Where is Stonehenge? Location: Wiltshire, Southwestern England, West of the Avon River on Salisbury Plain Three Phases of Construction –Stonehenge One –Stonehenge Two –Stonehenge Three (Hamlin ) (“Stonehenge, England”)

Stonehenge One Began around 3100 B.C. First step – Dig circular ditch Second step – Aubrey Holes Third Step – Placement of Slaughter Stones Fourth Step – Placement of Heel Stone (Hamlin ) (“Stonehenge”) (“Stonehenge, England”)

Mystery of Stonehenge One Heel stone is level with Horizon. (Stonehenge decoded 58-59).

Mystery of Stonehenge One (continued) Abandoned around 2900 B.C. Nearest site of bluestones: over 100 miles away Theories to Stonehenge One –The stones were moved from Wales down the Avon River to Stonehenge and then rolled on logs to construction site. –The stones were brought way earlier by an iceberg. Workers rolled these stones to the construction site. (Hamlin ) (“Stonehenge”)

Stonehenge Two Construction began around 2600 B.C. New Generation of Druids (Celts) were believed to have completed this phase. In this phase of construction, the Horseshoe trilithon is built. Trilithon - a setting of stones where there are two stones erected beside each other and one stone laid on top of the two standing stones to make an arch-like setting. (Hamlin ) (“Stonehenge”)

Stonehenge Two Construction of Horseshoe shaped trilithon –Brought fifteen bluestones to the edge of the site –Beaten with hammers until finally smooth –Ten stones brought in and set vertically in a horseshoe shape facing the main entrance –The remaining five stones were laid on top of the ten vertical stones This created five separated trilithons that created a horseshoe (“Stonehenge”) (“Stonehenge, England”)

Mystery of Stonehenge Two First theory –Dirt ramp was built to top of the vertical stones and the stones were pushed to the top With so much pressure and weight on the vertical stones, how did they not fall down? This is why this theory is not highly accepted. (Hamlin ).

First theory

Mystery of Stonehenge Two (continued) Most widely accepted theory –Workers pushed the stone on a platform at the base of two vertical stones –With hammers and wedges, workers lifted the stone high enough to put another plaform underneath it –After repeating this process over and over, the stone would be at the height of the vertical stones –Workers then slid the stone on top to create the trilithon –This process of setting stones on top was repeated for all five groups of trilithons (Stonehenge Decoded)

Stonehenge Three Started construction around 2300 B.C. –This is the final stage of construction –Like Stonehenge Two, a new generation of workers built Stonehenge Three Built with Sarsen stones –Quarry located twenty miles away from Stonehenge –Weighed twenty-five tons and stood thirteen and a half feet tall Sixty Stones carried from the quarry –Before they were assembled inside of the circular ditch; a large stone, called the Altar Stone, was laid in the middle of the horseshoe (“Stonehenge, England”) (Hamlin )

Stonehenge Three Thirty sarsen stones were stood vertically all facing the horseshoe in a circle The other thirty sarsen stones were laid on top of the vertical stones –Instead of being paired into groups, the lintels “top stones” shared base stones to create a circle (hint the name Sarsen Circle) (“Stonehenge”) (Hamlin )

Stonehenge construction Gerald S. Hawkins (Stonehenge Decoded) (Beyond Stonehenge)

Gerald S. Hawkins (Continued)

Other Reasons for Construction Religious Worship Center for Fertility Woodhenge Alien Landing Site (Owens)

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Bibliography Hamlin, Christine. “Stonehenge.” World Book. Chicago: World Book Inc., Hawkins, Gerald S. Beyond Stonehenge. New York: Harper and Row, Print. Hawkins, Gerald S. Stonehenge Decoded. Garden City New York: Doubleday and Company Inc Print. Owens, James. “Scientists Try to Crack Stonehenge’s Prehistoric Puzzles—National Geographic.” Science and Space Facts, Science and Space, Human Body, Health, Earth, Human Disease – National Geographic. National Geographic. Web. 26 Jan “Stonehenge.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc., Web. 12 Jan “Stonehenge, England.” Sacred Sites at Sacred Destinations – Explore Sacred Sites, Religious Sites, Sacred Places. 12 Feb Web. 12 Jan