Who built the stones? The most amazing ancient buildings made of stone. Secrets and numbers
In 1722, a Dutch ship led by Jacob Roggeveen arrived on an island located three thousand kilometers west of the coast. South America. Easter was celebrated on this day, so it was decided to name the island Easter Island. Now this island is known throughout the world. Its main asset is the moai, statues scattered throughout the island and unique in all human culture.
According to Roggeveen's description local residents in the evenings they lit fires in front of the statues and sat in a circle, praying. At the same time, the lifestyle of the inhabitants corresponded to the primitive one. They lived in small huts made of reeds, slept on mats, and used stones instead of pillows. They cooked food on hot stones. Seeing their way of life, the Dutch could not believe that these people could build stone giants. They even made a proposal that the moai were made not of stone, but of clay sprinkled with stones. Roggeveen spent only a day on the island, so no qualitative research was carried out.
The next time Europeans came here was in 1770. The Spanish expedition of Felipe Gonzalez immediately assigned the island to Spain. The expedition saw that the statues were made of stone. They even expressed doubts that the moai were made on this island and not brought from the mainland.
This was followed by the expeditions of Cook and La Perouse. Cook noted the high level of skill of ancient engineers. Cook was surprised how ancient people without serious technology were able to install such giants on stone pedestals. He also noticed that some of the statues were overturned face down, and it was noticeable that the cause of this was not natural destruction.
Together with Cook, a Polynesian who understood the language of the Easter Islanders landed on the island. They found out that these statues were erected not in honor of the gods, but for representatives of local authorities of distant times. Modern researchers also come to the same opinion.
Research of our era
European discoveries did not pass without a trace for the inhabitants of the island. The removal of Aboriginal objects and valuables to museums around the world began. Most of this heritage was destroyed. Therefore, researchers of the 20th century faced many questions, and only grains of history were given to resolve them. The task was not easy.
The first serious study of the moai on Easter Island was carried out in 1914-1915 by an Englishwoman, Katherine Rutledge. She compiled a map of the island with the Rano Raraku volcano, where most of the colossi were carved, paths from the volcano to platforms with installed statues, about 400 statues.
The next development of events is associated with the name of Thor Heyerdahl. The scientific community was faced with the breadth of the problem. There were many problems and questions, some of which have not been answered to this day.
Secrets and numbers
The moai of Easter Island were erected from the 10th to the 16th centuries. The creation of huge megalithic statues was common throughout the world in the early stages of the development of civilizations, so it is not surprising that the idea of creating the moai could have originated here.
In total, about 1000 remains of statues made in the crater of the Rano Raraku volcano were discovered. Most of them remained lying here. The largest of them, a 19-meter giant, also lies here. Several statues were produced at the same time, so among the abandoned works one can trace all the stages of making the moai.
The work began with the face. Next, the treatment spread to the sides, ears, hands on the stomach. The figures were made without legs, like a long bust. When the back was freed from the rock, the workers began delivering the idol to the base. Along this path, many destroyed statues were found that did not survive the road.
At the foot of the statues were installed in a vertical position, and they were refined and decorated. After this stage, another transportation awaited them.
383 statues managed to escape beyond the volcano. Here they were installed on platforms from two to 15 at a time. The height of the statues here reaches 8 meters. In the old days, the heads of idols were covered with pukao, imitating red hair. The first visitors from Europe found them standing in pukao. The last giant was toppled in 1840.
The issue regarding the delivery method was also resolved. Thus, towing of megaliths in other nations was carried out by human power using ropes and sleighs with rotating rollers. Such videos were also found on Easter Island, which once again confirmed this assumption.
At the moment, most of the monuments have been reinstalled on platforms and continue to look out over the ocean. Moai are truly a unique structure in the whole world and continue to delight and surprise visitors to the island.
The most famous stone historical and archaeological monuments created by man include the pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, dolmens, idols of Easter Island and stone balls of Costa Rica.
