Stonehenge Built to Unite Britons Against Incoming Peoples, New Study Says

A new study suggests that Stonehenge was built to unite the ancient Britons. This grand monument may have served as a symbol of unity when new groups from Europe were arriving in the region.

Researchers found that all the stones used to build Stonehenge came from faraway places. The large Altar Stone, for example, came from Scotland. Other stones, known as “bluestones,” came from Wales, over 140 miles away.

This shows that different communities contributed to the building of Stonehenge. The idea is that it was more than just a religious site. It may have been a place to show strength and togetherness among Britons.

Stonehenge may have had a political purpose

Lead author Professor Mike Parker Pearson (UCL Institute of Archaeology) said: “The fact that all of its stones originated from distant regions, making it unique among over 900 stone circles in Britain, suggests that the stone circle may have had a political as well as a religious purpose—as a monument of unification for the peoples of Britain, celebrating their eternal links with their ancestors and the cosmos.”

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝?
New evidence suggests that Stonehenge was a unifying project for ancient Britons during a time of major immigration into the British Isles. Researchers at the University of London and Aberystwyth University in Wales have… pic.twitter.com/JSV83mP9x8

— BreakingRecap (@BreakingRecap) December 20, 2024

Co-author Professor Richard Bevins of Aberystwyth University, said: “It’s really gratifying that our geological investigations can contribute to the archaeological research and the unfolding story as our knowledge has been improving so dramatically in just the last few years.

“Our research is like forensic science. We are a small team of earth scientists, each bringing their own area of expertise; it is this combination of skills that has allowed us to identify the sources of the bluestones, and now the Altar Stone.”

Stonehenge is also known for its connection to the sun. The monument lines up with the sun during the winter and summer solstices. In the winter, people gathered near Stonehenge to celebrate the shortest day of the year.

They held large feasts in a nearby village called Durrington Walls. Researchers believe these gatherings were important for bringing people together.

Construction of Stonehenge in different stages

The construction of Stonehenge happened in different stages. The first stones were placed around 3000 BCE. The large stones called “sarsens” were added later, around 2500 BCE.

At this time people from Europe, especially from what is now the Netherlands and Germany, started arriving in Britain. The researchers think these new arrivals may have been a reason why the Britons decided to rebuild and expand Stonehenge.

Moving these huge stones was a massive effort. Hundreds or even thousands of people likely helped. This was before the wheel was used in Britain, making the task even harder.

The study also suggests that a special type of stone circle, known as “recumbent stone circles,” existed in northeast Scotland. These stone circles had a large horizontal stone, much like Stonehenge’s Altar Stone. This connection hints at a strong relationship between the people of Scotland and the builders of Stonehenge.

Over the next 400 years, the newcomers, known as the Beaker people, brought new skills and traditions. Gradually, they became the dominant population in Britain.