Stonehenge is a stone monument in the days of ancient human relics of the Bronze and Neolithikum located adjacent to Amesbury about 13 kilometers (8 stone) northwest of Salisbury Plain, Province of Wilshire, England.

Stonehenge itself consists of thirty upright stones (sarsens) with a very large size (each stone was initially uniform in height, which is 10 meters with each stone has a weight of 26 tons), all of these upright stones arranged to form a circular upright known as megalithikum.

There is debate about the actual age of the stone circle, but most archaeologists estimate that most of the building Stonehenge was built between 2500-2000 BC.Roundabout ground ponds and ditches forming the construction phase of a more Stonehenge monument, beginning around 3100 BC. Although the same age (henges) age-providing Neolithikum resemble Stonehenge, Stonehenge may have linkages with other stone circle located in the British Isle as Ring of Brodgar but trilitonnya size as an example makes it unique. This place is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1986.

In a large stone circle in 30 earlier, there are also about 30 stone with a smaller size called Lintels, prepared with a circular shape juga.Tapi currently questioning Mostly upright stones had been eroded and fallen.

Prehistoric

According to the British archaeologist, Richard John Coplan Atkinson (1950), approximately Stonehenge was built about 5000 years ago, the building itself is divided into several phases (I, II, IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC). Of course, with the number of stages in the development phase of Stonehenge, indicating that the building requires a very long time in the process, ranging from lawyers to stage their own transport stone carving on each stone. Emphasis in every meeting there are known stone carving Stonehenge, it is only known by researchers recently. According to an archaeologist, Tom Goskar, with laser scanning method, stone carvings on the new look. If deng the naked eye will not be visible. Of course, with the discovery of other forms of engraving on rocks, could at least give a glimmer of hope to uncover the usability of Stonehenge in the past.

Stonehenge complex was built in several phases of development over 2,000 years and during that period, the activity goes on. This is evidenced by the discovery of a corpse of a Saxon who was beheaded and interred in the memorial, and possibly the bodies came from the 7th century AD

Stonehenge I

The monument consists of a circle cliff first round and trench measuring 115 meters (320 feet) in diameter and with a single entrance in the northeast. This phase is about 3100 BC. In the outer area of the circle there are 59 holes, known as the Aubrey holes to commemorate John Aubrey, the seventeenth-century archaeologist who was the first to find out these holes. Twenty-five of the Aubrey holes are known to have perkebumian ash in two centuries after the founding of Stonehenge. Thirty corpses ashes placed in the trench area of the circle and other parts in the Stonehenge area. Late Neolithic pottery were found together provide evidence of date. A large single stone monolith that is not smoothed known as 'Heel Stone' (Heel Stone) is located outside the entrance.

Stonehenge II

Proof of the second phase is no longer visible. However evidence from several holes pillar of this time period prove the presence of several wooden buildings constructed in the area of a circle around the beginning of the third millennium BC. Some impression of the board who found dile not at the entrance. This phase is the same as the place which is located adjacent Woodhenge.

Stonehenge IIIa

Archeological excavations show that around 2600 BC, two crescent arches made of a hole (known as hole Q and R) were excavated in the middle-teng ah location. Hole contains 80 vertical blue stone brought from the Preseli hills, 250 stones in Wales. The stones are formed into a beam with a thorough, mostly composed of rock types marked dolerite but included examples of rhyolite stone, volcanic tuff, and myolite weighing 4 tons.

The entrance was widened at the time of making it in line with the direction of mid-summer sun rises and sun sets mid-spring period. The monument was abandoned without a prepared, while apparently a blue stone in the move and the holes of Q and R is closed. This is probably done at the time of Stonehenge Phase IIIB. This monument at Avebury seems to exceed the terms of its importance at the end of this period and the Amesbury Archer, was found in 2002 three stone to the south, imagine how Stonehenge looked at this period. Stonehenge IIIa said paid on those built by Beaker

Stonehenge IIIB

In the next phase of activity at the end of the third millennium BC found 74 large Sarsen stones taken from the query 20 stone at the site north of Marlborough Downs.Dikemaskan stones and formed by the connection pins and segments before 30 was established to form rounded stone pillar measuring 30 meters in diameter with 29 roof stone (lintel) above. Each lump of stone weighing 25 tons and clearly established with the aim to impress.

Stone orthostat slightly wide at the top to give an idea she looked straight from the bottom up while the coarse stone arched a little to connect the picture of the monument earlier round.

Inside the sphere is located five trili thon sarsen stones are processed and arranged in a horseshoe. This large stone, five stone ten straightened and grass, each weighing up to 50 tons which is connected with complicated connections. Carving knives daggers and ax heads found in sarsen. In this period, the road is built along 500 meters away, heading northeast from the entrance and contains two pairs of harmony that berparit pond in the middle. Last two large portal stones paired at the entrance that is now only one, Stone slaughter (Slaughter Stone) 4.9 meters (16 feet) long. It is believed the work of the early Bronze Age Wessex culture, around 2000 BC.