Today I would like to bring to your attention a selection of not so famous, but no less interesting stone historical and archaeological structures of antiquity.
Valley of the Jars in Laos
The Valley of Jugs is a group of unique sites that contain unusual historical and archaeological monuments - huge stone jugs. These mysterious objects are located in Xiang Khouang province, Laos. Thousands of gigantic stone vessels are scattered among the dense tropical flora. The size of the jugs ranges from 0.5 to 3 meters, and the weight of the largest reaches 6 thousand kg. Most giant stone pots are cylindrical in shape, but oval and rectangular jars are also found. Round disks were found next to the unusual vessels, which were presumably used as lids for them. These pots were made from granite, sandstone, rock and calcined coral. Scientists suggest that the age of the stone bowls is 1500 – 2000 years.
The territory of the valley includes more than 60 sites on which groups of gigantic vessels are located. All the sites are stretched along one line, which may be evidence that there used to be an ancient trade route here, which was served by sites with jugs. The city of Phonsavan is concentrated greatest number jugs, this place is called the “First Platform”, on which there are about 250 vessels of various sizes.
Exists great amount theories and assumptions regarding who and for what purposes such unique vessels were created. According to scientists, these jugs were used by the ancient people living in southeast Asia, whose culture and customs still remain unknown. Historians and anthropologists suggest that the huge jars could have been funerary urns and were used in funeral rituals. There is a version that food was stored in them, another version says that rainwater was collected in the vessels, which was used by trade caravans. Laotian legends say that these gigantic jugs were used as ordinary utensils by the giants who lived here in ancient times. Well, the version of local residents says that rice wine was made and stored in megalithic jugs. No matter how many versions and theories are put forward, the Valley of the Jugs undoubtedly remains an unsolved mystery.
National Historical and Archaeological Reserve "Stone Grave"
Historical and archaeological reserve "Stone Grave", which is located near the city of Melitopol on the banks of the Molochnaya River and is a world monument ancient culture in Ukraine. These are the remains of sandstone of the Sarmatian Sea; as a result of natural transformations, a unique stone monolith gradually formed in this place, in which caves and grottoes were formed over thousands of years, which ancient people used for religious purposes. Rock paintings and stone tablets with ancient writings, mysterious signs and images dating back to the 22nd – 16th millennium BC have survived to this day.
The stone grave is located 2 km from the village of Mirnoye, Melitopol district, Zaporozhye region and is a pile of stones with an area of about 30,000 square meters. meters, up to 12 meters high. The shape of the pile resembles a mound (Ukrainian grave), hence its name. The stone grave at first was probably a sandstone shoal of the Sarmatian Sea, the only sandstone outcrop in the entire Azov-Black Sea depression, which makes it a unique geological formation
No human settlements that can be associated with the monument were found either in the Stone Grave itself or in the immediate vicinity of it. Based on this, the researchers conclude that the stone grave was used exclusively for religious purposes, as a sanctuary
Arkaim
Arkaim is a fortified settlement of the Middle Bronze Age at the turn of the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. e., related to the so-called. "Land of Cities" Located on an elevated cape formed by the confluence of the Bolshaya Karaganka and Utyaganka rivers, 8 km north of the village of Amursky, Bredinsky district and 2 km southeast of the village of Aleksandrovsky, Kizilsky district Chelyabinsk region. The settlement and the adjacent territory with a whole complex of archaeological monuments of different times is a natural landscape and historical and archaeological reserve - a branch of the Ilmensky state reserve named after V.I. Lenin Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The monument is distinguished by the unique preservation of defensive structures, the presence of synchronous burial grounds and the integrity of the historical landscape.
In the summer of 1987, archaeologists from Chelyabinsk State University carried out routine surveys archaeological sites in the Bolshekaragan Valley, in the southwest of the Chelyabinsk region. The valley was supposed to be flooded in order to create a large reservoir there for neighboring state farms. The builders were in a hurry, and archaeologists hastily compiled a map of ancient monuments for posterity, so as never to return here again. But the attention of the researchers was attracted by the ramparts, which, as it turned out, surrounded the settlement of an unusual type - these had not been found in the steppe zone before. During the study, it became clear that the monument was a settlement created according to a pre-thought-out plan, with a clear urban planning idea, complex architecture and fortification.
