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StonehengeThis ancient monument of huge, rough-cut stones standing alone on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, has captured imaginations for centuries. No one knows exactly who placed them there or why. Speculation ranges from human sacrifice to astronomy. It seems to have been designed to allow observation of astronomical phenomena--summer and winter solstices, eclipses and more.
Stonehenge was built in three stages from about 3000 to 1800 B.C. The first stage was a circular earth formation; the second consisted of timber being added to the circle; and the third stage was constructed of bluestones. Two hundred to 300 years later, the sarsen stones were added. These are taller than the bluestones and form the upside-down "u" now seen. Perhaps the most impressive part of Stonehenge is how it was built. The first phase, the ditch around Stonehenge, was dug using antlers, bones and even bare hands. The bluestones, which weighed four tons each, came from over 240 miles away. They had to be floated by boat then carried across land. The heaviest sarsen stone weighed 50 tons and would have had to be dragged along by 500 people. Even if 600 people had been working continuously, it would have taken more than a year to complete. For hundreds of years, the great stones of Stonehenge gradually fell, or people carried them away to make bridges and mill dams. Slinky
Science | Engineers | Engineering
Feats | Serendipity
Last Updated: 02/16/03 |
