Courtesy of Heritage Action
Astronomers and archaeologists have been
fighting over the true purpose of Stonehenge's construction
for decades. Some theorize that Stonehenge was built for
astronomical measuring of lunar cycles, or to keep track of
the alignment of stars, others say it was built for religious
purposes, and therefore was considered a sacred place.It was
most definitely not a place for anybody to live in. Durrington
Walls, about 2 miles away, was where the people resided. There
were about 1,000 residences in Durrington Walls. The true
purpose of Stonehenge is not known. How Stonehenge was built
is not clearly known either, but researchers came to the
conclusion that the megalithic monument was built through a
large group of people who had lots of determination. Not just
that, but there was a organized division of labor that
produced magnificent results. Stonehenge was probably built
using levers,counterweights, and the basic knowledge of
physics. Of course with such a massive project, many mistakes
were made along the way. The stone lintels on top required a
lot of shaping and moving of the uprights to get it to the
top. Any slight misalignment would have caused a big mistake,
so there is evidence of staging the process as well.
Stonehenge is not the only megalithic monument; there are
thousands of megalithic monuments spread out through western
Europe( such as Swinside and Chun Quoit dolmen). Although the
true intent of Stonehenge is not known, it is majestic and
fascinating nonetheless.