Over the next few years, another 20 such settlements were discovered, which made it possible to talk about the discovery of an interesting ancient culture, which received the code name “Land of Cities.”
In science, this archaeological culture is called Arkaim-Sintashta. The significance of the discovery of Arkaim and other fortified settlements of this type is indisputable, as it provided completely new data on the migration routes of the Indo-Europeans and made it possible to prove that 4 thousand years ago a fairly highly developed culture existed in the South Ural steppes. The Arkaim people were engaged in metallurgy and metalworking, weaving, and pottery. The basis of their economy was cattle breeding.
The fortified settlements of the Arkaim-Sintashta culture date back to the turn of the 3rd-2nd millennium BC. They are five to six centuries older than Homeric Troy, contemporaries of the first dynasty of Babylon, the pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom of Egypt and the Cretan-Mycenaean culture of the Mediterranean. The time of their existence corresponds to the last centuries of the famous civilization of India - Mahenjo-Daro and Harappa.
Stone monuments in the Ulytau mountains
Archaeologists have discovered groups of stone sculptures and rock paintings with images of sabers, daggers, dishes and much more.
Particularly unique are the stone sculptures - balbals, which were placed in front of the stone statues of warriors; a string of balbals is placed in front of the commanders. Sometimes their number reaches 200.
Along with male statues, female ones were also installed. Depending on the age of the person, they are called “girl-stone”, “woman-stone”, “old woman-stone”. That is why there is another Slavic name for balbals - stone women.
Archaeological site of Gunung Padang
The sacred mountain Gunung Padang is located in Bandung, West Java. The “Mountain of Light” (or “Mountain of Enlightenment”) is a mountain on the top and slope of which a multi-tiered complex of structures with main pyramid on the top.
The Dutch were the first to pay attention to it in 1914. In their report, the colonial Archaeological Service referred to it as Mount Gunung Padang (Mountain of Enlightenment), to the top of which local residents climb for meditation. She flashed for the second time in 1949, after which she disappeared for exactly 30 years. Only in 1979 did scientists – geographers and geologists – climb to its summit.
At the top of the mountain they found hundreds of stone blocks of regular shape, arranged in a certain order.
In addition to the obvious division of Mount Padang into five levels, megaliths scattered throughout the entire height of the mountain, an area of 900 square meters, andesite columns, etc., research has shown the presence of a hollow chamber. The chamber measures 10 m in width, height and length.
It is widely believed that it is located in the “heart of the Mountain”.
The distance to the cavity is 25 meters from the rotation. Soil samples recovered by drilling indicate the age of the structure in the range from 20,000 to 22,000 BC.
Ancient stones of Great Britain
Men-En-Tol, Cornwall - a mysterious stone that has seemingly stood forever in the Penwith swamps.
Callanish, located on the Isle of Lewis in the Great Hebrides archipelago, is on this moment the largest monument of megalithic culture of the British Isles. The reconstructed form of the "Callanish stones" was established presumably during the Neolithic period, approximately between 2.9 and 2.6 thousand years BC. Experts note that previously (until 3000 there was a sanctuary here).
Callanish is formed by thirteen vertically standing monuments or groups of stones that form circles up to thirteen meters in diameter. Average height stones is 4 meters, but can vary between 1-5 meters. The stones are cut from local gneiss. In terms of popularity, the Callanish stones can compete with Stonehenge.
Avebury, Wittshire. Local farmers routinely herd sheep among Stonehenge's coeval sites, which date back to 2500 BC.
Circle of Brodgar, Stromness, Orkney - Britain's answer to the pyramids of Egypt. The Stones period dates back to 3000 BC. Only 27 of the 60 sculptures remain.
