One of the intriguing mysteries of Stonehenge is how its altar stone journeyed 700 km (435 miles) from Scotland to southern England. New research suggests that glaciers played a crucial role in its transportation.
At the heart of this ancient monument lies a massive sandstone slab, weighing 6 tonnes, which is believed to have arrived at Salisbury Plain approximately 5,000 years ago. Earlier studies pinpointed its origin to northeast Scotland, yet the route it took remains a fascinating enigma.
Researchers from Sheffield Hallam University and Curtin University in Australia, after examining ancient ice flows, believe that glaciers carried the altar stone from the Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland to Dogger Bank during the last ice age, spanning from 33,000 to 11,700 years ago.
Today, Dogger Bank is submerged under the North Sea but was once part of Doggerland, a vast prehistoric landmass connecting Britain to mainland Europe. This area lacks natural sources of large stones, indicating that any found there were likely transported by glaciers.
Dr. Remy Venes, co-lead author of the study published in the Quaternary Science Journal, stated, “We recently discovered that the altar stone originated in northeast Scotland, but how it traveled 700 kilometers to Salisbury Plain remains widely debated.”
“These discoveries may suggest that the communities in Doggerland had already ascribed cultural significance to the altar stone long before it became part of Stonehenge,” Dr. Venes added.
Dr. Anthony Clark, co-lead author from Curtin School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, noted that the findings imply glaciers transported the altar stone to Doggerland, with Neolithic people then moving it to Stonehenge.
“Our models indicate that while glaciers may have carried the stone part of the way during the last Ice Age, Neolithic people still had to move it hundreds of kilometers to reach southern England,” Dr. Clark explained.
The study indicates that although glaciers assisted in the stone’s southern journey, researchers found no direct glacial route linking its Scottish origin to Stonehenge. Instead, they posit that Neolithic communities transported stones in stages, utilizing a combination of overland, coastal, and river routes.
This impressive feat of moving immense stones over long distances reveals a level of organization and collaboration among Neolithic communities that has previously been underappreciated. “Transporting stones of this magnitude across vast distances would require meticulous planning, coordination, a deep understanding of the landscape, and immense determination,” Dr. Clark emphasized.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
