Ancient cultures and monolithic structures

[Irish]

What is the connection between ancient cultures and monolithic structures? Throughout the world ancient civilization constructed Dolmans, burial mounds, stone circles and even pyramids. Having always been fascinated by monolithic structures I noted recently that Inuit inuckshuk are remarkably similar in construction to European standing stones.

The European standing stones, circles and dolmans appear to have originated in Brittany and moved long the migration path of the early Celts. The largest concentration is in France and radiates west along the north coast of Spain, the Galicia region, and down Portugal's coastal region. The most well know are the stone structures of the England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland but other examples exist to the east through the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Denmark and perhaps North America.

They come in all sizes and shapes and there are just as many theories as to there original purpose. From as far south in Italy and as far east as Armenia. There is also a large concentration of Caucasian megaliths, mainly dolmans, along Russia’s Black Sea. As well as South America has there share of ancient stone structures as well. Megaliths exist in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Venezuela. In New Hampshire USA is “America’s Stonehenge” a maze of man-made chambers over 4,000 years old. Just like the ancient pyramids, archeologists are still trying to discover why these similar sites were developed with seeming no connection between the peoples of their day.

The burial mounds are very interesting structures built with no mortar thousands of years before the Egyptians built the pyramids.

As the Celts had no written language that we know off we are not really sure why they built them. It is speculated that they were some kind of tomb but personally I feel they had more to do with a celebration of birth.

One of the similarity off them is each or some contained a large bowl shaped stone that was large enough that it had to be put in place before the rest was built, there is a picture of the bowl stone in one of my postings.

I also, with no evidence to prove it believe Stonehenge possibly was an in-complete structure. Built the same way but for some reason they did not cover it.

What are your speculations on the conectiveness of these structures? Are they evidence of a world wide pre-deluvian culture? Or did early man have a fondness for this type of construction.

Irish

A few pictures of my own explorations.

[Pax Unum]

interesting idea... is there any way to see, if the dates of all these 'monolithic structures', are approximately the same? just wondering.

[Guardsman Bass]

Stone, whether from quarries or nearby rock formations, is a relatively common and easy (compared to metalworking) medium for constructions meant to be long-lasting (like city temples or sacred grounds). And there are a number of shapes that are easy to build using stone, or mortar, or wood, if a society is willing to spend an enormous amount of time in the construction process.

As for the ancient, worldwide civilization theory, I'm not buying it. We have many structures, but where are the tools, the dwellings of the ancient society?

[Pilgrim_Shadow]

interesting idea... is there any way to see, if the dates of all these 'monolithic structures', are approximately the same? just wondering.

It is possible to date such a structure by dating the artifacts and, when applicable, remains found in its vicinity. This tells us that the structures vary wildly in age. Some American earthworks date to less than 1000 years ago; by comparison, Stonehenge is believed to have been constructed between 4000 and 4500 years ago, and the earliest portions of the construction have been dated even earlier. The earliest known mounds in the Americas date to around 4500 years ago, while Nabta Playa in the Nubian desert is over 1000 years older, and there are structures in Europe that are over 1000 years older than that.

The theory that these structures were the work of a single paleolithic culture is not a new one. It is called hyperdiffusionism. Modern dating techniques have largely proven the theory false.

-Pilgrim

[jazzrequest]

<A few pictures of my own explorations>

Wow, Irish, fantastic pics! I would so love to be there right now. Is this the site in New Hampshire you spoke about? As for the monoliths - I think they developed into what we now call 'totems', and served a similar purpose. I also think the British Maypole tradition is a residue of this (complete with 'miz maze' interweaving dances) On your pics, I think I saw carved spiral elements. Fascinating ...

[Harks]

This is truely fascinating stuff, I have read that these structures where built on places of power. Like on ley lines or power lines. In Australia there is claim of many a monolithic structures exsist, I have not see them first hand but wish to in the near future.

http://mysteriousaustralia.com/uruan_links1.html check out this link.

[PLO]

their calanders, they basicaly record the movement of the sun, planets and stars etc like giant time peices. But an ancient global civilization did exist the evidence for it is pretty phenomanal, but its most likely at the bottom of the ocean with the rest of the sunken pyramid cities that no one really wants to explain incase they actually have to be honest with themselves and start to re-write history.

[Oppono Astos]

<A few pictures of my own explorations>

Wow, Irish, fantastic pics! I would so love to be there right now. Is this the site in New Hampshire you spoke about? As for the monoliths - I think they developed into what we now call 'totems', and served a similar purpose. I also think the British Maypole tradition is a residue of this (complete with 'miz maze' interweaving dances) On your pics, I think I saw carved spiral elements. Fascinating ...

The British Maypole has a different origin to monoliths and totems, as it derives from Pagan/Wiccan spring fertility (and possibly hand-fasting) ceremonies - not sure if this'll get censored but the maypole itself is a phallic symbol. All of this is of course forgotten by modern folk, who think nothing of why their kids are dancing round the pole...