Archaeology & History

Stonehenge may have been a raised platform

By T.K. Randall
March 16, 2015 ·  47 comments

Did a large wooden altar sit on top of the stones ? Image Credit: CC BY-SA 2.5 Jeffrey Pfau One of the world's best known Neolithic monuments, Stonehenge has been the focus of numerous archaeological studies over the years. These days experts generally agree that the site was once an important communal and spiritual focal point and that it was built some time between 3000 and 2000 BC.

Now however new research has suggested that the huge stone blocks may have once been used to support a large wooden platform on which important spiritual ceremonies were carried out."In early times, no spiritual ceremonies would have been performed on the ground," said writer and former museum curator Julian Spalding. "The feet of holy people were not allowed to touch the ground. We've been looking at Stonehenge from a modern, Earth-bound perspective."

Whether there really was a large wooden platform sitting on top of the stones however remains a matter of debate as no conclusive evidence has been found to support this hypothesis.

"There could be something in it," said archaeologist Aubrey Burl. "Anything new and worthwhile about Stonehenge is well worth looking into, but with care and consideration."

Source: Russia Today | Comments (47)

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