Jakarta -Stonehenge is an ancient monument in England that is famous and still shrouded in mystery. However, now the purpose of Stonehenge’s construction may have been revealed.
Stonehenge consists of several large stones (known as megaliths) arranged in a circular formation. Its construction began around 5,000 years ago, with several changes and additions over the next two millennia.
Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain its purpose, ranging from an observatory aligned with the cycles of the Sun and Moon to an ancestral worship site. Some hypotheses suggest that the site served as a ceremonial or religious center, possibly involving burial rituals related to nearby Neolithic burials.
In addition, it may also have served for trade or social gatherings. However, the exact purpose of Stonehenge remains one of the enduring prehistoric mysteries.
Now, researchers have found new evidence suggesting that the construction of Stonehenge aimed to unite communities across England. They believe that people from the Neolithic era might have reconstructed it to unite everyone in ancient England, as many Europeans settled there between 2620 and 2480 BC.
“They must have coordinated significantly across England, people really worked together, in a time before phones and emails to organize such efforts,” said Mike Parker Pearson, a professor at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London.
“Moreover, if you look at the layout of some houses in Durrington Walls near Stonehenge, there is a striking similarity in their architecture with those found far to the north in the Orkney Islands,” he added from Unilad, Sunday (22/12/2024).
Researchers have discovered thousands of other stones scattered across England that share characteristics with Stonehenge. “This new insight significantly expands our understanding of the original purpose of Stonehenge.” This shows that the site on the Salisbury Plain was important to the people living around there, but also throughout England, as they transported large monoliths sometimes hundreds of miles to this location,” explained Mike.
In addition, it was also found that more than half of the Neolithic people living near the Stonehenge area were not even from that area. This indicates the significance of the site to the society of that time.
“The fact that all the stones come from distant regions, which makes it unique among the more than 900 stone circles in England, suggests that the stone circle may have both political and religious purposes, serving as a monument to unite the English society, celebrating their eternal connection with their ancestors and the cosmos,” added Mike.
