Archaeologists and geologists have spent several centuries debating the origin of the materials that were used to reconstruct Stonehenge , but the argument can at last be put to bed thanks to a new study in the journalScience Advances . Using an array of chemical substance depth psychology , the study author provide pretty compelling evidence that the structure’senormous boulderswere sourced from a place call West Woods , some 25 klick ( 15.5 miles ) away from the monument itself .
An iconic Neolithic turning point , Stonehengeis place in what is now the county of Wiltshire in the UK , and contains stones of various types and sizes . The primary architecture of the memorial consists of enormous silcrete megaliths , commonly known assarsens , while an raiment of smaller Stone , called bluestones , are also feel throughout the site . It is thought that the memorial to begin with contained around 80 sarsens , though only 52 stay on at the website today .
Previous research has traced many of the bluestone back to their various points of inception , with some having been transport over 200 kilometre ( 125 mi ) from placement in Wales by the builder of Stonehenge .
The source of the sarsens , however , had until now bilk scientist , with much speculation but little real evidence regarding the origins of these stupendous boulder . To finally solve the mystery , investigator used a proficiency phone portable 10 - shaft of light fluorescence spectrometry to analyze the chemical theme of the stay sarsens , before comparing them with each other in decree to square up their degree of chemic variability .
Of the 52 sarsens , 50 were found to apportion a logical chemistry , indicating that they all came from the same position . To pinpoint this communal point of origin , the study generator equate the geochemical theme song of one of these stone with those of other sarsens from around the UK . In doing so , they were able to identify West Woods – which lies to the northward of Stonehenge – as the source of massive rock and roll .
While helping to solve one of the main mysteries skirt Stonehenge , this determination also raises some riveting novel questions . For exercise , two of the sarsens included in this analysis – known as Stone 26 and Stone 160 – were establish to have come from a different , unidentified peak of pedigree , and the study authors are at a loss to explain this .
On the other deal , the solution of this work do at least confirm that the other 50 sarsens were probably all convey to the site at the same fourth dimension , suggest that they were assembled during one form of building . This discredit a previous possibility which submit that one of these sarsens , eff as the Heel Stone , was source from nearby and erected first , and that the others were bring from afar at a later particular date .
In spite of the latest discoveries regarding Stonehenge ’s history , scientists are still unable to confirmwho build the ancient monumentand what intention it serve .
