Stonehenge

I know this is a little delayed but as one final hoorah before Grandpa Lamar went home in March we took a day trip to Stonehenge. This site was at the top of Adam's "must see" list when we found out we were moving to England. After five months of living here we finally made it...
Stonehenge is more than just a pile of over sized rocks, it is a fantastic and timeless monument that give us insights into the lives and culture of the people who built it. The monument evolved between 3,000 BC and 1,600 BC. It is aligned with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset. There are many speculations as to what the stones were used for. Excavations have revealed cremated human bones which led to the popular belief of the stones marking a graveyard. More than just graves however, scientist have reason to believe Stonehenge was part of a religious ceremony.

Among the stone arrangement are several bluestones. This is quite remarkable because the nearest evidence of bluestone is nearly 240 miles away. It is thought these stones, some weighing 4 tones each were dragged on rollers and sledges to a near by river where they were loaded onto rafts. The majority of the stone's journey was by water but they were once again dragged overland until they reached their final resting place.

Similarly the Sarsen stones can be found 25 miles north of Stonehenge. These stones are the largest and weighed roughly 50 tones. Transportation by water would have been impossible so the stones were moved using sledges and ropes. Modern calculations show that it would have taken 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone, with an extra 100 men needed to lay the huge rollers in front of the sledge. That is A LOT of hard work!

Here's what we think Stonehenge looked like when it was complete:
The Stonehenge we see today, although spectacular, is not what it once was. Several stones have fallen and many stones throughout the years have been removed. Some stones were taken to be used in other building structures and some stones were simply taken as souvenirs. Fortunately now the grounds are being preserved and protected so that all can come, see, and enjoy this historical site for years to come.
It was a beautiful day and we greatly enjoyed our trip. The stones were roped off so we couldn't get too close but there was a nice path that wound completely around them. We had hand held devises which provided an audio tour as we walked the path.

Our trip and time spent was definitely worthwhile. The more I learned about Stonehenge the more fascinating it became. If you ever take a trip to England I would highly recommend putting Stonehenge on your "must see" list. It is phenomenal!