What is stonehedge help me

I have always wonderd what it could be could it be a signal for aliens, calender, burial ground, or just a cool rock formation. What do you guys think it could be?????????

I did a research paper on stonehenge in school almost two years ago, and my conclusion was that it was a religious monument, kind of like an outdoors temple.

aliens: I doubt it, since I don't believe aliens have been to earth
calendar: Could be, but in my research, the evidence suggested to me that this was unlikely
burial ground: Definitely not. Whatever Stonehenge is, it is certainly not this.
cool rock formation: well, it isn't a natural formation, if that's what you meant.

from dragondemesne's research paper In 1923, the geologist H.H. Thomas determined that the bluestones originated in the Preseli Mountains in southwest Wales (Souden 80)

This is over two hundred kilometers. (how the stones got to the Salisbury Plain is also debated, but obviously they got there somehow; one legend says that Merlin levitated them over )

from dragondemesne's research paper
"For example, the sunrises and sunsets of the solstices change by approximately "1/5 of a degree in a thousand years. Over the same period of time, the point of rising of the Pleiades would have moved by twelve degrees" (North 24-25). Any attempt to follow stellar movements would be thwarted over time. The logical conclusion is, therefore, that Stonehenge traced the movements only of the sun and moon...

As for burials, none occurred at Stonehenge itself, but there were a lot nearby. There were what are called 'votive offerings' found at Stonehenge, basically little buried pockets of artifacts, assumed to be sacrifices. The only human remains found at Stonehenge were of

from dragonsdemesne's research paper a young man was found at Stonehenge with four arrowheads lodged in his body (Souden 112). Analysis of the corpse determined that they were the cause of death, and that the woulds had been inflicted at close range, execution-style.

Human sacrifices have been found in the area of Southern England, at Dorset, Whitehawk, and Wessex, but no human sacrifice at stonehenge (at least none yet uncovered). At neighbouring Woodhenge, however:

the paper again: At the center of neighbouring Woodhenge, a three-year-old was found in a burial with its skull shattered, which "looks very much like a foundation sacrifice" (Castleden 235).

Foundation sacrifices are sacrifices buried under a building as a kind of good luck charm. (obviously not good luck for the sacrifice, though!) There is speculation a similar foundation sacrifice lies under stonehenge, but it has never been found, if it exists.

Oh, and one more theory I read about during my research, that I am sure you will all get a kick out of.
observer.guardian.co.uk...
This guy thinks that Stonehenge was a giant anatomical model of the vagina.



Maps of Stonehenge: www.amherst.edu...

There is speulation that Stonehenge was a stellar observatory as well.

Quote (from above):

".... Thus far, the stellar observatory theory holds the advantage over the religion theory, pending further study of neolithic cultural beliefs...."

The article above gives detailed reasons as to why this view is advocated.

Also, I recommend you Google for Gerald Hawkins who wrote a classic called "Stonehenge Decoded" .

Happy reading!

There is speulation that Stonehenge was a stellar observatory as well.

Sorry, it might not have been obvious, but in my head, "stellar observatory" and "astronomical calendar" are basically the same thing.

To avoid making this a one-liner, here's the list of books I used to research that paper, in case anyone wants to read them.

John North "Stonehenge: A New Interpretation of Prehistoric Man and the Cosmos"

David Souden "Stonehenge Revealed"

Rodney Castleden "The Stonehenge People: An Exploration of Life in Neolithic Britain 4700-2000BC"

North's was an excellent work. Souden has lots of maps, and not too much info, since the book isn't very long, maybe 100 pgs. Castleden is a good read too.

Originally posted by DragonsDemesneSorry, it might not have been obvious, but in my head, "stellar observatory" and "astronomical calendar" are basically the same thing.

My bad!! I'm very sorry, my friend - I should read more carefrully

Nevertheless, we can only hope that gothica91 finds our collective input of use - the more the merrier I say!!