattle, sheep and goats by sea,” said the York University specialist.

Despite contrary assumptions about the method, agree that transportation was a very relevant event so much so that people living along the road were likely to witness this important milestone.

And while the recent research findings provide new data, Rob Ixer, a co-author of the study and a geologist at University College London, pointed out that “We have yet to determine exactly where the altar stone was obtained” .

“Chasing these stones has always been like chasing a rabbit: it always jumps in front of you. I think we’re going to have a lot more surprises as we go along. “, the expert anticipated.

The precise purpose for which Stonehenge was built remains an enigma. which fascinates researchers.

This must have involved a considerable investment of time and effort, so It is suggested that the monument was undoubtedly designed for a particular purpose .

As saved National Geographic , The most accepted interpretation is that it was a ritual center aligned with the movement of the sun. .

One of the authors of the recent study, Professor Richard Bevins of Aberystwyth University, said in statements obtained by CNN in Spanish that “One suggestion is that the stone was a testimony to the dead, and that is why Neolithic people built stone circles as part of their rituals of respect for their ancestors.” .

For his part, Joshua Pollard, an archaeology academic at the University of Southampton, said that The altar stone is a kind of “anomaly located in what should be the most sacred space of the monument.” .