Rolleith Stones, Oxfordshire.
Bryn Selley, Anglesey, Wales. Wales is rich in ancient stone deposits, but the most famous pagan structure is, of course, Bryn Seley (“Dark Room Mound”). On the island of Anglesey it appeared during the Neolithic period (4000 years ago).
Arbor Low, Midleton-on-Yolgreave, Derbyshire. 50 stones stand silently on the Arbor Low plateau, a short drive from Bakewell.
Castlerigg, Keswick, Lake District
Nine Stones, Dartmoor.
Megaliths of the Urals
Vera Island on Lake Turgoyak.
Megaliths of Vera Island - a complex of archaeological monuments (megaliths - chamber tombs, dolmens and menhirs) on an island in Lake Turgoyak (near Miass) in the Chelyabinsk region. The island is located near the western shore of the lake and, at low water levels, is connected to the shore by an isthmus, turning into a peninsula.
The megaliths were presumably built about 6000 years ago, in the 4th millennium BC. uh
Cult site Island of Faith.
The largest structure on the island is megalith No. 1 - a stone structure measuring 19x6 m, cut into the rocky ground and covered with massive stone slabs. The walls of the structure are made using dry masonry from massive stone blocks. The megalith consists of three chambers and corridors connecting them. In two chambers of the megalith, rectangular pits were found carved into the rock. The connection between the building and the main astronomical directions has been recorded. The building is tentatively interpreted as a temple complex.
Architectural complex at the bottom of the Chinese Lake Fuxian
The pyramid was found at the bottom of the Chinese lake Fuxian (southwestern Yunnan province).
Its height is 19 m, the length of the side of the base is 90 m. The structure is built of stone slabs and has a stepped structure. At the bottom of the lake there are about a dozen more similar objects and about 30 structures of other types. Total area architectural complex is about 2.5 sq. km. From the bottom of the lake, archaeologists recovered a clay vessel, which, according to experts, was made during the Eastern Han Dynasty, which ruled from 25 to 220 AD, Xinhua reports.
People began to build from stone in time immemorial, which is completely understandable: this construction material given to humanity by nature itself! Today we admire the monumental creations of bygone generations: we admire stone castles and residences, mysterious temples and tombs, and we don’t mind going to distant lands to take a selfie against the backdrop of some ancient miracle. The Geomaster company has compiled its own rating of buildings that cannot fail to impress.
1. Great Pyramids of Giza.
The three main pyramids (Cheops, Mikerin and Khafre), guarded by the Great Sphinx, are only part of a huge necropolis located on a desert plateau near Cairo. The monuments are surrounded not only by the attention of tourists, but also by numerous mysteries. For example, how did people manage to build such gigantic objects without modern technical devices? The construction of the Cheops pyramid alone took 2.5 million stone blocks, most of which weigh about 2.5 tons every .
2. Machu Picchu
L legendary city, hidden in the heart of the Andes, at an altitude of 2450 meters above sea level. The settlement of the Inca civilization, founded in the middle of the 15th century, like Egyptian pyramids, keeps many secrets. One of them is the sudden disappearance of all residents in 1532. Centuries later, we admire the clear layout of the city, which contained palace buildings, temples, storage facilities and other generally useful premises. The buildings are made of carefully processed stone and slabs closely fitted to each other. And the Inca builders knew a lot about terracing.
3. Stonehenge
Located 130 kilometers from London, Stonehenge is an ideal composition from a geometric point of view. Therefore, researchers believe that the place was not only a platform for performing rituals, but could also serve as an ancient observatory and calendar. The monument is a complex of circular and horseshoe-shaped stone and earthen structures. The largest blocks of Stonehenge weigh up to 50 tons each.
4. Stone circles of Gobekli Tepe
“Bellied Hill” (as the name Göbekli Tepe is translated from Turkish) is the oldest of the large megalithic buildings in the world. Its age is 12 thousand years. Temples in the form of circles located on the top mountain range in southeastern Turkey, built from polished and densely packed stones. The diameter of the circles is 30 m, inside each there is a T-shaped stone sculpture with drawings of animals and birds carved on it.
