Stonehenge site teeming with previously unseen archaeology, underground scans reveal Updated about 6 hours agoThu 11 Sep 2014, 9:44am Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England. Photo: Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in south-west England is one of the most iconic ancient sites in Europe (freeimages: tome213, file photo) Related Story: Stonehenge was ancient party spot: researchers Related Story: King Arthur loses Stonehenge legal battle Map: United Kingdom A vast complex of monuments surrounding Britains prehistoric Stonehenge site has been revealed using hi-tech underground scanning. The mysterious circle of standing stones, on Salisbury Plain in south-west England, is one of the most iconic ancient sites in Europe and was long thought to stand alone. But high-resolution scanning of the 12 square kilometres around it, penetrating three metres below the ground, has found it was surrounded by 17 neighbouring shrines. Stonehenge is the most iconic archaeological monument, possibly along with the pyramids, on the planet, project leader Professor Vincent Gaffney told the British Science Festival in Birmingham, central England. Most of the area around Stonehenge is terra incognita. It has never been explored and everything we think about Stonehenge is on the basis of what we dont know about it. This is going to change how we view Stonehenge. It is not yet another find from Stonehenge, its a fundamental step forward in the way we understand it. The four-year study used magnetometers - advanced metal detectors - ground-penetrating radar, electromagnetic sensors and three-dimensional laser scanners. It uncovered finds dating back 6,000 years, including evidence of 17 previously unknown wooden or stone structures as well as dozens of burial mounds. They include giant pits, some of which appear to form astronomical alignments. The nearby Durrington Walls super-henge, which has a circumference of 1.5 kilometres, was once flanked by up to 60 posts or stones up to three metres high, the scans showed. Many burial mounds were found, including one barrow 33 metres long, within which signs of a giant timber building were found. It is suggested this was the site of complex rituals involving the dead, including the removal of flesh and limbs. This project has revealed that the area around Stonehenge is teeming with previously unseen archaeology and that the application of new technology can transform how archaeologists and the wider public understand one of the best-studied landscapes on Earth, Professor Gaffney said. New monuments have been revealed, as well as new types of monument that have previously never been seen by archaeologists. A UNESCO world heritage site, Stonehenge is one of the most impressive prehistoric megalithic monuments anywhere due to its size, sophisticated concentric plan and architectural precision. It is suggested that the layout formed a theatrical arrangement, with Stonehenge gradually emerging from the landscape as visitors walked towards it on an ancient processional route. AFP
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 05:57:17 +0000
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