Stonehenge IIIC

Selepasnya the Bronze Age, blue stone appears to have upheld the original, in a circle between two poles sarsen and also in a horseshoe shape in the middle, follow the procedure sarsen layout. Although he seemed a stunning work phase, the construction of Stonehenge was built less rigorous IIIC IIIB compared to Stonehenge, which upheld a blue stone seems to have no solid foundation and begin to fall. One of the fallen stones have been given names that are less precise as the Rock Worship (Altar Stone).Rounded Two holes are also dug out stone circle known as the hole Y and Z. The holes are never filled with stones and the construction of this memorial site seems terbiarkan around 1500 BC.

Stonehenge IV

Around 1100 BC, as far as highway spliced Avenue more than two stone to the River Avon, although it is unclear who is involved in this additional development work.

Theories about Stonehenge

The first serious research was done around 1740 by William Stukeley. Stukeley incorrectly stated that this location was built by the Druids, but the most important contribution is to take a measured drawing of the location of Stonehenge which justify a more precise analysis of the shape and importance. Which shows that the henge and stone arranged in a shape that has an interest in astronomy.

Gerald Hawkins, a Professor of Astronomy. Also issued a statement that the real function of Stonehenge in the past is as sophisticated Astronomy Observatory to predict the arrival of the Sun or Moon eclipse (Stonehenge Decoded). Munurutnya, laying each stone at Stonehenge contains a wealth of information to support that statement.

According to him, "If you can understand the position of each stone structure, then you surely can conclude about the usefulness of Stonehenge in the past." Other Astronomers also found a 56-year cycle of the Sun and Moon Eclipse in a way decode every stone in Stonehenge.

On each stone upright, reflecting a certain position from sunlight, making it very accurate astronomical calculations to show cycle. Truly great men of that age.

How blue stones were transported from Wales has many dibincangkan and based on research that he may be a part of the memorial stone earlier in Pembrokeshire and was taken to Salisbury Plain (Salisbury Plain). Many archeologists believe that Stonehenge is an attempt to perpetuate in the form of stone, the building boards are scattered on Salisbury Plain as Wall Durrington.

This monument is aligned northeast - southwest and the primacy placed by the builders on the solstice and equinox for example, in mid-summer morning, the sun appeared right on top of the rock heel (Heel stone), and the first light of the sun to the center of Stonehenge between two trees horseshoe-shaped stone. This can not happen by chance. The sun arises in different directions on the surface of a different geography.For the exact alignment, it is estimated to have proper to the latitude of Stonehenge at 51 ° 11 '. Alignment of this, of course, the basis for them and shape and place for Stonehenge. AlexanderThom argues that free sites are arranged according to the size of the megalithic yard.

So most of the opinion that Stonehenge represents a place of ancient observatory, although how far the use of Stonehenge for that purpose contested. Some opinions also put forward the theory that it represents a big farah (Article from the Observer), computer or even an alien landing site.

Many estimates of the achievement of machines needed to build Stonehenge. Assume that the blue stones were brought from Wales by human power and not by glaciers as Aubrey Burl allegations, various ways to move it by using ropes and wood. In 2001, an attempt to divert a large rock along the way land and sea that may be from Wales to Stonehenge. Volunteers pulled over sliding (Sledge) wood in the mainland but if transferred to a replica prehistoric bots, stone sink diSelat Bristol.

Engraving on sarsen weapon is unique in megalithic art in the British Isles (British Isles) where more abstract designs, as well as horseshoe-shaped stone is an exceptional horse for a set of stone culture in the form of a round. The usual motive for the people of Brittany in those days and the two phases of Stonehenge had been built under the influence of continental influence. This can be explained at one stage, about them and the form of monuments, but on the whole, Stonehenge is still to be explained from any cultural context of European prehistory.

Estimates of the manpower required to build the various phases of Stonehenge put the total amount involved for millions of hours of human work. Stonehenge I probably need about 11,000 hours, Stonehenge II about 360,000 and various Baian for Stonehenge III may involve so 1.75 million hours. To form these stones is estimated to require 20 million man hours using primitive tools found at the time.

Myths and legends

Heel Stone (The Heel Stone) in a period known as the Friar's Heel. Folklore, which is uncertain origin earlier than the seventeenth century, tells the origin of the name of this stone.

Some opinions indict Heel Friar ("Friar's Heel") is the change in name "Freya's He-ol" or "Freya Sul", from the name of god German Freya and (charged) words of the Welsh for "among the examined" and "solar day" according to the succession.

A surprising argument about the history of Stonehenge was put forward by an expert in History and Topography of Ireland, Gerald of Wales. He mentioned that the Human Giant has brought tremendous stones from Africa to England. From the geological structure of the rocks making up Stonehenge itself did show that the gigantic stones that are not derived from European regions, because its structure is very different, but similar to the rock from the African region.

Stonehenge is also associated with the legend of King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth said that Merlin the magician has made the transfer of Stonehenge from Ireland, where he had built at Mount Killaraus by giants who brought the stones from Africa.

If there was a giant of man, as we all know, the construction of The Great Pyramid of Giza Egypt, he also has nothing to do with the Human Giant. How do they carry such heavy stones? Maybe this is possible if the Human Giant with 7-10 meters high at the same time carrying the stones set.