5. Newgrange Mound
The majestic mound, 11 meters high and reaching 85 meters in diameter, is located in Ireland. The age of the monument is 5000 years. The walls of the facility are made of large quartz, the roof is earthen. Although it required some reconstruction work on the outside, the mound was perfectly preserved on the inside. The only entrance leads to a room with large monoliths, an altar and walls decorated with patterns of rings and spirals. Newgrange is famous for the fact that during the winter solstice the dawn rays of the sun pass into the inner room through a narrow gap. The builders calculated everything down to the millimeter: the beam falls directly on the altar, and then illuminates wall niches.
6. Megalithic temples of Malta
One of the favorite holiday destinations for tourists has long been known as an area of concentration of monuments world heritage. 23 sanctuaries built from local limestone have been discovered in Malta. Best save Hagar Kvim, Ggantija, Tarshjen and Mnajdra were there. Above this splendor withbuilders started working in the Maltese archipelago 7000 years ago, and worked They conscientiously. Ancient temples would have reached us in better condition if peasants had not subsequently dismantled them “stone by stone” for agricultural needs.
7. Treasury of Atreus
The Treasury of Atreus (also known as the Tomb of Agamemenon) is a beehive-type domed tomb located in Mycenae, Greece. The structure was built from large stones without the use of masonry mortar. Presumably, the tomb was used for the burial of King Atreus or his successors. The Greeks believed that the tomb contained countless treasures of the rulers, which is why it became known as the treasury. What wealth there actually was is unknown, since the place was plundered in ancient times.
Build with stone - build to last!
Our review of ancient buildings (which, by the way, can be continued and continued) is evidence of colossal reliability stone construction technologies. Natural stone withstands the onslaught of rain, wind, sun and, by the way, gives purely aesthetic pleasure to the beholder. Geomaster employees continue the glorious traditions of their “colleagues” from the past and build objects from gabions and stone of any complexity. Your personal “wonder of the world” will be built in record time! To do this, just entrust the construction to us!
The history and mystery of Stonehenge
Stonehenge is located in the vast Salisbury Valley, surrounded by hundreds of hills. It symbolizes the mystery, strength and resilience of the country. The history and purpose of its creation still remain a mystery. According to one theory, it was a temple built to worship the ancient gods. Others claim that it was an astronomical observatory. It is noteworthy that one of the stones on the day of the summer solstice casts a shadow in the center of the circle. The third theory says that it was sacred place for the funeral of high-ranking inhabitants of ancient civilizations. But no one can confirm any of the theories. One thing is clear: Stonehenge was not built for everyday events. The effort that went into building Stonehenge was extraordinary. The stones we can see today are ruins left over from the original structure. In those days, the construction of such a monument required enormous effort and physical labor. At the first stage of construction it was an earthen 
strengthening It was an embankment and a ditch. The ditch was called the Henge. The first building was erected 5000 years ago. The second stage of construction - the construction of the inner circle - took place approximately 2000 years ago. At this stage, the first small stones were erected, which formed the inner circle. Basalt was used. It is believed that the stone that was used to build the inner circle came from the mountains of South West Wales. To do this, the stone had to be transported over a distance of about 400 km. Each stone weighed about 4 tons, and 80 of them were used. Contemporaries suggest that the stones were dragged on shafts and sleighs from the mountains to the water sources, and then they were loaded onto rafts or boats and transported by water through Wales, unloaded and again dragged along the ground for about ten kilometers, then loaded into the water. After the water stage, it was only necessary to unload and drag them three kilometers.
The sandstone, the stone of the outer circle, weighed about 50 tons each! The distance that had to be overcome to deliver him to the place exceeded 30 kilometers. Scientists suggest that to overcome them, 600 people were needed just to move one stone.
Who built it?
