NEW YORK, BRONX (ORDO News) — Stonehenge, an iconic Neolithic monument in England, has long attracted the attention of scientists and historians. Among the many megaliths, one slab stands out – the Altar Stone, also known as stone No. 80.
This stone slab, which was once 4.9 m high, now lies buried in the ground. However, recent research has shown that the origin of the Altar Stone is not as previously thought.
The bluestones, the famous igneous rocks of Stonehenge’s inner ring, were thought to have been brought from the Mynydd Preseli area in Wales, 225 km away. Such a long distance of transportation is considered one of the most amazing feats of ancient construction.
For many years it was believed that Stone 80 came from the same area as the bluestones. However, a new study examining the geochemistry and mineralogy of the Old Red Sandstone (ORS) basement in West Wales has challenged this assumption.
The research team, led by geoscientist Richard Bevins from Aberystwyth University in the UK, found that the unusually high barium content of the Altar Stone did not match the barium content of bluestones from the Mynydd Preseli area.
Of the 58 samples taken from the PRS in West Wales, only four had the same barium content as the Altar Stone. However, these stones did not have the same fine grain as the Altar Stone. As a result, the researchers propose to “declassify” the Altar Stone as a bluestone and look for its origins elsewhere.
According to the authors of the study, the key to the origin of the Altar Stone can be given by younger rocks, for example, from the Permian or Triassic periods, formed about 200-300 million years ago. Regions such as northern Ireland, north-east Wales and north-west England, known for high barium content and Neolithic sandstone sites, are potential candidates. Even the high-barium, non-marine sandstones of Scotland may provide clues.
A new study challenges previous assumptions about the construction of Stonehenge and highlights the need to find alternative sources for the Altar Stone. The results of the study open up new possibilities for understanding the history of the monument and the ancient civilizations that built it.
Dr Richard Bevins, an earth scientist at Aberystwyth University, said: “The altar stone at Stonehenge has always been a mystery. Our research shows that its origins are not linked to the bluestones from the Mynydd Preseli area, as previously thought. We need to expand the geography and stratigraphy of the search to to find out the true source of this wonderful stone.”
Dr Mike Parker Pearson, archaeologist at University College London, said: “Stonehenge continues to surprise us with its secrets. The discovery that the Altar Stone does not belong to the same group as the bluestones challenges our understanding of how these ancient stones were transported and collected “It opens up new avenues of research and invites us to rethink our understanding of Stonehenge.”
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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