The Stonehenge monument is a prehistoric circle of standing stones located in county Wiltshire (England), approximately 8 miles North of Salisbury. It went through several phases of construction, but the general consensus among most historians is that the monument as we know it was constructed in approximately 2000 B.C.E. Because of its age, debate still abounds about who created the monument. The most popular theory to date is that the Druids created it, but this has since been proven false on two counts; the Celtic society from which the Druids came didn’t emerge until approximately 300 B.C.E., and the Druids typically worshipped in forests rather than using stone structures.
Because of the uncertainty regarding its creators, the exact original purpose of Stonehenge also remains unclear, but it is likely that it was used as a ritual site and, given the placement of the stones, a device for following the movements of the sun and planets.
II. Architectural Design
Stonehenge as we know it today consists of enormous “sarsen” stones (each one approximately 24 feet tall) arranged in a circle that is 97 feet in diameter. Within that circle is an inner circle of “bluestones”, which surrounds a smaller half-circle of stones, which in turn surrounds an altar stone. The “heel” stone, which itself marks the summer solstice, stands separate from the circle. A large ditch encircles the entire arrangement, serving as an outer bank of sorts.
Surprisingly, the Stonehenge that we know today is actually one of several phases of creation of the monument. The first phase (the outer ditch) was constructed approximately 1000 years before placement of the iconic standing stones (which were themselves the result of the third phase – any visible evidence of the second phase did not withstand the passage of time).
What is particularly remarkable about Stonehenge is the nature of the stones themselves – the standing stones were not from the Salisbury area, but came instead from many, many miles away (ranging from 25 miles to almost 160 miles, depending on which phase of construction they came from). Builders dragged the stones from their points of origin to the site, shaped them, and then probably placed them using a combination of ropes and dirt ramps.
III. Harmony with Nature
Regardless of who created it, Stonehenge emerged in a time when people used both science and religion together in an attempt to understand the forces of nature affecting their world. The placement of the standing stones shows the movements of the sun and planets; on certain days, the sun shines through specific openings in an exact line to the center of the circle. In particular, Stonehenge accurately marks the midsummer solstice, which proved particularly important to the heavily agricultural societies of the day. Because other Neolithic monuments in the area align with Stonehenge, historians speculate that it may be part of some larger map or symbolic purpose (such as perceived healing properties or a symbolic passage from life to death).
IV. Symbolism and Sacred Objects
While the exact symbolism of Stonehenge itself is debatable, a theory concerning ancestor worship does exist about it as a part of some larger “map” made by the other monuments dotting the landscape along the Avon River. The overall effect depicts a journey from life to death as one travels along the river, with Stonehenge being the final domain of death where one would pay respects to the deceased (as the numerous burial mounds would suggest).
V. How Worshippers Use It
Because its original purpose and the identity of its original creators are more or less lost to the past, how Stonehenge was originally used for worship is rather unclear (because of all the burial mounds in and around the area, ancestor worship of some variety is one of the more compelling solutions).
However, despite the Druids’ lack of involvement in the monument, modern Druids have come to prize the monument as an important symbol anyway. The Secular Order of Druids assembles and performs ceremonies at Stonehenge every year as per ancient tradition – they and thousands others gather in particular to witness the sunrise of the summer solstice and sunset of the winter solstice (even though access to walk among the stones themselves is now strictly controlled for safety reasons).
VI. Sources
Alexander, Caroline. "If The Stones Could Speak: Searching For The Meaning of Stonehenge." National Geographic Magazine Online. June 2008. National Geographic, Web. 9 Nov 2009.
Ashe, Geoffrey. "Stonehenge." Brittania History. 2007. Britannia.com, LLC, Web. 10 Nov 2009.
Lazzari, Margaret, and Dona Schleiser. Exploring Art: A Global, Thematic Approach. 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2005. 245-46.
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