Stonehenge

Apparently scientists are trying to discover when and why these rocks were put down in a circle at Stonehenge. A report in a British newspaper indicates that the first dig allowed since 1964 began yesterday, beginning a 1.5 metre deep trench that might provide details about the origins of the site. Some believe that the stones had some astrological or ceremonial basis, so it will be interesting to see what the scientists are able to discern at the site.

My photo above was taken way back in 1986 when I visited the Salisbury Plains where the rocks sit. On a dull, overcast English afternoon, there was certainly something eerie about this circle of blue stones. I could well imagine some pagan ritual occurring under the full moon, possibly involving animal (or even human) sacrifice. Of course, that may well be an over fertile imagination - perhaps the archaeologists will tell us that it was an early butcher shop!

In any case, it certainly exercises the mind to think that these 20-odd ton rocks were brought more than 30 miles from where they were quarried to their current position, without pack animals according to some experts. The rocks were cut using stone tools and arranged with a horizontal row of stones on top of the upright stones. It will be fascinating to see what else is discovered.

TFF