Stonehenge
A Neolithic ring of standing stones on Salisbury Plain, raised in stages between roughly 3000 and 1500 BCE, whose construction methods and original purpose are still debated by archaeologists.
Field Guide Entry
Origin Story
Stonehenge was built in several phases, beginning with an earthwork enclosure around 3000 BCE, with the large sarsen stones erected later. The smaller bluestones are believed to have been transported roughly 150 miles from quarries in the Preseli Hills of Wales.
Evidence & Claims
The monument is aligned with the solstice sunrise and sunset, and cremated human remains have been found buried at the site, supporting theories that it served as a ceremonial or funerary monument. Other researchers have proposed it functioned as an astronomical calendar or a site associated with healing.
Skeptical Explanations
The unresolved question is archaeological, not paranormal: how Neolithic builders transported and erected stones of this size without modern tools. Fringe claims involving lost technology or non-human builders are rejected by archaeologists, who favor explanations grounded in known Neolithic engineering and communal labor.
Visiting Information
Stonehenge is managed by English Heritage. Tickets are timed and should be booked in advance, especially in summer. The visitor centre, a short shuttle ride from the stones, has an exhibition on the monument's construction and the people who built it.
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