There is no exact answer to this question. Construction was attributed to various ancient peoples. The most fascinating theory involves the Druids. This connection was first established by second-hand book dealer John Awdry three hundred years ago. Roman writers, including Julius Caesar, mentioned the Celtic priesthood, which flourished during the first Roman conquest, in 55 BC. Although by that time the structure was already about two thousand years old, and, moreover, the Druids worshiped the Gods in the forests and did not need stone buildings. Perhaps the most plausible guess is the theory that construction of Stonehenge was started by the peoples who lived at the end of the New Stone Age, and was continued by the people of the “new economy”. They were called the "Bowl People" as they used pottery, began to create metalwork, and lived in a more communal style. Rather, they were representatives of the indigenous population.
The legend of King Arthur also mentioned the construction of Stonehenge. According to legend, the monument was brought by giants from Africa to Ireland and possessed healing powers. But King Aurelius Ambrosius wanted to erect a monument to remember and pray for the dead. The idea was to transport the stones from Ireland to England and restore the structure. But when the British arrived in Ireland, it became clear that they would never be able to transport such cargo. Consequently, we had to use magical powers and move the structure.
About the construction of Stonehenge
Stonehenge was built in three stages.
I. 3050 BC (5050 years ago) Ring ditch and mound (henge).
II. Around 2600 BC (4600 years ago) A wooden structure was erected in the center.
III. 2400-1500 BC (4500-3500 years ago) A stone monument was erected, which was then redone and rebuilt over the course of 1000 years.
The largest blocks of the circle - the Sarsen stones - were brought from the Marlborough Hills, located 30 km from Stonehenge. Smaller stones (the so-called Blue Stones) were delivered from the mystical Presseley Mountains, located 385 km away in Wales.
Stonehenge is visited by 1 million tourists every year, but it remains a mystery. Scientists attribute its construction to Neolithic times, but for some reason the first mention of this “wonder of the world” is found only in the 11th century AD.
Who built it?
Version No. 1. Celts
For a long time, scientists believed that Stonehenge was built by the Celts. However, today this version has been refuted. The dates don't match. The first Celtic archaeological culture (Hallstatt) appeared in the 9th century BC. Whereas the officially accepted dating of the construction of Stonehenge today comes down to the fact that the last stage of its construction falls on the 11th century BC.
Version No. 2. Ancient Britons
If not the Celts, then who? Professor Michael Pearson (University of Sheffield), director of the ten-year research Stonehenge Riverside Project and author of Stonehenge: Exploring the Greatest Mystery of the Stone Age, argues that the megalithic complex was built by the ancient Britons, representatives of tribes who lived on British Isles at the end of the Bronze Age, during the Neolithic. Today this is the most “working” version.
Version No. 3. Merlin
In the Middle Ages, a popular legend was set out in the History of the Britons by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It lies in the fact that the megalithic complex was transported from Ireland by the wizard Merlin. The legendary magician thus fulfilled the will of Aurelius Ambrosi (King Arthur's uncle) to immortalize 460 British leaders treacherously killed by the Saxons during negotiations. Since then, the Britons called this complex “Dance of the Giants.”
Version No. 4. Hoaxers
There is also a version that Stonehenge is a hoax, “performed” in the 20th century. In 2013, an article went viral on the Internet proving that the famous Bronze Age monolith was built between 1954 and 1958.
As evidence, the author of the material cites a lot of “sensational” photographic materials where some people are installing megaliths into the ground using cranes. A theoretical “base” is also provided: supposedly the British Ministry of Defense bought land in the Stonehenge area and conducted military exercises there until the Second World War.
During the war, the territories of nearby villages were evicted and are supposedly still under the control of military structures. The author writes: “On the territory protected by the British military department, this “center” was consciously and purposefully erected ancient civilization", "legacy of great ancestors", "monument of humanity", which has become the most important cult center of no less purposefully implanted "spirituality."
The version is "hot", but baseless. What it presents as the construction of Stonehenge is just its restoration. We'll tell you more about it later.
Why were they built?
