Stonehenge: The Altar Stone Story

 

During the past 24 hours various media outlets have carried reports on the origin of the famous 'Altar Stone' at Stonehenge.

The six-tonne sandstone slab lies recumbent at centre of the famous monument and is not easily visible because it is pinned under two larger sarsen stones.

Hitherto, experts have agreed that the entire complement of stones at the site originate from (a) a local quarry just 15 miles away and (b) South Wales.

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, it had been assumed that the Altar Stone had also been transported from South Wales. However, new laser analysis of mineral grains has determined that the Altar Stone originated from a geological formation in the far north of Scotland, at least 435 miles away.

This new finding adds a completely new dimension to the Stonehenge story, viz:

  • It now transpires that the structure comprises stones from all parts of mainland GB (England, Scotland and Wales);
  • Logistics expertise in transporting the stones over considerable distances and an untamed landscape

 For more information on Stonehenge please refer this earlier post.

Stonehenge was built by peoples of the Neolithic period who are not ancestors of the current British population.

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