Version No. 1. Observatory
Today, the generally accepted version is that Stonehenge is ancient observatory. The authorship of this version belongs to Boston University astronomy professor Gerald Hawkins. In the late 1950s, he entered the plate coordinates and other parameters of Stonehenge into the computer, as well as a model of the movement of the Sun and Moon.
In 1965, the scientist wrote the book “Stonehenge Deciphered”, where he provided evidence that Stonehenge made it possible to predict astronomical phenomena, while being an observatory, a computing center and a calendar.
Another famous astronomer, Fred Hoyle, also studied the Stonehenge problem and found that the builders of the megalithic complex knew the exact orbital period of the Moon and the length of the solar year.
Version No. 2. Galaxy model
In 1998, astronomers recreated a computer model of the original appearance of Stonehenge and came to the conclusion that the stone observatory is also a cross-sectional model of the Solar System. According to the ideas of the ancients, solar system consists of twelve planets, two of which are located beyond the orbit of Pluto, another one is between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Version No. 3. Ritual complex
A four-year study conducted by the Austrian Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Archaeological Survey and Virtual Archeology has established that Stonehenge is not a solitary megalith, but part of a huge ritual complex of 18 parts located in an area of 12 square kilometers from Stonehenge.
The surveys were carried out using remote sensing and other advanced geophysical methods.
Version No. 3. "Disco"
Perhaps the most original version of the purpose of Stonehenge (if you do not take into account the alien base for humanoids) is the version that Stonehenge is an ancient “disco”.
Professor Rupert Till, an expert in acoustics and music technology from the University of Hudersfield, conducted research and came to the conclusion that the gigantic stones of the complex are ideal sound reflectors. If installed in a certain order, they can produce interesting acoustic effects.
Of course, Rupert Till did his experiments (after computer modeling) not in England, but in the state of Washington, where there is an exact copy of the megalithic complex. This version, although it seems strange, does not exclude the previous one - ritual dances could have been held at the temple to the accompaniment of musical instruments.
How were they built?
Scientists have been able to shed light on how Stonehenge was built by studying the materials from which it is composed. The complex is made up of three types of stones:
1) Dolerite (“blue” stone, more precisely, gray sandstone with a bluish tint)
2) Rhyolite
3) Volcanic tuff.
Stones of these rocks are found only in the mountains of Wales (210 km from Stonehenge, and taking into account the terrain - 380 km).
According to Stonehenge researcher Richard Atkinson, the stones were carried on wooden sleds along logs. Experiments have shown that 24 people can move a one-ton load in this way at a speed of one and a half kilometers per day.
Most of the journey was by water. The speed of movement was also facilitated by the fact that the stones were processed even before they were moved into place, using both stone tools and heat treatment.
According to Gerald Hawkins, to install the blocks, a hole was first dug to size, with three sides being vertical and one at a 45-degree angle, used as a receiving ramp.
Before placing the stone, the walls of the pit were lined with wooden stakes. Thanks to them, the stone slid down without falling off the ground. The lower parts of the blocks, hammered in the shape of a blunt cone, could be rotated along their axis even after the earth was compacted.
What's left of Stonehenge?
If you look at John Consable's painting from life on the grounds of Stonehenge in 1835, we see piles of heaped stones. This is exactly what the legendary megalithic complex looked like until the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, as we know, he has changed. Not everyone knows about it, but Stonehenge underwent a serious and long restoration.
Its first stage took place back in 1901. Reconstruction continued until 1964, and information about the work was carefully hidden. When it became known to the general public, it gave rise to numerous attacks from the public and the press. There was reason to be indignant. In fact, the complex was rebuilt from scratch. Restorers used cranes to install megaliths and lintels, strengthen the stones, and concrete their bases.
In general, Stonehenge is “not the same anymore,” but it is not customary to mention this in booklets. Otherwise, this most famous (but far from unique) megalithic complex would not have provided an influx of 1 million thousand tourists a year.
Photo source: id.wikipedia.org